Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 280, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1918 — SIMS’ MEN FIGHT U-BOATS DAILY [ARTICLE]

SIMS’ MEN FIGHT U-BOATS DAILY

Win Exciting Battles With Huns Near the Bay of Biscay. KEEP TRANSPORT LANE OPEN Because of Unceasing Watch and Gallantry of Crews Shipping Losses Have Been Confined Largely to Freighters. American Naval Base, France. American destroyers, aided by French and British vessels, are battling with the enemy submarines day and night to keep open the lane through which American troopships are bringing the great army of American soldiers to France. Hardly a day has passed during the last month in which the American naval convoy fleet has not had an encounter with a submarine foe lurking near the Bay of Biscay, beyond the water” of Spain and Portugal. August was the month of greatest danger and great vigilance, for the number of American troops coming to France reached its maximum In that month. Keep Transport Lane Open. Because of the unceasing watch, never-ending readiness to pounce upon the German submarines, and the gallantry of the men on board the American and other destroyers, the shipping losses have been confined almost exclusively to freight vessels. The steady arrival of American troops has progressed uninterruptedly throughout the period of chief menace. Most of the vessels successfully attacked by submarines have been outward bound from French ports. Ten American destroyers took part in one of the most successful submarine hunts on August 9. They were heading south in column when the leading destroyer sighted a periscope on her port bow at 800 yards and gave chase. The submarine submerged, but the destroyer steamed ahead of her and dropped two depth bombs In her path and then let go 14 charges in a circle. Suddenly the bow of the submarine emerged and became the target for the shells of the destroyer. As the submarine again submerged, apparently helpless, the destroyer passed directly over her and dropped two charges directly on her at a depth of 200 feet. Nothing further was seen of the enemy, and it is believed his craft was completely destroyed. Another encounter followed a submarine attack on a big American repair ship entering port here. The submarine’s torpedo, fired at close range, just missed the rudder of the American vessel. An American destroyer dashed to the attack and dropped*.a barrage of depth charges. A streak of oil came to the surface, indicating that

the submarine was following a zigzag course. Destroyed by Depth Charge. Another destroyer and several submarine chasers joined In the hunt, dropping depth charges on oil patches along the route. It is believed the submarine was damaged and that several days later it was destroyed by a depth charge. Unusual activity was displayed by the submarines In the Bay of Biscay for two days on August 15 and 16. One American destroyer reported that she had destroyed or damaged a large enemy submarine on August 15. But the same day three American freighters were attacked and two of them, the Montanan and Cubore, were sunk. More than 450 of the crew of the French cruiser Du Petit Thouars were rescued-by American destroyers when she was torpedoed on August 9, eliciting a note of thanks from French naval authorities to the American naval commander. Highest tribute was paid by the American naval commander in France to American, French, and British destroyers which managed to bring into port the American freight steamer Westward-Ho after she had been torpedoed, thus saving an extremely valuable cargo of airplanes, field artillery, rifles, machine guns, and ammunition.