Heroes? There were plenty of them in our forces in France, as there were everywhere else in the Navy--men who feared no danger and, when necessity arose, risked their lives without a thought of self. Hear the story of the _Florence H._ The rescue of her survivors when that munition ship blew up off Quiberon Bay, April 17, 1918, is one of the war's most thrilling events. The night was dark and cloudy, the sea smooth. Steaming along quietly, the convoy was nearing port. At 10:45 someone was seen signaling with a searchlight from the bridge of the _Florence H._ An instant later the vessel burst into flames, which soon enveloped the ship, and rose a hundred feet into the air. In ten minutes the vessel split open amidships and five minutes later went down, blazing like a torch. Smoke and flames prevented those on the ships around from seeing what had occurred aboard the steamship. Survivors reported later that there was a tremendous explosion in No. 2 hatch which lifted the deck and blew out the ship's starboard side. Her chief engineer, John B. Watson, said: "She just burned up and melted in about twenty minutes." The whole thing occurred so suddenly that a naval commander, as he saw the flash, remarked: "Not a living soul will get off that ship." Rescue seemed almost hopeless. The waters around were covered with flaming powder-cases and wreckage, so thickly packed that they spread to leeward like enormous rafts. All over the vicinity ammunition was exploding, shooting flame and gas ten to twenty feet into the air. As soon as the fire broke out, two naval vessels started for the stricken ship. As they got near, the ammunition on the deck of the _Florence H._ began to explode, showering up like fireworks. Then her guns went off. For the wooden yachts to venture into that sea of flame was almost certain destruction. The destroyers, their decks laden with depth-charges, were in almost equal danger. When the _Stewart_ drew near the ship, the senior commander signaled her to be careful. It seemed hardly possible that any of the _Florence H.'s_ crew had escaped. But Lieutenant Commander H. S. Haislip heard cries in the water. That meant that there were men still alive, struggling in that horror. There was only one way to rescue them. That was to plough through the blazing wreckage. Haislip knew what chances he was taking, risking his ship and crew. But it was to save human lives and he did not hesitate a moment. The _Stewart_ led the way, and the other destroyers, the _Whipple_ and the _Truxtun_, followed. Pushing through bursting powder-casks, and burning boxes, they made a path for the other ships. Lines were thrown out and seamen jumped overboard to hold up men who were blinded or drowning. Lifeboats put out from half a dozen ships. The flames lit up the whole area so that it was almost as bright as day. Men could be seen clinging to ammunition boxes, and the rescuers rowed or swam to them.