Second mate

A life raft was sent down the line toward the wreckage, but the raft capsized, and the two men had great difficulty getting on board.

Second Mate William Farner and Third Mate Vince Gilden were hauled to the Yakutat and taken on board safely.

Just 20 minutes later, they watched as the bow section of the Fort Mercer lift up one final time, and it capsized at 10:51 a.m. on February 19, 1952.

The Yakutat remained in the vicinity until 12:30 a.m. of February 20th, when it was relieved by the Coast Guard Cutter Unimak.

A local coroner determined the body to be that of Able Seaman Herman G. Gatlin.

The other seven men on the bow were never found.

They were John J. Fitzgerald, Master, Martin Moe, Chief Mate, Joseph W. Colgan, Second Mate, Harold Bankus, Third Mate, James G. Greer, Radio Operator, Joseph L. Landry, Able Seaman, Billy Roy Morgan, Ordinary Seaman.

In total, thirty-two of the forty-one crewmen on the Pendleton were rescued, all of them from the stern section.

The Conspiracy No shore leave was granted the crew of the Half Moon while the vessel lay off Honolulu, and deep and ominous were the grumblings of the men.

Only First Officer Ward and the Second Mate went ashore.

Skipper Sims kept the men busy painting and holy-stoning as a vent for their pent emotions.

Billy Byrne noticed that the passenger had abandoned his daylight strolls on deck.

Then he would come on deck, often standing for an hour at a time with eyes fastened steadily upon the brave little yacht from the canopied upper deck of which gay laughter and soft music came floating across the still water.

When Mr.

Ward and the second mate came to shore, the strange thing happened.

They entered a third-rate hotel near the waterfront, engaged a room for a week, paid in advance, were in the room for half an hour, and emerged clothed in civilian raiment.

Behind me someone spoke.

It was the lookout, who had come down off the forecastle-head on his way aft to report the name of his relief to the second mate.

"'What is it, mate?' he asked, curiously, seeing my intent attitude.

The thing, whatever it was, had disappeared into the shadows on the lee side of the deck.

I looked up both sides of the deck and saw that they were bare of anything such as I looked for.

The assurance was comforting.

I glanced at the poop-ladders and remembered that nothing could have gone up there without the second mate or the time-keeper seeing it.

Then I leaped my back up against the bulk's head and thought the whole matter over rapidly, sucking at my pipe and keeping my glance about the deck.

Behind me someone spoke.

It was the lookout, who had come down off the fo'c'sle head on his way aft to report the name of his relief to the second mate.

"'What is it, mate?' he asked, curiously, seeing my intent attitude.

The thing, whatever it was, had disappeared into the shadows on the lee side of the deck.

I looked up both sides of the deck and saw that they were bare of anything such as I looked for.

The assurance was comforting.

I glanced at the poop ladders and remembered that nothing could have gone up there without the second mate or the timekeeper seeing it.

Then I leaped my back up against the bulk's head and thought the whole matter over rapidly, sucking at my pipe and keeping my glance about the deck.