Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-25
(By James L. Malone)

On Friday, December 10, at l p. M.
the thirteenth hour of the day, the
u. S. S. Northern Pacific glided away
from it's pier in Hoboken. On board
were thirteen English officers, the
only passengers. Members of the crew
ioked about the superstition thai is
supposed to be prevalent among the
not exist to. any great extent among
the naval forces that have been re-
cruited from inland cities during the
last two years. After one of the most
pleasant trips experienced since the
vessel was taken over by the govern
ment the ship dropped anchor In
Portland harbor, England. The same
English channel to Portsmouth and
Southampton where naval nurses were
taken aboard.
On December 21 the trip was made
to Brest, France, where $500 soldiers.
1900 Of them wounded. became pass
engers. Many of them were seriously
wounded, some without limbs, and the
work of transferring them from the
lighters to the sick bay compartments
on the vessel was slow. The last were
brought to the ship on December "a
and p~reparations were made for the
homeward voyage.
Christmas Gifts Come Aboard.
Late Christmas Eve a Red Cross
barge drew alongside the vessel and
passed up several crates, Christmas
gifts to the soldiers and members OF
the crew. The prospect of spending
the Yuletide in a foreign port had not
been cheering but with gifts to be dis
tributed the occasion presented itself
to the men in a different light. An
evergreen tree was unearthed from
somewhere, tinsel was not lacking and
a festival, with a real touch of the
Christmas spirit was staged in the
troops mess compartment. OFFICER
and men shared in the program and
there was no lack of talent for the
impromptu program. The Red Cross
gifts exceeded expectations, both in
value and usefulness and it was a
happy crew that made preparations
for the trip back to New York. Dur.
ing the program Captain L. J. Con-
nelly, one of the best and most popu.
lar shippers in the service, addressed
the soldiers and sailors and promised
that all would be in New York fol
New Years if it was within his power
to get them there. ......
Men Announce Homecoming.
The homeward trip was almost as
pleasant as the voyage to England and
the series Of "thirteens" vas forgot.
ten. Five hundred miles off the New
England coast a heavy gale was e
countered and h prospects of dock
| ing on New Years v were shattered
but all looked forward to an early
landing on the morning of January
/ first. Hundreds Of soldiers sent radio
messages to friends and relatives, an
nouncing their arrival the following
day.
While proceeding through a dense
fog and laboring through heavy sea-
the Northern Pacific struck a sand bal
at 2:32 a. m. The Fire Island ligh
house was visible and the stretch O.
barren sand that bears that name wa:
but a few hundred yards to starboard
There followed a series of heavy jolt'
plates while every %stanchion wa
strained under the sudden impact. Thu
vessel ploughed its way completed.
through n ban and buried its nos
into a second where it was firmly held
The heavy seas pounding on the por
side caused the ship to roll to a. dan,
gerous angle and then stop short will
a sudden jar, making. it extremely un
comfortable for the wounded mer
quartered below decks. The grea
waves rolled completely over the ship
throwing a spray as high as tn,
masts.
Vessel Deep in Sand.
Every effort was made to releas'
the ship with its own power but 81
firmly was it imbedded in the SAM
that not even the slightest effect wa
noticeable. The wave continued t,
push the vessel shoreward and in or
der to prevent a serious disaster tn,
forward anchors were dropped blu
the huge chains snapped under tn
tremendous strain and the ship wa:
left in a helpless condition and at tn,
mercy of the incoming rollers.
All hands had been put to work t,
meet the emergency but very littl,
could be done except to safeguard tn
wounded and prepare to meet tn
threatened disaster. Shortly after day
light a destroyer, in answer to tn