| Show Survivors of Sea Disaster Tell Countless Acts of Heroism BOSTON M March a arc r c h 5 The GP T T h he e United States' States greatest greatest sea disaster disaster disaster dis dis- dis- dis aster of the war war the the sinking of a passenger cargo vessel with a loss of lives in the frigid north Atlantic was Atlantic was marked by countess countless countless count count- less ess acts of heroism survivors re related related related re- re on reaching here The vessel was one of two announced announced announced an an- by the navy on February 22 as having been sunk Within four days ays of one another sending a total of persons to their deaths Among the victims were a number of soldiers Five survivors of the craft which suffered the heaviest toll told in interviewers interviewers interviewers in- in that only of the passengers on their ships were saved Also rescued were 28 members members members mem mem- bers of the merchant crew of and 13 members of a man 24 navy gun jun crew Ship Sank Quickly Survivors said the vessel plunged to o the bottom 25 minutes after a single Ingle powerful torpedo coming out of the Inky night exploded against her hull They described the blast as so terrific that It forced the ship to veer eer 25 degrees off her course ourse Almost immediately she began begano to o list and within a few minutes the he angle was so steep that some men were cascaded Into the icy water before lifeboats rafts and floats loats could be lowered Second Mate Samuel W W. Dix 52 Baltimore highest ranking of the five survivors landed h here re said The last I saw of our ship she was on her side with her mast to the water Other Survivors ors Other survivors here were Third Officer Harold W. W Beach 32 of f Savannah Ga Third Mate Irwin White Jr 20 Philadelphia Assistant Assistant Assistant Assist Assist- ant Purser James Caulley 40 Brownsville Pa and Hugh E. E Moffett 44 the Bronx N N. Y All agreed that there was not the slightest sign of panic In fact said one it was the finest behaved body of men sol men sol soldiers diers sailors and merchant crew crew crew- that I have ever seen Beach said that one soldier upon being pulled from the water re remarked remarked remarked re- re marked It would be one paperhanger who would cause all this trouble Beach and a raft he was clinging to were carried under the water by the mast and rigging of the sinking ship How long I was under the water I dont don't know but when I came to the surface an upshot of ofir air ir from the ship blew me about 30 feet from two one of which had a soldier on it Credited With Rescues Moffett a former member r of the New York police pollee force and the father of a boy fighting in the Solomons area was credited by the theother theother theother other survivors with saving a number number number num num- ber of lives They said Moffett who gave up upa a a. police to join the merchant marine only three weeks before the tragedy y disregarded his own safety to help launch a jammed lifeboat and to assist others in boarding it it Caulley turned to a Captain Kerr an army doctor when some lifeboats became st stuck ct because of th thet heavy list of the ship and said Hit the ropes doc doe No you first Kerr replied calmly Kerr was reported among those rescued |
