Maquoketan On Torpedoed Ship

WING

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 10/13/2010 at 14:49:43

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.

Clyde Wing Grave Marker
 

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