George DeBaker assisted in an attempt to save Philip Klumb, Soren Torgerson, and Andrew Hanson from drowning, Dykesville, Wisconsin, November 24, 1912. Klumb’s vessel was wrecked on Green Bay, and it keeled over on its side 600 feet from shore. Klumb, 36, captain, and sailors Torgerson, 49, and Hanson, 25, put on life preservers, but they did not attempt to leave the wreck. Waves six feet high were breaking over the wreck, and a north wind of 40 m.p.h. was blowing. DeBaker, 24, farmer, and another man put out from shore in a flat-bottomed boat and made three attempts to reach the wreck. The wind carried them out of their course each time, and they were compelled to return to shore. Two hours were consumed in these attempts, and in no attempt had the men got more than 400 feet from shore. Klumb then left the wreck and drifted toward shore on a fender, and when he was brought near the shore through the efforts of DeBaker’s companion, DeBaker and another man waded in the water and helped him to shore, but he died the same day. A man reached the wreck in a different boat and took Torgerson off, but his boat was capsized before it reached shore, and Torgerson was drowned. Hanson was dead when the boat reached the wreck. 9656-1030
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