The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-26

place to enlist in the navy June
10th, 1905 with about Is other boys
from Waterbury. I think was the
only one to stay in the navy out
Of this group, which was composed
of Pat German, John Mcfarland, O
fellow from the Abrigador district
named Dillon, ana others. We went
to train at Norfolk, but later some
Of us were changed to Newport, r
I. Mcfarland went to China later
and German and I went to the
U. s. S. Massachusetts and later
to the U. s. s. Indiana. 1t was on
this ship that we were lying peace
fully in the bay off Guantanamo
Cuba, then were ordered To
Kingston, Jamaica, as the whole
town was destroyed by fire and
earthquake. We stayed at Jamaica
about four days burning the dead In
the market square when we were
ordered back to Guantanamo with
the fleet. We were also one OF
the ships ordered to Havana, Cuba
during the occupation of 1906 and
1907. 1t was in Havana that ]
went on board the old U. 8. s.
Columbia and paid visit to an
other man from Washington Hill
named Johnnie Kelly, also an old
friend named Martin Sheehy from
Stone street. Later I was trans
ferred to the u. s. s. Maine and
went around the Horn with the old
White Atlantic fleet and leaving
them at San Francisco I came to
the Atlantic coast as my time was
about out, but re-enlisted at Nor
folk and went to the Hancock at
New York navy yard. Later
went to the Washington navy yard
for instruction in guns and tor
pedoes and deep sea diving and up
on completion of these studies was
sent to sea again, this time on the
U. S. s. Minnesota with Comman-
der Simms. I went to Europe with
the fleet at that time and was In
the old Guild hall at London when
Simms made the famous speech that
was the cause of his being called
back to Washington to explain the
why's and when of 1t.
u. s. S. Newark
My next ship was the old U. s.
s. Newark and then to the new
Florida. Then I was sent to the
Naval Academy at Annapolis for
instruction in physical culture and
later went to the Reina Mercedes.
Later on went to the Ohio and
Illinois and then to the old U. S. s.
Brooklyn. 1 served on this ship
about seven years, during which
time we went througf> the Suez
canal where we were fired upon by
the Turks (this was before we got
into the war;. At Bitter Lake In
the canal we saw several British
transports with Canadian aboard
Omostly from Boston,. We were
enroute from Manila to Yokohama
when news came to us that the
United States had declared war on
the central powers. was a chief
gunner,s mate on the Brooklyn at
the time and was one Of the first
officers appointed in the navy dur
ing the war. We were at Vladi-
vostok, Russia, for several months
while the Allies were trying to
straighten things out for the Rus
slams. 1t was there the night that
Guida, the Chech leader, was cap
tured by the Reds and also saw him
after he was transferred on board a
French cruiser where he was sent to
France.
Ports Of Asia
After calling OH the principal
ports of Asia we came home with
our homeward bound pennant fly
ing (this was about five feet wide
and tapered out to the waterline
$50 feet behind--see picture). We
put the old Brooklyn out of COM
mission at Mare Island and the
next ship was a mine layer. MY
time was getting short in the SER
vice and retirement near. was
transferred to the destroyers based
in San Diego where was retired