Diary, May 12-18, 1918

May 12 Sun. Am up on front deck. fine place. early this morn was so misty you could not see a boat. we are now along side of cruiser. other boats to the side & following. boxing matches between sailor & soldiers - pretty hazy yet. 1:30 PM. passing a boat on the way to America. passed a school of fish. 7:00 watching the sun sink into the Atlantic. We are the central boat. some sight - 12 ocean liners & a cruiser sailing around you. 14 in all. Big Ocean liners.

May 13 Mon got up early this morning. weather fine. we are making only 10 or 12 knots on account of some of the boats can't do any better than that and we can't go off and leave them. Had a bath in salt water today. turned in our 10 rounds of amm. Band played this afternoon. 4:30 each evening we have our abandon ship drill with life preservers. Art. quaranteened this morn. for scarlet fever. running awfully smoothe today. boat not rocking at all. wind tho is pretty strong. 6 PM a belgian relief ship forward and to the right. not at all close. The boat on our left the President Lincoln

May 14 Tue. ship not with us this morn. other boats falling back except one on our left. 7: am. having target practice all other boats out of sight except one. she is dragging a target like a periscope. our 6 in. guns are firing at her. one gun forward & one aft fired 4 shots each and the other 2, 5 shots each. 10 am. We are now dragging target and the other boat is firing at it. 3 PM not going anyplace - just floating. looked out back port hole & saw propellers. We are waiting now for the other boats. 7 PM some of the other boats have now caught up with us. Very warm. sea moss is plentiful & little fish too. have made no progress all day. dont know where we are at. (South and east of the southern Florida coast) entered later)

May 15 Wed. Steady weather and sailing all day. all 14 boats together. fire call sounded at 9:45 - a fire reported in the hold. if there was a fire there it was quickly put out. Cooler today. enjoying trip fine. Band plays concert every day. pvt. [ ] of B Company died of an unsuccessful operation for appendicites. another person reported dying today also. if possible their bodys will be sent to New York. Water getting rougher.

May 16 - Thur. rained a little. water pretty rough. I feel pretty bum- The artillery fellow that died was a mason. had a Masonic funeral this afternoon.

May 17 - Fri. Very rough. ship rolling from one side to other. rolls so high sometimes you cant see other boats at all. 1 min you are a way up in the air and the next down you go. Wonderfull to see those big ships roll around - they go out of sight behind a big swell and looks like they are sinking. This boat went on her side so far some fellows slid from center to the rail. We were paid today. I got my 14.50 & paid Ewing his $2. 5:30 PM. a destroyer has met us. rained & snowed some. wind blowing harder. Ocean getting rougher.

May 18 Sat. last nite was fierce, a big box of ropes fell on 5 men - broke one mans leg. every thing loose was sliding around. some water slopped on deck. been rough all day - I am feeling fine today.