Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-26

articles by Lieut., Conner. Edward Els
berg concerning the work of the divers
ON the suuken S-A
BY EDWARD ELLSBERG. u. 8. n.
ON BOARD u. s. S. FALCON, off
Provincetown Harbor, December Go
When Diver Thomas Eadie landed
first on the sunken submarine S.4 last
Sunday afternoon he used as a guide
4inch Manila line. A grapnel at.
tached to this line had hooked itself
onto the tangle aerials over the S-4's
coming tower. and 1t was there that
Eadie found himself
Except in the tropics, visibility un-
der water is always poor. ON the 81
at that time, In the afternoon, Eadie
could see only about feet, not be.
cause Il was dark but because the
water diffused the light and made 1t
as hard 10 see anything. an IL IL were
on the other side OF a window with
ground-giass panes.
Eadie cut loose the graphing hook
and the 4-inch line TO the S-4's rail
nearby. A nasty ins.section showed
the submarine badly torn on her star
board side, just forward of her gun.
| which comes about 20 feet forward of
the coming tower.
Divers Taps Answered.
The minute Eadies lead .soled shoes
hit the S-4 he felt a series of raps
begin on tho side Of the submarine.
| He hurried forward (hurrying for a
| diver IL like a slow motion picture
| walk). The sounds grew clearer until
| he came TO the torpedo hatch. Here
| he stopped, placed a hand on It and
hit the hatch with a hammer he car.
ried. Immediately he felt t;,rough
| the steel plate under mis- hard six
| steady taps. A pause tnd inen six
taps once more. Eadie left and went
| aft. where he listened intently. but no
| sounds came from there. Flooded
aft. and all dead except six men in
| the torpedo room.
Eadie rose to the surface. Carr
| came down with an air hose which
he attached 10 IA special valve In the
side of the coming tower, then open
ed the valve. Then Carr was hauled
up. On the surface the Falcon start
ed to pump air through this line with
the hope that enough water might
be forced out OF the S.4's ballast tanks
10 allow the lighiened bow t2s float
up. Meanwhile IA third diver. Michels
was preparing to go below with a
second air hose TO attach TO another
| valve from which air might be blown
TO all crew compartments. including
| the torpedo room.
| The weather. which had been bad
| was getting worse. Diving should
ordinarily have stopped when Eadie
came up. The Falcon, hastily
anchored and steadied only by IA lima
over each quarter 10 the small tenders
| Lark and Mallard swept erratically
| back and forth over the S4 as the
waves rolled by In the darkness. II
was nearly suicide for Micheis TO dive
and practically murder for the Of
| ficers on the Falcon 10 let him go. bu,
six men OF the Navy lay below In the
S.4. pleading for air.
Diver Pinned Fast.
| Grasping an air hose. Michels was
| h0ihted over the Falcons side. and ht
disappeared In the black water. his
diving lamp cleaning through the sea
as he slid down.
Half an hour. with the hawser'
| holding the Falcon threatening tf
snap each second and no word from
| Micheg, the tender tried - signal OF
the Divers lifeline, but there was M
answering pull. Michels was foul.
| Quickly Eadie WAS reused tTGm hii
bunk, hurriediy dressed md neni dowr
to help Michels He found him fiat OF
his face on the deck forward Of the con
ming tower. pinned down by his tangled
lifeline and air hose. which Wer'
taInmed in the twisted steel plates Il
starboard. then stretched across
Michsis back and caught In th'
wreckags hanging down the port side
The Wild plunging 0f the Falcon ui
hboys had woven Micheis' air hoa'
aud lifeline into Il tangled web. eaugh
in the wreekage ana held Micheis
helpless prisoner.
| How t.adir fought for two hour
| while the storm thged overhead. ka w
II aWH" steel bars, nntanElini
MicheIs' hose and finally sending ul
his unconscious shipmais In safety. i
an epic IN Itself The annals Of TN
Navy record no braVer act. and whei
L1adle. his diving Auit cut open iron
contact with The IaggSd edges Of III
~ and tilied with freezing water vi
10 his helmet, finally rose through th
sea he had written his name IN letter
which bjazad out brightly aiongsid
of string of rghting men going baGl
10 John Paul Jones,
| Further diving was impossible, Th
stfsiHiuR lines t0 the Lark and Ma
lard were let go, and the Falcon, Id
ing only 10 her anchor rode wildly 4
lac passing seat.
ifof Two DAYS We rads the storm
land listened Iih broken hearts Ia III
messages iapped oui ftan hsinW. W
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