Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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The Missile 9 Bergen, Norway. Of course this carried us directly through the North Sea, and not many miles from where the German Fleet was lying. We put our convoy into port about noon on the 8th of February, and were wait- ing for another to come out to take back south, when about 2 P. M. the submarine warning was given. The four of us were steaming abreast. The New York and Wyoming were on our port and the Delaware on our starboard. The Wyoming was the first to sight the sub- marine and gave the warning. Almost instantaneously with the receiving of the warning two torpedoes were seen several hundred feet off headed directly for the Flo- rida. We hoisted signal that a torpedo was crossing from starboard to port and gave two long blasts on the siren to denote our changing course. The Delaware made a sharp turn to starboard. The Florida made a sharp turn to port, while the Wyoming and New York turned quick- ly to starboard. The torpedoes went between the Flo- rida and Wyoming, missing each about twenty-five feet. Quick, masterful directing by our Captain, now Rear Ad- miral Thomas Washington, saved us from an almost cer- tain accident. We again fell into battle formation. But peace was not long ours. Suddenly, not five hundred feet away, directly between the Florida and Delaware, a periscope was discovered, no doubt getting a range on us. We could not fire for fear of hitting a torpedo boat that was near. This torpedo boat made for the peri- scope. The submarine commander evidently saw it com- ing, for he immediately submerged. The torpedo boat passed directly over this spot and dropped several depth bombs, which are supposed to have damaged the subma- rine. This was an afternoon of excitement. About ten

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8 The Missile Here also are several unique, charming fountains and a number of inspiring marble statues and monuments, in- cluding the famous Sir Walter Scott’s monument. This is about 200 feet in height, and is adorned with statues of prominent characters in Scott’s works. On the inside, winding stairs take one to the top of this monument and into the monument galleries, from which a splendid view of Edinburgh may be obtained. At one end of these gar- dens, on an immense high stone foundation, is old Edin- burgh Castle with its picturesque Banquet Hall, Crown Room, Dungeons, and Queen Mary’s apartments. This old Castle is very impressive when thought of in connec- tion with Queen Mary, Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, and many other historic characters. Edinburgh also boasts the first monument erected in Europe to the memory of Lincoln. This is a life-size bronze cast, with a freed slave kneeling, looking grate- fully upwards to the President. John Knox’s House is also very interesting to visit. From the time we arrived in European waters, Decem- ber 7, 1917, until November 31, 1918, we based either at Scapa Flow, O. I., or in the Firth of Forth, at Rosyth, Scotland. During this time our work consisted of convoying mer- chant ships from different ports in England to Bergen, Norway; guarding American mine layers while laying mines across the North Sea; frequent battle practices by the entire Fleet in the North Sea; frequent target prac- tice, and general detail. On one occasion the Sixth Battle Squadron, accompa- nied by six torpedo boats, left Scapa Flow to escort a number of merchant ships from southern England to

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10 The Missile minutes later one of the lookouts reported a torpedo on port beam. A torpedo was headed directly for us. We again sounded the siren and by a quick movement we swung to starboard, the torpedo running down our star- board side not ten feet away. A narrow escape that was. Several minutes later the Wyoming and Delaware were fired at, but missed. The Delaware sighted the subma- rine that fired at her and retaliated with her five inch bat- tery. No definite knowledge could be obtained as to whether any submarines were destroyed. We headed southwest and got out of the nest of sub- marines, but as soon as darkness descended we went back again and picked up our convoy. This is just one of a great many exciting adventures that we had while performing duty in the winter months. February , igi 8 — TheU. S. S. Texas arrived at Scapa Flow about 1:05 P. M. to join the Sixth Battle Squadron, after having made the trip overseas alone and without accident. March 8 t igi 8 — The Sixth Battle Squadron left Scapa Flow at 12:10 A. M. to make a usual convoy trip. We had fairly good weather on the 9th and 10th, and put our con- voy into Bergen about 10 P. M. on the 10th. We steamed around in circles that day and night, intending to pick up our return convoy and start back about 6 A. M. the next morning. The next morning we were called at four A. M. to mount our battle stations, as we were in the heart of the submarine zone. German cruisers and raiders were also frequent visitors in this vicinity. About 4:45 P. M., just daybreak, we could see the day was going to be cloudy and dark. About 5:15 A. M. an excedingly dark fog settled. We could not see parts of