Evening star., 1945-11-15
BY SAM BOUCHARD.

/ - ic Udy SCtS CliOppy RHCtIy UltCll
The other night it broke the line
of our lifeboat that was made fast
to the starboard side and carried 1t
away. That was one ifeboat gone.
The same thing happened at 1880
am. the next morning to another
of our lifeboats. The only difference
was that was in it.
It was midnight and I was on
security watch. I had spent the
night watching the ships in the
harbor. There are so many couldn't
count them. It'seems they're using
them as warehouses. Some OF them
have been here a month and the
cargo hasn't been touched yet.
Between midnight and am, the
lifeboat came back from shore with
the boys who were on liberty. The
wind was blowing hard. the sea was
choppy and the boat was bouncing
like a cork.
Bailing Job to Do.
I went down the gangplank and
took their line. They finally got of
1t took three men besides me tol
make the boat fast. After that II
went back to my watch on the
bridge.
A little later, one of the mates
came up and said, "The old man
wants you to bail 1t out"
I detested that. but there was
nothing I could do about it. I put
on my rain gear. The mate helped
me into the boat and I started bail
ing. I didn't see much sense in bail
ing out a qifeboat at l am, espe-7
cially since more water was entering
the boat than I could bail out.
At about 80 m. the line broke
noticed it as the boat was NOV
ing by the gangplank. I made leap
for the gangplank and just then a
wave lifted the bow out of the water
and hit me right in the eye.
Everything went black. When /
came to. I was almost at the stern
of the ship. Istarted yelling. They
heard me, got on the signal light
and started talking with other ships.
got my light out so they could
see where I was.
JOB to Stay Aboard.
could scarcely see what I was
doing. I had black eye and a
deep cut that I got when I fell
down.
The boat was moving broadside,
and it was all I could do to keep
from falling out. I tried to get the
rudder on. and almost went over
board with it. Next. I was going
to use the oar as a ruder, but
had forgotten how rough the sea
was. When the oar touched the
water, it left my hands with such
force that it almost threw me into
the bay.
Then concentrated on signalling
Help" and sos" When I passed
by two ships and didn't get any
attention, I began to get worried.
There was just one more ship to
pass, and then would be out there
all by myself, with land 8 miles
away and breakers all around me.
But my own ship caught their
attention, and they found me with
their lights. just then, a small
English boat came by. It towed
me to the ship that had Just nut
the lights on me. 1t wasn't strong
enough to tow me to my own ship.
We came alongside of the shin.
which turned out to be the Samuel
Chase. Later, found out it first
assistant engineer was Charles Bel
bin, GOT Maple avenue, Takoma
Park, Md. AS our two boats came
alongside, the Chase threw us a.
line. The Englishmen picked up
the line and tied it onto my line.
Then they left right away.
Line Breaks Again.
The doggone line broke-and Il
was still in the boat. But the boat
was floating by fall hanging over
the side, and I grabbed it. I was
holding onto it and, at the same
time. trying to hang onto the boat.
A wave lifted me way up and set me
back on the block of the fall. II
sat on the block swinging in midair
while the boat f1oated away.
The ships crew lowered the net
and I crawled up over the side. III
was shaking so much I couldn't hold
a cup of coffee. The ships purser
fixed my eye and then they gave
me place to sleep.
When the bay Gained down the
next afternoon, the captain of the
Chase took me back to my own ship.
Then, since we had lost both our
| motor boats. he took me to the hos