The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1920-02-05
Belfast Boy on the Gresham

Everett s. Hatch, son Of Mr.. and Mrs.
W. G. Hatch of this city, now radio
operator on the Gresham, writes the fol-
lowing interesting letter in regard to the
rescue of the transport Powhatan:
Dear Folks: After sent my last letter
home we received orders to proceed to the
Powhatan and accompany her to Halifax.
We were in Vineyard Haven at the time,
and at once started for New Bedford for
coal, but were prevented from getting
there by ice. Consequently we turned
around and proceeded to Boston, arriving
there Wednesday afternoon. The crew
coaled ship all that afternoon and even
ing until nine o'clock, then we hoisted
anchor and started on our trip.
The Powhatan was approximately $50 to
400 miles northeast of Boston, absolutely
helpless with water gaining and weather
conditions unfavorable. Our first two
days were uneventful, good weather and
only a moderate sea. On Friday evening
we arrived in her vicinity and found her
in tow of the cutters Acushnet and Ossi-
pee and the Canadian ship Lady Lauriat.
Two U. S. destroyers were standing by,
but had no line to the Powhatan.
, That evening the destroyers left for
Boston and we also got orders to return
and started back, but Capt. Randall of the
Powhatan requested us to remain and &C
company them to Halifax; SO we turned
around again.
That night the weather changed decid-
eddy. This particular vicinity is one of
the worst places in the Atlantic Ocean,
so am told, and don't doubt their word
Bit. At that time we were some over
200 miles southeast of Halifax. The three
ships were towing her at approximately
five miles per hour.
The next morning there was northeast
wind and as result all lines to the Pow
hatan parted and she drifted rapidly to
re southeast. For two days and three
nights we remained shove to" unable to
do thing except to stand by and wait
for the weather to moderate. It showed
At last yesterday morning the weather
broke and with the good we Their came
the wrecking tug Relief with a strong
tow line. We at once proceeded to Hail.
fax.
The Ossipee, the Acushnet and the Re-
lief had lines to the Powhatan with the
Lady Lauriat and the Gresham convoy
ing. Last night it was perfectly calm and
That helped us along materially.
So here we are in the harbor and am
glad because am rather tired. A trip of
this sort is always busy one for the
radio operators. The Powhatan's main
radio set was out of commission leaving
them only a small emergency set which
would only send about mile All of her
messages to shore were sent through us
for two days; so all the information that
you read about in the papers during that
time was sent by Reynolds or myself. All
this work in addition to our own kept us
pretty busy. The Gresham was the SEN
ior ship, our captain being superior in rank
to any of the others; so we had orders to
give to the other ships and also forward
ed their messages to shore until last
night Our set was the only one that
could communicate with the shore so we
had all the work to do until we got in
near enough for them to do their own
communicating. Yesterday we commu-
nicated directly with Boston, distance
of about 400 miles, also with Bar Harbor,
Maine.
l am actually getting to be quite sail
or. did not feel bit sick all through
the heavy weather and had good appe-
tite all the time. During that time l slept
in the radio room, which is amidships
and it does not bang around quite so much |
as my room which is forward.
certainly enjoy my work. Reynolds |
and | were both complimented by the |
capt ain for the way we handled our end |
of the work, and it was all very good ex
perience.
The other night we heard musical |
concert under rather odd circumstances. |
The operator on the Powhatan has a
phonograph in his radio room and gave US
a concert by using his wireless telephone.
We have no wireless phone on our boat |
but can record speech in our regular re-
ceivers. The music was very distinct and
| don't think it ever sounded so good to
me before; hanging around hundreds of
miles at sea and listening to band play
ing "jazz."
If Earl White 'listened in" he must
have heard us. He told me he would
keep you posted at such times.
We will 60 from here to Boston proba-
hlv fol1ouipo the coaSt