 Heroic efforts by "Itasca"′s engineer division managed to block the sabotaged sea valves in "KD-III"′s engine room even though the valves were under several feet of seawater.After the flooding finally was brought under control, there was of water in the after hold and in the forward hold.United States Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels commended the "Itasca" salvage team and gave the leader of the team, First Lieutenant (Eng.)