Apalachicola “Stood Firm” After Empire Mica’s Sinking

When World War II came to Apalachicola, residents responded quickly and courageously.
In its account of the Empire Mica sinking, on July 3, 1942, the Apalachicola Times applauded the swift action taken by local doctors, nurses, Coast Guard members, the American Legion, Boy Scouts and Red Cross.
"In this, our first emergency of this war, Apalachicola stood firm, not a flicker of hysteria, emotion or anything done to deter the movements of those in charge of affairs, who rushed to round up the necessary equipment to make the 14 survivors reaching our docks at 12 noon Monday, comfortable," the Times reported.
Lookouts at the Cape San Blas Lighthouse had first reported the explosion to Coast Guard Lieutenant Elgin Wefing.
With the Coast Guard rescue boat, the Sinbad, in Panama City for repairs, Richard Heyser, an Apalachicola Chevrolet dealer and member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, volunteered the use of his 32-foot pleasure boat, the Countess.
The Countess departed from the Apalachicola city dock with a crew of civilians, including Heyser, Wefing, Joe Thomson, Belton Tarantino, Wade Grant and W.L. McCormick.
According to McCormick's 1985 account of the rescue, the Countess, then leaking, circled the burning Empire Mica at a distance.
At daybreak, through the only pair of field glasses onboard, a crewmember spotted an object rising from the sea.
As the Countess grew closer, a lifeboat became visible, making some headway under a small sail.
The Countess began towing the lifeboat with the 14 survivors onboard, many of whom had sustained injuries during the explosion.
As the sun rose, the Sea Dream, owned by W.F. Randolph of Apalachicola, joined the Countess at sea. Randolph, accompanied by John Hathcock, offered his assistance.
The Sea Dream circled the Empire Mica in search of survivors, but discovered none.
For the comfort of the Mica's crew, Wefing ordered that the survivors be helped aboard the larger, 40-foot Sea Dream, and sent McCormick with them to take notes for the report.
Notified of the disaster, Sam Wing, a member of the State Conservation department and also a member of the Auxiliary, began making arrangements for the survivors to be met at the city dock.
When the survivors arrived, cots, sheets and mattresses lined the dock, and an ambulance and numerous cars and trucks transported the men to the Armory.
Fannie F. Ruge, an Apalachicola resident, purchased pants, shirts, underwear and socks for the survivors, who were fed and served hot coffee.
Though Apalachicola rose to the challenges it faced in the aftermath of the Empire Mica sinking, the disaster shattered any illusion of safety in a world at war.
"The way this emergency was handled will hardly be duplicated by any other town this size anywhere," boasted the Times, before adding a caveat.
"The demonstration here Monday, which brought the war to our back door for the first time, certainly proved the necessity of organization in these perilous times."