Zanetti, Birtie
USS President Lincoln (1917-1918) --
Officers and Men Lost with the Ship, 31 May 1918
Soon after the end of the First World War, the surviving crew members of USS President Lincoln formed an association that, among other things, tried to perpetuate the ship's memory by erecting memorial plaques listing the men killed when she was sunk. Photographs of these plaques are presented on another page in this series. The President Lincoln Club also collected pictures related to the ship, her men, and her loss. These, subsequently donated to the Naval Historical Foundation, constitute the bulk of the images contained in the several pages of this presentation. Among them are photographs of all three officers, and seven of the twenty-three enlisted men, who were lost with the ship. Most of these photos were presented to the Club by President Lincoln's former Commanding Officer, Rear Admiral Percy W. Foote.
The following paragraphs concluded a "Narrative of the President Lincoln", written by then-Commander Foote:
"I cannot close this narrative without speaking of the loyalty and devotion of the dear ones at home who with tearful eyes but set lips said 'good-bye' to those who were called to meet the enemy and if necessary to offer their lives in defense of their country. Those at home prayed for the safe return of their loved ones but they prayed even more earnestly for the victory of the cause which they held to be more sacred than life itself, and it is with a feeling of great pride that I quote the following letter written by the father and mother of Floyd Hedglin who lost his life in the President Lincoln:"
B.R. Hedglin, Cashier,
Eddyville State Bank
Eddyville, Nebraska.
June 3rd, 1918.
Bureau of Navigation, Navy Dept.,
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen:
Your message in regard to the loss of the life of Floyd Herbert Hedglin received to-day at 2:50 p.m.
We sincerely thank you for your promptness in advising us.
We had only one boy to give to our country and he was only a little past eighteen years of age.
He went with his own free will and accord and with our blessing.
I regret that I have only the one boy to give.
Any little detail that you can send us will be appreciated.
It was God's will that he should be sacrificed on the altar of his country and we will accept His will in the matter.
I know that the boy did what he could.
Respectfully,
Floyd's Father and Mother.
/s/ Mr. and Mrs. Bert. R. Hedglin.
"What finer and more glorious sentiments could be expressed? They are truly in keeping with those of him who taught us to pray 'Not my will, O Lord, but Thine be done.'"
"This is the spirit of America and those heroic men of the President Lincoln died with this spirit in their hearts and a cheer on their lips."
"(P.W.F.)"
This page features photographs of officers and men lost when USS President Lincoln was sunk on 31 May 1918.
For more images related to the loss of this ship, see:
USS President Lincoln -- Sinking, 31 May 1918; and
USS President Lincoln -- Memorials to those Lost with the Ship. Note: Plaques featured on this page provide the names of all those killed when USS President Lincoln was sunk, including the men pictured below.
For other pictures concerning this ship, see:
USS President Lincoln (1917-1918).
