[Sidenote: Men working below decks.]
Of the 23 men who were lost, the following 7 men were engaged in work
below decks in the forward end of the ship, and they were either killed
by the force of the explosion of the two torpedoes which struck in that
vicinity, or were drowned by the inrush of the water.
H.A. Himelwright, storekeeper, second class, United States Navy; F.W.
Wilson, jr., yeoman, second class, United States Naval Reserve Force; B.
Zanetti, coxswain, United States Navy; A.S. Egbert, seaman, second
class, National Naval Volunteer; G.B. Hoffman, seaman, United States
Navy; J.A. Jenkins, seaman, second class, United States Navy; F.A.
Hedglin, seaman, second class, United States Navy.
[Sidenote: One raft probably went down.]
The remaining 16 men were apparently caught on the raft alongside the
ship and went down, this being probably caused by the current of water
which was rushing into the big hole in the ship's side, as the men were
on rafts which were in this vicinity.
[Sidenote: Danger from submarine.]
Although the German submarine commander made no offers of assistance of
any kind, yet otherwise his conduct for the ship's company in the boat
was all that could be expected. We naturally had some apprehension as to
whether or not he would open fire on the boats and rafts, I thought he
might probably do this, as an attempt to make me and other officers
disclose their identity. This possibility was evidently in the minds of
the men of the crew also, because at one time I noticed some one on the
submarine walk to the muzzle of one of the guns, apparently with the
intention of preparing it for action.
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