Jackson County IA Archives Military Records.....Wing, Clyde October 4, 1918
WWI Navy
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ken Wright wright@prestontel.com October 13, 2010, 3:52 pm

Maquoketan On Torpedoed Ship
Maquoketa Excelsior-Record, Friday, October 4, 1918

MAQUOKETAN ON TORPEDOED SHIP
Torpedo makes fifty-six foot hole in ship.

These are the days of great experiences for the boys who are fighting in the 
world’s battles, and those who enter the service and finally come home in good 
health to tell the story of their experience will have a rich blessing stored 
in their minds that they should and will feel proud of. Among this number will 
be one boy who last Sunday morning experienced something that was certainly 
new to him. That fellow was none other than Clyde Wing, who is in the navy and 
located on the big battleship Minnesota.

A newspaper report Monday morning said that the ship had encountered a mine, 
but a letter from Clyde to his parents in this city tells the whole story and 
shows that the papers were mistaken or misinformed at least. He says that the 
big battleship with its load of humanity had not been out long from land when 
at 3:30 Sunday morning a report and a shakeup of the ship was experienced and 
they knew at once of course what had happened. It proved to be a torpedo 
instead of a mine as first reported.

The torpedo made a hole of 56 ft. dimensions in the ship, but they were able 
to get back to the Philadelphia navy yards without the loss of a single life. 
He states that although alive and able to write home, it is a surprise to all 
that they were able to get back in as good a shape as they did, and only that 
it was God’s will that they arrived safely can be the reason. It has been a 
great experience for him and the half of course has not been told concerning 
the matter. He claims that it will take about two months for the repairs to be 
made.

Mr. and Mrs. Wing certainly have many friends, who are at this time rejoicing 
with them that their boy has pulled through safely from a disaster that might 
have proven fatal, and all of Clyde’s acquaintances are herewith sending him 
greetings and hope that he may be spared throughout the war and be able to 
blow the Kaiser into smithereens with a gun from the big Minnesota.


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