Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-05
SURVIVORS OF SIS
TROOP INTO PORT
SMILING BROADLY
Lads From Inflated Sub
marine Declare It's Best
Crew in Navy.
GIVE OFFICER HIGH PRAISE
AND HE ADMIRES HIS MEN
Crew Says Lieutenant Com
mander Cooke Is Bravcst
of the Brave.
[Rv As.oclatnhprnssl


PHILADELPHIA, Sept 4.-Thirty-
six men trooped down the gangplank
OF the destroyer Biddle tonight at
the Philadelphia nayy-yard. The first
man OF the group was raising his
voice in 4 nautical tenor's version of
How Dry AM" and accompanying
his song by broad smile. Behind
him trooped the rest. some singing.
some calling out CHEEKY "hello's." but
all smiling.
This was the homecoming of the
survivors OF the submarine SIS. Their
boat is at the bottom of the sea,
but it is expected 1t will be SAL
vaged.
Snatched From Deaths Jaws.
few hours before. kindly fate
aiding. the never-failing luck OF the
navy had snatched them from The
jaws of death and released them
from nearly two days entombmcn. in
submarine. one end of which rested
on the ocean floor and the other stuck
up in the water at an angle of sixty
degrees. Pcnned up for hours in TWO
narrow compartments. they had
waited hour after hour for release.
Every minute of the time had been
accompanied by n joke or laugh
or smile from some one. even dur
ing the most trying minutes-minutes
when deadly chlorine gas was creep
ing ever them and they We're forced
TO don gas masks to keep alive.
Tonight. when once moro back on
land. in n first answer to questioners
curious TO know how it felt to be
face to face with death for more
than forty hours. Joseph Star Youker.
an apprentice seaman from Camden,
y. j., voiced the sentiment OF his
fellows with the statement:
Great. DecInres Joseph Iouker.
Great, It was wonderful. 1t showed
that we have the best crew in the
navy. want to DO in on the next
dive and 1 want to make it with
'Savvy' Cooke"
All were willing to dismiss their
own experiences. but they had come
thing to say on another subject They
wanted the world and especially
President Wilson and Secretary Dam
iels to know that during their trying
experience they had found out that
Lieutena Commander Charles NJ
Cooke. Jr., is the greatest and bravest
man in the entire navy. and for fear
there might be any mistake In the
matter. before they left the Biddle,
4 round robin had been signed and
forwarded TO Secretary Daniels by
wireless setting forth these opinions
and ending with reQues; that they
be sent back to the SIS as soon as it
is salvaged and placed in commits
sion, and that they be under the COM
mand OF Cooke, or that il Cooke can
not command the SIS again, that he
he given another ship, n submarine
and that they be allowed to follow
him.
Although the sailors did not know
was being sent to President Wilson
by Cooke asking him to take steps
suitable to reward the brave men who
had faced death with him so smiling
~ and unflinchingly
Every Man in High Spirits.
Every man was in high spirits.
Three were feeling the effects of the
gas. hut they were able to walk down
the Eansplank. They were taken to
the navy-yard hospital for treatment.
They are Joseph o. Savage. seaman.
of Eleco. IA; Jacob Akcrs, Jr.. of
Warnccliffc, W. Va. and Robert o.
Igdanez, of the Philippine Islands. n
mess attendant. They are not cx-
pected to experience any serious per-
manent results from their gaSsinE.
but the navy is taking no chances and
CONTINUED on Second PaEc)