Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1926-10-07
WATAUCA BOY ON FIRST
BOAT SANK BY GERMANS
William F. R ominger, of Hackett,
On Board Aztec When Torpedoed
Off French Coast
HAD BEEN IN NAVY IS YEARS
Re-lnlisted After War and Was Dis
charged Because of Bad Health;
Died in Texas Two Years Ago

The fact that Waatuga boy was
member of the gunners' crew on
the first armed American vessel sank
in the World War is not generally
known. His name wass William F.
Rominger, nephew of Mr.. J. w. Ro-
minger of Hackett, and was gunner
on the Aztec, sank off the coast of
France by U-boat on April 1, 1917.
The. crew of the Aztec consisted of
twelve gunners, all of which reached
France safely save one,, John Eopo-
lucci, of Washington, D. c., who was
the first American to lose his life
in that titanic struggle.
Young Rominger had been in the
navy for twelve or thirteen years pre-
vious to The war, and when the strug-
gle ended he re-enlisted and served
in that branch of the service until his
discharge because of i'll health. He
died about eighteen months ago in a
sanatorium at Legion Texas, and was
buried in the National cemetery at
johnson City, Tenn, with military
honors. Rominger had a brother in
the army, who went "over the top"
was wounded and decorated for
bravery under fire.
We reproduce the following story
Of the sinking of the Aztec from the
Washington Herald of April 20, 1927,
oL In Y,
picture of the gunners' crew:
MRS. John A. Eopolucci, the first
mother Of the nation to lose son in
the present (World( war, yesterday
gave up her last faint hope that he
had been saved.
- "Shipmates, members of the gun
crew of the Aztec, called upon Mrs.
Eopolucci in little groups of twos
and threes at her modest home, 649
l street southeast, during the day and
extended their sympathy.
"'We all feel very badly about
Johnny being lost, said one of the
visitors. He was such good ship
mate
"He twirled his hat in his rough
ened hands and looked hard at the
floor. There was sincerity in his
voice.
'The Aztec survivors, who reached
Washington last Thursday night after
series of thrilling experiences. has
tened to call upon the mother of
John Eopolucci as soon as navy Of
ficials would permit and as soon, also,
as they were fitted out in presentable
clothing. For they arrived from the
war zone in suits much the worse for
wear.
eleven of them came back from
their perilous trip across the Attain
tic. They told their comrades moth
er of the circumstances surrounding
the sinking of the Aztec, armed
merchantmen. They tod her of the
high seas, the driving sleet and the
hours spent in am open boat.
cup until today l thought that
John might have been rescued, said
Mrs. Eopolucci yesterday afternoon.
Now I know it wasn't possible
"'He did his duty, and am
proud of him'-she paused-'but it
isn't like having him with YOU
"The surviving members OF the
Aztec gun crew continued to main
tain their silence yesterday on the in
cidents of the sinking, their rescue,
and later re-crossing the Atlantic
amid the dangers of war. Navy OF
fic;als gave each man strict instruc-
tions not to talk. :,
"Seyeral of the men Indicated,
however. that there were some
mighty exciting times coming back.
They would make some indirect
mention to these events, halt, and
explain that they were not allowed 10
talk of them.
k'Three submarines were sighted on
the return trip, it was broadly intl-
mated. Behind the air OF mystery
and reserve shown by members OF the
oun crew there were further intlma-
tions of skirmishes and narrow es-
canes. When any of the survivors
became too talkative, an officer re-
minded them not to tell all they
? knew. E,
"sWe played in hard luck all the
time explained one of the survivors
There seemed to be a hoodoo fol-
lowing u.s.
"sThere were thirteen of us in the
Dolphin crew." one of the bluejack-
cts remarked seriously. You see, we
started out with an unlucky num-
ber.
=. ".Then we left port on the thlr'
teenth and were torpedoed on Friday
the thirteenth. The Aztec was SUNK
on April /, All Fools Day. We were
aboard a little old boat that made
nine knots. And finally, we arrived
in England on the thirteenth
"Nothing could shake this .sall9r'
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