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Show Unsinkable Ship Is Last -Victim of German U-Boats WASHINGTON Nov. 2-1 The steamer steam-er Lucia which was equipped with buoyancy boxes designed to make her unsinkable was the last American vessel ves-sel reported torpedoed by an enemy submarine. In making this announcement announce-ment today, the navy department gave out a report by Chief Boatswain's Mate William Francis O'Brien of Lawrence, Mass., who was in charge of the Lucia's Lu-cia's armed guard. Secretary" Daniels commended O'Brien- and 23 other men of the guard for their coolness and attention at-tention to duty, among them Ben H. Glidenke, Allavista, Iowa, and A. S. Thompson, No. 3926 North 30th St., Tacoma, Wash. The Lucia was torpedoed October 17 and remained afloat twenty-one hours. The torpedo struck amidships and entered the engine room, killing four men, The other members of the crew and the armed guard were rescued by the steamer Fairfax after they had taken to the small boats. The civilian crew were ordered to the boats immediately im-mediately after the explosion but the armed guard remained on board until just before the craft went down. The explosion left the ship In a helpless condition, the torpedo putting all the dynamoes out of ordor as well as tho engines. The submarine was sighted almost simultaneously with the 5 exploflltlon, but before guns could be - trained upon It it disappeared and was not seen again. The Fairfax was not sighted until several, hours after the Lucia went down. The sea then was so rough that the boats were kept afloat only by continuously bailing water. The members of tho crew were taken aboard with great dlfficultv. |