SUNZENIC, ERNEST Navy Hero

The SpanishAmerican War, although it lasted only two months, gave Croatian Americans an opportunity to show their patriotism to their new homeland. On July 12, 1898 Ernest Sunzenic a Croatian from Istria, a seaman aboard the U.S. warship Nashville, pulled off a heroic act that contributed mightily to the resounding U.S. victory a couple of days later. In broad daylight Sunzenic and a group of other sailors took off from the warships Nashvile and Marblehead in a couple of small skiffs and made their way to the shallows about 100 yards off Cienfuegos, Cuba There they fished up the Spaniards' underwater telegraph cable with the objective of severing it. The Spaniards spotted them, however, and opened fire with one shell exploding immediately above the two skiffs, killing several Americans instantly and fatally wounding others. Sunzenic's partner, who was holding the cable while Sunzenic sawed away at it, was among those killed instantly. Sunzenic, though wounded himself, did not give up and managed to sever the cable which was the main line of communication between Cuba and the West Indies. With his dead and wounded comrades he then made his way back to the Nashville. All of the great American newspapers of the day praised Sunzenic for his brave actions. The big New York daily "World" even printed his picture and referred to him as a true hero.

Translated by Richard L. Major Member, National Board of Trustees

SKRIVANIC MEMOIRS

1886-1915

ZAJEDNICAR

DEC 16, 1998