The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-02-03
PILOT BOAT RAMS
SUBMARINE Ii
U. S. SubmerS.bIa is Be2Ched
at LeWeS, DEL
CREW OF 28 UNHURT

Vessels Crash Together in Darkness
at sea-PiIot Boat Tows Disabled
Craft.
Philadelphia, Feb. 3.-The {. S. sub
mare Ii was rammed eight miles off
the Delaware Capes by the pilot boat
Philadelphia. No one was injured
Damaged badly, the uudersea boat
inner harbor of the breakwater. and
beached in twelve feet IF water be
tween the Queen Anne 'pier, LeweS,
Del, and the west end Of the break
water
According to the official report Of
the collision made to the Philadelphia
navy yard, the LII was proceeding
there with three other submarines for
their annual overhauling. Eagle Boas-
No. II 'mothered" the submersibles.
The location Of the accident is about
forty-seven miles from where the sub
in September, 1920, in which the crew
of thirty-seven men were rescued after
being imprisoned two days.
The Ii, under command of Lieuten-
ant Robert P. Luker, carried another
officer and crew of twenty-siX men.
Immediately after the crash the crew
started the pumps, but The water came
in through an opened seam so rapidly
the engine room was flooded.
According to pi'~ts on the Philadel-
phia, the Ii had proceeded ahead Of
her companion ships and the mother
boat" and they were several miles
behind when the suhmersble was ram
med. Two skiffs from the pilot boat
made an examination for damage.
Were rot badly hurt; we can make
the Breakwater," Lieutenant Iuker is
reported to have said But the pilot
boat insisted on towing the damaged
craft and the submarines crew re
manned on board.
1t was said the LIS port light was
not visible and the starbOard light of
the pilot boat was headed toward the
starboard light Of the submarine, when
suddenly the Ii swung around and
ran across the Philadelphia's bow.
The submarines stern started to
settle when the Philadelphia had towed
1t to within a counle Of miles Of the
breakwater, the pilots said, but even
then the crew would not leave. They
stayed on the III after 1t was beached.
although the craft lay at an angle Of
about forty-f1ve degrees, with its nose
completely out of water. The air in
the forward compartments, it was ex-
planned, kept the submarine up.
Later the naval tug Kahn arrived
from the Philadelphia navy yard, and
made an examination preparatory to
raising and making temporary repairs
to the disabled craft.
Captain O'Neill, commanding the
pilot boat, left the station at Over
falls Light to learn if rhe submarine
wanted a pilot for the trip up the
Delaware" said Commander Simpson,
aide to Captain Louis Mccoy Mutton,
commandment of the navy yard.
at was dark outside, our reports
show, and Captain O'Neil did not see
the submarine, although l0okouts were
watching, until the pilot boat was al
most on top of the submersible.
"Ihe, vessels were so close it was
not possible to avoid collision and
the pilot boat struck the submarine on
the port quarter (rear left side) open
ed one of her seams, ard damaged her
plates. The water came through the
break rapidly.
"a tow line was passed from the
Philadelphia to the Ii and the pumps
were started. The engine room flood
ed 50 rapidly it was necessary to close
the compartment.
1.-THE Ii probably will be repaired
within couple of days sufficiently to
enable II ia come TO the yard here"
The LII was making the trip from
Hampton Roads. Va, with the subma-
rines LIZ, LIB and L-9, which, with the
damaged craft, form part Of the sub
marine fleet No. 5. The ships OF this
feet are known as second line craft.