Electrician, 2nd Class Karl Henry Neuert

Profile
Parents: John M. and Martha Alic Neuert
Moved to Columbus, Indiana in 1916
Occupation: Telegraph operator
Enlisted in: US Naval Training Station
assigned to: 2nd Company, Wireless Service Unit
Assigned to: duty as operator on the President Lincoln
Death: Killed in action May 31, 1918 when the President Lincoln was torpedoed on fifth return trip from France

The Republic
Columbus, Indiana
Saturday, June 22, 1918
Page 1

YOUNG NEUERT AMONG THE LAST TO LEAVE SHIP

Waited for His Chief, Who Had Ordered Him from the Sinking Transport.

VICTIM OF GERMAN U-BOAT SMILING WHEN LAST SEEN

MISS ESTHER EDDY, SWEET-HEART OF THE LATE CARL NEUERT, RECEIVES LETTER OF SYMPATHY FROM ONE OF HIS SHIPMATES.

Miss Esther Eddy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Eddy, of near Walesboro, and who was the sweetheart of Carl Neuert, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Neuert, of west Second street, a wireless telegraph operator who lost his life when the American transport President Lincoln was torpedoed by a German submarine, is in receipt of a letter from Warren Robinson, a shipmate and fellow wireless operator with young Neuert on the President Lincoln. The letter was one of deep sympathy and condolence on behalf of the writer and the other shipmates of the unfortunate young man, of whom and in praise of whom the writer wrote highly. The writer refers in his letter to his lost friend and shipmate as "Dutch," a nickname by which he was known to all who knew him intimately back home.

The letter from Mr. Robinson contains the following description of the sinking of the President Lincoln: "We sailed from France May 18, in company with three other transports and an escort of destroyers, but there was no excitement or evidence of attack until after the sestryers had left us next morning, when all of the radio operators were in the radio room doing their bits and Dutch was with us, laughing and joking as usual. Each of us was planning our approaching stay in the United States. At. 9:35 o'clock some one shouted, "A periscope," when we all jumped up and looked out. A second later we were hit, but we all merely said, "Well, they've got us this time." Every on went to his station in accordance with previous orders in case of attack. Chief Greatwood took the duty, relieving the man on watch. Dutch, being next in rank, stayed with him on the chief's request. The remainder of us went to our stations below. That was the last time I saw Dutch and he was smiling.

"I was working on life rafts and within twenty minutes all were over the side and ready. The order 'Abandon ship' was given, as the vessel was settling fact with the sea nearly up to her main deck. I left on the two last rafts that were near the ship's side. The life boats were filled and were being rowed away. We had to paddle with our hands and hats and some with boards to get away from the ship and avoid an explosion or danger from suction. Every one was ordered off and all were thinking of being picked up soon and were in good spirits. We thought all our friends were safe or hoped so, but being scattered we did not know for sure and anxiously scanned the faces of the men on the rafts in search of our shipmates.

"I have told all I know about Dutch, but Chief Greatwood told me that he ordered Dutch to leave the ship but he waited for the chief and that the chief, Dutch and the quartermaster left the ship at the same time and poor Dutch was the only one of the three lost. Another sailor who knew Dutch says he saw him in the water. This is all I can find out about him. Possibly he was hurt by some floating debris. He left the ship on the port or left side while I left it on the opposite side. We did not know who was lost or saved until we were all untied in France on our return trip when to our great sorrow the fate of Dutch was learned.

"The survivors were on life rafts eighteen hours before they were picked up. There were 238 including myself in boats and while we were wet and cold when picked up we were never near death or thought we were except for a few minutes, when the submarine came back and loaded and timed her two guns at the boat. We waited five minutes for the shots to be fired but they were not fired and had they been all would doubtless have been lost.

"I must say that Dutch was a popular shipmate, liked by all who knew him, always a fine fellow, a friend to all and highly esteemed by all."

The home of the writer of the letter is in the state of Maine.

Two days before the President Lincoln was torpedoed the mother of the gallant but unfortunate sailor received an insurance policy on her son's life for $10,000 and it is expected that she will receive the amount shortly. While the money cannot assuage the mother's deep grief of relieve or ease the aches in her broken heart it will serve to make her worldly burdens less hard to bear and there will be comfort in the knowledge that her beloved son had the forethought to thus provide for his dear mother in case the worse should befall him.