Sioux City Sailor at Pearl Harbor Safe
“I am well” is the message William Edward Eshelman checked on the United States navy post card he sent his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William D. Eshelman, 2243 Hanford Street. The young man is a seaman in the navy. The last letter received from their son had been dated December 5, and had been from Pearl Harbor. The post card dated December 11, was just received.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, January 2, 1942
Our Men In Service
Mr. and Mrs. William Eshelman, 2243 Hanford Street, received word that their son, William, who has been at naval training school on the Hawaiian Island, has received papers classifying him as a seaman, third class, torpedo man.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, August 19, 1942
Two-Man Jap Submarine on Exhibit Here Today
A submarine torpedoman, William E. Eshelman, son of Mr. and Mrs. William D. Eshelman, 210 Ross Street, will be stationed at the exhibition site of the captive Jap sub in front of the Capitol theater today. He saw it shortly after its capture at Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor was still smoking when Torpedoman William E. Eshelman watched a captured Jap submarine being towed toward shore. Today he will see that sinister hulk again—here in front of the capitol theater.
Less than two years ago the sub was a free moving engine of destruction. Eshelman was one of the frustrated seamen who paced the deck of a destroyer that was forced to cruise helplessly almost within sight of havoc Jap bombers were inflicting on our naval installations. Eshelman probably will return soon to his task of sinking Jap ships. Instead of pacing a destroyer’s deck, however, he will fight from beneath the sea, as did the Jap sub once.
Special Citation
Unlike the Jap captain and enlisted man who staffed the submarine Sioux Cityans will see, the 20 year old torpedoman has been successful in his missions. Since he entered the submarine service a year ago he and his comrades have sunk so many Jap ships that President Roosevelt has bestowed upon the crew a citation for exceptional performance.
Sioux Cityans will have plenty of opportunity to ply the good natured young seaman with questions today. During much of the afternoon and evening he will be stationed near the captive submarine.
The Woodbury County war bond committee asked him to spend an afternoon and evening of his brief leave at the exhibition site.
Anything to Help
“Sure,” William Eshelman said in answer to the request. “If it will help sell war bonds to have me there I want to do all I can.”
The sailor realizes all too well, that many bonds must be purchased before the Japs are whipped. He knows that the oriental enemy is far from whipped.
Eshelman recalled one time especially when he did some sober thinking, his sub had just sunk a Jap ship when enemy destroyers hove in sight. Diving quickly the American sub waited below while 33 depth charges sent shudders through the craft. A momentary lull followed. No sooner had the men begun to breathe freely again when their instruments picked up the sound of another destroyer churning directly overhead. It passed—the returned. The sub men knew what was coming – but in those seconds that passed like hours they could only guess where the new depth charge would explode.
Tense Moments
“I was reading in my bunk,” said Eshelman, “but I was never so scared in my life. That is the awful moment – just waiting.”
Suddenly, the depth charge exploded so near at hand that electric lights were broken, paint was ripped from the hull, men were tossed about as water began to ooze into the hull through parted seams.
“Oh, yes,” grinned the sailor, “we got the holes caulked okey. In fact after awhile we went on with our cruise and even sank another Jap.”
KSCJ will broadcast news concerning Jap sub at noon – or as soon as it arrives in Sioux City. Eshelman will be interviewed over KTRI at 5:45 p.m.
Present expectations are, said a spokesman for the war bond committee that the sub will arrive in Morningside shortly before noon and will be met there by a delegation composed of heads of veteran organizations. The parade will pass through Sioux City’s business district before the submarine is placed on exhibit in front of the theater.
Adults May Inspect
The exhibit, which is being brought here under the auspices of the United States treasury department and the motion picture war activities committee, will be on display from about 1 p.m. until late in the evening. Inspection may be made through port holes in its side by purchasers of war bonds or stamps.
Adults who buy bonds from attendants at the exhibition site may inspect the sub as will any child under 14 years of age who purchases a 25-cent war stamp at the scene. Persons who are participating in the 10 per cent payroll deduction plan may obtain complimentary tickets from their employees which will grant them the right for close up views.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, October 8, 1943 (photo included)
