The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1942-06-26
FACIN N c.
THE -
FACTS
With PHILIP PEARL

y
seldom get honorable mention, let
alone medals. The brass hats have
made it an immemorial practice to
overlook labor's heroes. That is why
we hereby nominate for national ac-
claim and recognition courageous
Jules Souza, member of the Seafarers'
international Union.
Souza, by all the standards of sail
ors, was landlubber when he shipped
aboard freighter from Middle At
lantic port last April. 1t was his first
deep-water voyage. He knew about
the enemy submarines lurking off the
coast. But he dared to do his bit for
America.
On the night of April 16, Souzas
ship was attacked by three of these
submarines in the South Atlantic. The
first U-boat fired an incendiary shell
from close range at the unarmed
freighter, destroying the bridge. A
second shell wrecked the radio room
Then the two other submarines ap-
peared and toyed with their blazing
and helpless target until it sank an
hour and fifteen minutes later.
Two lifeboats got away with most
of the crew. Souza was one of the last
men to leave the ship. He was lower
ing himself to life-raft when a ma
chine gun bullet cut the rope and he
plunged into the sea. Unhurt, he man
aged to climb aboard the raft where
he joined the chief engineer, fireman
and another seaman.
Thirty-two Days On a Raft
"We were happy to see the ship go
down. Souza said in describing the
tragedy, because the flames lighted
the sea and we were in danger every
minute Of being shot by machine gun
fire from the submarines.
The next morning, Souza and his
companions sighted the two lifeboats
but those aboard failed to see the raft
And during the next 80 days, that
tiny raft was tossed and buffeted about
in the open sea without sight of land
or ship, in calm and in storms.
The chief engineer died within the
first week. Just before his death he
became crazed from cold and exposure
and threw half the provisions and
much of the fresh water overheard.
The fireman died few days later.
The ensuing days and nights were a
continuing horror for Souza and his
last remaining companion. Twice
Souza was washed overheard by high
waves and just managed to climb back
on the raft Sharks followed them
for days waiting for human prey and
once whale dived directly under the
raft.
The other seaman disappeared only
the night before the rescue. Souza
isn't certain how it happened.
81 must have been dozing," he said,
because / don't know just how or
when it happened. He was in pretty
bad shape anyway, and | doubt if he
would have survived He kept saying
he was going to see his mother, and
| believe he jumped overheard"
A Request for the Future
They had run out of water ten days
before. The other seaman, younger
man, was SO parched that he drank
seawater. Souza, too, was finally
driven to drinking salt water.
Souza was still conscious when he
sighted the British freighter that res
cued him. He tried to stand up and
wave but he was too weak. They had
to lift him from the raft. He was
badly burned from the sun and wind
and his clothes were in tatters. When
he signed on for the voyage he haG
weighed 100 pounds, but when he was
taken off the raft, he had shrunk tc
110 pounds.
the achievements of Americas daring
fighting men. But we submit that the
heroism of a moment fades into in.
significance beside the saga of Jules
SouZa
After he was landed and regainee
some strength, officials of the Seafar
ers' Union asked Souza whether hi.
experiences had indicated what mean.
could be taken in the future to hell
seamen in similar plight. And he
made this suggestion:
81 think the life RATS should be pro
vided with a prov. Also a rudder anC
a lego mutton sail should be lashee
on The sail would help attract atten
tion of passing ships. And, most i'm
portant, it would keep the raft moving
Nothing is SO discouraging as t,
sit helpless on one of those RATS
tossed around by the waves and tide
without being able to move in one di
rection. Any kind of progress towar,