Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 171, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1918 — Risked Life for Leader [ARTICLE]

Risked Life for Leader

When the steamer Rochester was sinking, the men of the armed guard abandoned the ship in the various boats assigned to them. The explosion of the torpedo had damaged one of the ship’s boats and a redistribution of the men among the remaining boats became, necessary. W. F. Eisenhardt, a member of the United States naval armed guard, had ; een stationed at the bow-painter of one of these boats.

He was told to let this go and get into the boat. This he refused to do, thinking the commander of the armed guard was still on board. He remained on board long enough to satisfy himself by search that his superior was not aboard. Eisenhardt was tfle last man to leave the Rochester. He was one of the occupants of the open boat that landed five days liter on the Irish coast. He has been commended by the secretary of the navy. Eisenhardt is twenty-one years old. He comes from New Orleans.