The Pittsburgh Press (June 26, 1942)
Hostages!
Sub seizes women from yacht to gain supplies
Havana (UP) –
A German submarine surfaced near a Cuban luxury yacht off the northwestern coast a fortnight ago, seized four socialite women as hostages and forced their husbands to go ashore and buy provisions for the raider, the newspaper Prensa Libre said today.
The women were released and put back aboard the yacht only after the four men returned with the supplies, the newspaper’s account said. The yacht was said to have been owned by:
…one of the most distinguished Havana families.
Prensa Libre said:
The submarine surfaced unexpectedly and circled the luxury yacht, after which a German sailor, surrounded by the submarine’s officers, said in good Spanish:
Don’t be alarmed. We won’t hurt you, but you must do as we say.
Then he ordered the four men to make for shore with the yacht to buy provisions, a list of which was given them by the sailor, as well as 350 pesos with which to make the purchases.
The Germans forcibly took the women aboard the submarine as hostages to guarantee the men’s return. The men compiled with the command, went ashore, bought the supplies and returned to the spot where the submarine was awaiting them. Then the wives were permitted to come back aboard.