The Wrangell sentinel., 1940-07-26
WRANGELL MAN DROWNS, VIVID
 ACCOUNT GIVEN

Henry Willard. SO. Wrangell fish erman, was drowned July 15 when his boat swamped on Dead Mans Sands in Bristol Bay during a southeast gale. according to word brought to Wrangell by William L. Paul of Juneau, Grand Secretary off the Alaska Native Brotherhood His body was recovered, identified and buried at Naknek on July 21.
 Willard. one of several from here who went to Bristol Bay for the fishing season, was with Joe Collier, | his brother-in-law. of Juneau. The latter was picked up by one of the Libby boats.
 Willard, widely known here and in Juneau where he formerly lived, | is survived by six children, Mable | Willard, Helen Pringle, Edna, Mar tha, Katherine and Raymond Will lard; two sisters, Mrs James s. F Johnson Of Klawock and Mrs Joe Collier of Juneau.
 Graphic Story Told
 The following account of the tragedy has just been received by Secretary Paul of the ANB, from his son, Fred Paul. Young Paul graphically writes:
 It happened two days ago, Mon day afternoon about o'clock. They had both nets out for low water, when the fish began to move. The weather wasn't bad then, so they made their set close to a bar called Dead Mans Sands ironically enough it was we'll named. All of a sudden a strong Easterly wind blew up, strong enough to lift sheets of water from the tops of waves and throw them for twenty or so feet, strong enough to blow them on to the bar. So, they began to pick up. They got one net in. Henry said, well pick the fish out of this net and then pick up the other one. That way the boat will balance bet ter, sail better" But Joe thought they should pick Up both and said so Henry, being captain, of course had his way. That is as it should be, particularly when Joe has had no experience before this year Well, they got the first net picked free of fish and started to pick up the other one. By this time they were almost on the bar Either they got the other net in or they chopped it off, because in a short time, Joe says, they raised their sail. But 70 CT so shallow, that in a couple of seconds the boat was broadside to the bar in water less than a foot deep making it impossible to tack out against the wind. Suddenly the boat almost turned over, for the sail being broadside to the wind keeled it over. Henry succeeded in cutting the halyard (the line which holds the sail up). This brought sail down fighting the boat. The two men started bailing for their life But be- fore they even had time to think, a wave smacked the boad broadside, turned it upside down, breaking the mast off at the deck throwing the men into the water. When they saw LlOuUl6 DISMlu6s they udu put Ol their life preservers One of the few boats in the river which carried life preservers, for the ordinary fisher man thinks it takes up too much room. Lucky for Joe that they did Immediately upon being thrown in- to the water, the two men lost each other-one going one direction, the other the opposite way Joe says he made up his mind to get off his boots and slickers-stripping down | to his underwear, socks and shirt and life preseryer. He fought then to keep his head above water. I marvel first that the man could get his clothes off, for it takes super human strength to strip yourself in this roaring tide. He is a strong man, indeed.
 See Their Struggles
 Now the rescuers saw all this hap pen and started to work immediat- ely First, since their boat was emp ty, they had to pick up their net to get ballast, for otherwise the boat would have been manageable. An empty sailboat is death Their net had about 300 fish which is just about right, altho trifle light. Butt away they went anyway. They sail
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