Evening star., 1920-01-05

plete record Of the commanders OF
American ships sunk or crippled by
the Germans. Following is list
OF the com. .nanders, their ships ana
the dates the vessels were torpedoed
or mined:
y Commander W. N. Vernon. destroyer
cassin, torpedoed October 15,t 1877:
Antii1es sunk ,octobher II. 4slE
Capt. 9. Ne Graham, TRANSPORT Fin
mander W. T. Conn, jr., converted
naval yacht Alcedo, torpedoed NO
vember 5, 1917: Commander D. w.
Bagley. destroyer Jacob Jones, tor
pedoed December 6. 1917: Com.
1918: Commander H. IL. Christy.
cruiser San Diego. sunk by mine July
10. 1918; Capt. D. E. Dismukes. trans
port Mount Vernon, torpedoed Sep.
coast guard cutter Tampa, torpedoed
September 26. 1918, and Capt. J. v.
Chase. battleship Minnesota, struck
by mine September 20, 1918. but did
not sink.
Case Of Capt. HasbrOuck,
Mr.. Daniels then states that ten
commanders of sunken ships were
selected to receive the distinguished
service medal, One commander who
Hasbrouck. was ourtmartialed, Mr..
Daniels said. and, though fully ac-
quilted of the charge against him,
was not recommended for recognition
of any character. Hasbrouck was
charged with failing to return to
his ship at daylight with salvage
party" an offense that Admiral Will
son stated officially was more seri-
Gus than an error of Judgment Be
cause of previous service as trans
port commander Mr.. Daniels recon-
mended Hasbrouck for a naval cross.
which the captain promptly refused
to accept.
In concluding his letter to Chair
man Page Secretary Daniels says:
When we shall have forgotten the
distinguished and honorable service
of able and devoted naval officers
ashore who will worthi,y wear the
distinguished service medal the
splendid courage of the men who met
the shock of the submarine stiiettos
unafraid and demonstrated initiative,
valor and wisdom under such stress
as landsmen never know-these brave
men and their deeds will remain as
living glory and an honorable lncen-
tive to future naval heroes.
Bagley Praised by Sims.
In his account of the sinking of
the Jacob Jones Secretary Daniels
quotes the testimony of officers OF
the destroyer to show that COM
mander Bagley acted according to the
best traditions of the navy ne
quotes the recommendation of Ad-
miral Sims, which reads:
"Bagley's handling of the situation
after his ship was torpedoed was ev.
erything / expected In the way OF
efficiency. good judgment, courage and
chivalrouS action"
Commander Bagley was recommend
ed by Admiral Sims for the Navy
cross. and the Knight board Of awards
approved the recommendation. Sec
retary Daniels, however, changed this
decision and gave his brother-in-law
the distinguished service medal. or
this action Mr.. Daniels says:
I'm view of the principle and policy
that all commanding officers whose
ships were attacked in the, war zone,
and whose conduct under fire after
enemy attack had been reported
distinguished service medal, he fBag-
ley) was named among those to re-
ceive this medal"
List to BE Checked Today.
Mr.. Daniels said that 'Iate and in
complete returns have necessarily de-
layed full jusstice to all who deserve
recognition" At the meeting today
of the Knight board, called at the in
stance of Mr.. Daniels, the entire list
of officers eligible for awards will
be carefully gone over and checked
up.
Speaking further in behalf of Off
GERS whose ships were sunk, Mr.. DAN
iels says:
I'VE cannot give too much honor
to the commanding officers of surface
ships which were able to sink or
destroy a submarine. The truth must
also be recognized, however, that the
courage. skill. determination, re-
sourcefuiness, foresight and judg-
ment of officers whose ships were tor
pedoed and suddenly sunk are put
to quite as severe test as in the
cases of commanding officers of sur
face ships which see and sink the
enemy. Nobody has suggested that an
officer should be honored because his
ship was sunk by a submarine But
it is clear that when a ship is, sunk
the commanding officer should be re-
warded if he meets this supreme
crisis with poise, with utter fear
lessness and thought for his men
above himself. with the utilization of
all those attributes that show a man
q hero when the hour strikes for
his supreme trial. To deny this prin-
ciple Is to deny one Of the bases Of
the moral law. The greatest thing
that a man ever does in this world is
to turn a, stumbling block into a
stepping stone. If medals are not
given for, this sort Of thing what on
y-fl