Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-11-13
COOK PROVED HERO.
His Deed Of Bravery Deserves to
Be Recorded.
huoseph Marcio's Saving Of comrade
Washed Overheard Proof That
Courage In Navy Is Not Con-
fined to the Fighters.

u Many brave things have been done
acan ships, and one Of them stands out
lsuperbly, writes Ralph d. Paine in the
saturday Evening Post. It was the
rescue Of man overheard in the
midst Of q storm. This vessel was
caught out in it while on convoy duty
Z land her survival was little short of a
4 miracle. The French marines called
+ BIT the worst blow the Bay Of Biscay
Z had seen in eight years. Its violence
I was that of hurricane, with a wind
! velocity approaching hundred miles
4 Ian hour, such storm as would have
sorely pounded and damaged great
Atlantic liner.
"A The ship was more or less knocked
into kindling wood, both masts broken
tpff and rolled out of her, all three boats
smashed and carried away, decks gut
ted, life rails splintered, compartments
flooded. The ship was rolling 55 de-
krees, or almost fiat on her side, and
when she plunged, more than half the
length Of her keel was in the air. In
The midst Of it the steering gear jam.
gmed and the ship was likely to breach
10 and founder unless 1t could be clear
I'D. The chief quartermaster, b. 81.
Robertson, volunteered for the job
hnd was presently washed overheard,
carried off to leeward on the back Of
d roaring sea. .5... Il "a
x, There was not one chance in mil
lon Of saving him. He was as good as
dead, and vanished. The ship was run.
hing before the storm and quarter
of an hour passed before she could be
brought to, very dangerous maneu-
yer, which again swept her clean. The
Fquartermaster had not gone down, but
was visible on the lee bow, swimming
with the courage of a man who re-
fuses to surrender to the inevitable.
Lines were thrown to him, but he was
unable to reach them. Even If the
boats had not been smashed it would
have been impossible to launch one.
4 life raft was showed over, and it
hoated toward Robertson so that he
could clutch it and hang on.
This was merely to prolong his ag.
pny, however. for he could do nothing
more to help himself. He had been in
The water II minutes, buffeted, strang-
led, freezing. The month was Deem
Der, the temperature of the sea SO de-
grees. Among those who looked on
and pitied the exhausted man who had
made such plucky fight of it was the
Ihip's cook, Joseph Marcio. His realm
4 ,f pots and pans being wrecked and
Il wash, he turned his attention to this
affair uf the drowning quartermaster.
znotting line about his middle and
making no fuss about it he jumped in
20 the sea and swan to Robertson, a
1eritable porpoise Of sea cook with
soul as big as all outdoors.
/ The ship had some way on her and
ould not be wholly stopped. 1t hap
,ened, therefore, that when the cook
/ rabbed the quartermaster they were
lowly towed through the seas. The
train was terrific and the rope nearly
ut the cook in two, but he chung to his
nan until they were fetched alongside
nd hauled aboard together.
Z The quartermaster was unconscious,
nd the cook also collapsed on deck,
ut was thawed out with no serious
amage. This Joseph Marcio was
romoted to the rating of chief COM
lissary steward in recognition of the
eed and was recommended for the
old life-saving medal of the navy de-
artment.