TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DARDANELLE POST-DISPATCH AUGUST 19, 1918 P. 1
J. O. Jones,
Dardanelle, Ark.,
Dear Brother:
Your letter of the other day at hand, and was sure glad to hear from you. As you requested, I will tell you something of my experience when the San Diego was torpedoed by a Hun U-boat on July 19th.
We were sunk about 12 miles off the coast of Long Island, New York, just opposite Point of Woods or Far Island Light, at about 11:08 a. m. July 19th. The ship sunk in about 15 fathoms of water 28 minutes from the time she was struck.
We were hit aft on the port side just underneath the engines. The force of the explosion carried the port engine off its foundation and killed two men who were on watch in the engine room at the time. The casualty list was small compared to the large number of men on board; only six in all, and three of them are missing and it is not known whether they are dead or just missing. We were in the water for about three hours and 25 minutes before the first of the survivors were rescued by the SS. Mulford, the SS. Busson, and SS. E. P. Jones, all coast-wise steamships. It was lucky that they were coming our way as our radio was out of commission and we did not get off an S. O. S. call before it was too late, and just by the hand of Providence we were sighted and picked up by these vessels, which were bound for Boston, Mass. The San Diego was pretty heavily loaded with coal and stores, as we were going to make a trip out of New York in about three days and we were all ready for the trip. After being struck we listed heavily to port and began to sink aft. After all hopes were lost, “abandon ship” was given and all hands went over the side. I lost my hat as I dived from the forecastle deck and did not see it any more after I came to the surface. I stayed in the sun so long that my forehead blistered and all the skin peeled off and it is just beginning to look halfway decent. No one saved anything except what they had on their backs, and some of the fellows who were not very good on the swim took off what clothes they had on and cast them adrift and when rescued they did not have anything on but the underwear they wore when the ship sunk. I was lucky and saved one suit of clothes and they were the ones that were on my back. I lost all the other clothes that I owned, and every keepsake that I ever had went down with the ship to “Davey Jones’ locker.” We didn’t get a look at the submarine that gave us such a jolt, but if we ever run across her in our future travels on a fast destroyer, I feel sorry for the bunch of bums that will be on her, as she is sure to meet the same punishment that the poor San Diego met, and more, as we intend to blow them into as many pieces as possible.
I may get shore duty in San Diego, Cal., over this little deal, and here is hoping so as I think I would like to get on the beach again and kick up a little real dirt and feel that I am not going to get U-boated the first time I go from one place to another.
How are all the folks? Give them my best love and regards and tell them to write to me once in a while as I always enjoy hearing from them. I would have written sooner but I have been so busy the last week that I have not gotten one good night’s sleep and am just about all in. I have been working until 1, 2 and 3 o’clock in the morning, and all day, at a killing pace, and it has begun to tell on me. Never again do I want to be shipwrecked on the Atlantic or the Pacific or any other ocean for that matter, as there is too much work to be done after it is over.
I have a nice office here where I am now and hope to keep it as long as possible, I suppose we will be here for at least 14 or 15 days yet, and probably longer. We do not know at the present what is in store for us. I asked the Captain this morning where we were going from here and he said that he did not know himself, only that maybe we would put a fast destroyer into commission and go out and look for U-boats on the Atlantic. We lost all of our records, accounts, ledgers, correspondence, etc., and now our job is to get them made out again, and, believe me, it is some job. Answer soon, with all the news.
Your brother,
Edwin,
San Diego Barracks, Pelham Bay Park, N. Y., 8th Reg. Barracks.
August 5, 1918.
NOTES: Chief Yoeman Paul Edwin Jones, serving on the USS San Diego, was born on August 3, 1894 and died on December 1, 1977. He is buried in the Birta Community Cemetery in Birta, Yell County Arkansas. He had just reported to the San Diego the day before it was attacked.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
J. O. Jones,
Dardanelle, Ark.,
Dear Brother:
Your letter of the other day at hand, and was sure glad to hear from you. As you requested, I will tell you something of my experience when the San Diego was torpedoed by a Hun U-boat on July 19th.
We were sunk about 12 miles off the coast of Long Island, New York, just opposite Point of Woods or Far Island Light, at about 11:08 a. m. July 19th. The ship sunk in about 15 fathoms of water 28 minutes from the time she was struck.
We were hit aft on the port side just underneath the engines. The force of the explosion carried the port engine off its foundation and killed two men who were on watch in the engine room at the time. The casualty list was small compared to the large number of men on board; only six in all, and three of them are missing and it is not known whether they are dead or just missing. We were in the water for about three hours and 25 minutes before the first of the survivors were rescued by the SS. Mulford, the SS. Busson, and SS. E. P. Jones, all coast-wise steamships. It was lucky that they were coming our way as our radio was out of commission and we did not get off an S. O. S. call before it was too late, and just by the hand of Providence we were sighted and picked up by these vessels, which were bound for Boston, Mass. The San Diego was pretty heavily loaded with coal and stores, as we were going to make a trip out of New York in about three days and we were all ready for the trip. After being struck we listed heavily to port and began to sink aft. After all hopes were lost, “abandon ship” was given and all hands went over the side. I lost my hat as I dived from the forecastle deck and did not see it any more after I came to the surface. I stayed in the sun so long that my forehead blistered and all the skin peeled off and it is just beginning to look halfway decent. No one saved anything except what they had on their backs, and some of the fellows who were not very good on the swim took off what clothes they had on and cast them adrift and when rescued they did not have anything on but the underwear they wore when the ship sunk. I was lucky and saved one suit of clothes and they were the ones that were on my back. I lost all the other clothes that I owned, and every keepsake that I ever had went down with the ship to “Davey Jones’ locker.” We didn’t get a look at the submarine that gave us such a jolt, but if we ever run across her in our future travels on a fast destroyer, I feel sorry for the bunch of bums that will be on her, as she is sure to meet the same punishment that the poor San Diego met, and more, as we intend to blow them into as many pieces as possible.
I may get shore duty in San Diego, Cal., over this little deal, and here is hoping so as I think I would like to get on the beach again and kick up a little real dirt and feel that I am not going to get U-boated the first time I go from one place to another.
How are all the folks? Give them my best love and regards and tell them to write to me once in a while as I always enjoy hearing from them. I would have written sooner but I have been so busy the last week that I have not gotten one good night’s sleep and am just about all in. I have been working until 1, 2 and 3 o’clock in the morning, and all day, at a killing pace, and it has begun to tell on me. Never again do I want to be shipwrecked on the Atlantic or the Pacific or any other ocean for that matter, as there is too much work to be done after it is over.
I have a nice office here where I am now and hope to keep it as long as possible, I suppose we will be here for at least 14 or 15 days yet, and probably longer. We do not know at the present what is in store for us. I asked the Captain this morning where we were going from here and he said that he did not know himself, only that maybe we would put a fast destroyer into commission and go out and look for U-boats on the Atlantic. We lost all of our records, accounts, ledgers, correspondence, etc., and now our job is to get them made out again, and, believe me, it is some job. Answer soon, with all the news.
Your brother,
Edwin,
San Diego Barracks, Pelham Bay Park, N. Y., 8th Reg. Barracks.
August 5, 1918.
NOTES: Chief Yoeman Paul Edwin Jones, serving on the USS San Diego, was born on August 3, 1894 and died on December 1, 1977. He is buried in the Birta Community Cemetery in Birta, Yell County Arkansas. He had just reported to the San Diego the day before it was attacked.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS