War Hero & First Police Captain

New York’s scows of garbage were dumping just outside of Raritan Bay. Their refuse was washing up on Jersey Beaches. Charles Roberts and his men were cleaning the beach and preserving evidence that the garbage was coming from New York. The National Coast Anti-Pollution League was formed to force the incineration of garbage and landfilling rather than ocean dumping.

New York’s ever growing garbage was dumped near the mouth of Raritan Bay. Nor’easters carried it down the coast.

The town was rapidly growing. There were 250 taxpayers and 225 were members of the Civic Association. They were raising money for good causes. The Social Committee raised funds for a new pumper for the fire company. Funding for a hook and ladder was needed. Mrs. Stubbs lent out the Stockton and a card party and dance on the beach raising some of the money. The rest came from showing off a new concept: the Motor Inn came to the state highway. The Sea Girt Club Motor Inn hosted a fundraiser for the Fire Department at its new restaurant. The Civic Association also put up a huge $500 flag pole across from the train station.

When Frank Durand took over the mayoralty he appointed William Panz Police Chief. Charles Roberts was still Marshal, and administrator, and assessor. Two officers were also senior to Panz (Patrolman Enright and Special Officer John Corneilus). But Panz had experience under fire.

In 1891 Tobias Panz living at 720 Sea Girt Ave had a son William, who grew up in town. When he turned 20, William got a job on the Jersey Central RR. In May 1918, despite having an exemption for his role on the railroad William enlisted in the US Navy. He had volunteered to be a charter member of the Sea Girt Fire Company.

Less than a month later he was on his first assignment. William Panz and two other Sea Girt boys, Arthur Allen and William Pierce were aboard the troop carrier USS President Lincoln. The Lincoln was a huge ship. The German luxury liner was seized by the US in New York Harbor when war was declared in 1917.

It was put into service as a personnel carrier, and it dropped off doughboys in France and picked up those heading home. 25,000 US soldiers crossed the Atlantic on the ship. On its fourth round trip, the first for the Sea Girt boys, about an hour off the coast of France, the President Lincoln was hit with three German submarine torpedos. The Lincoln was the biggest target of a convoy headed back to New York.

The ship listed, and in 30 minutes sunk below the waves. The CO Captain Foote explained the rapid evacuation.

“The method we had adopted required everyone except the sick to go into the water and swim to the rafts and then to be picked up by the boats. This was done in order that the boats might be lowered practically empty, with only two men in each boat to handle the falls, so as to prevent spilling men from the boats as they were lowered, which, I had observed, generally occurred on occasions when ships have met with disaster. This plan worked splendidly, and it largely accounts for the comparatively small loss of life.”

Some of the survivors of the Lincoln aboard the Warrington US Navy Archives

His sailors performed admirably, and the loss of life was small. The Germans captured one man who had jumped into the sea. Only 26 of the 715 aboard died. US ships in the convoy; USS Warrington and USS Smith picked up the lifeboats and the rest of the stray men, including the three sailors from Sea Girt.

Lt. Edouard Izac was the only naval line officer to be captured during WWI. In 1920, he received the Medal of Honor for his efforts. He organized and executed an escape from his POW camp. He walked 120 miles to the Swiss Border over seven days and was the most celebrated member of the Lincoln alumni. He was later voted into Congress. The Navy personnel aboard the Lincoln received a distinguished service medal.

It was no wonder Mayor Durand wanted his childhood friend and war hero neighbor to be Sea Girt’s first Chief of Police.

William Panz served from his appointment in 1926 until his death in 1952 at age 62. Twice during the Great Depression, he and his officers took pay cuts to help the town. His cut was at a higher percentage than his men. He served as Seargent at Arms and Vice President of the NJ State Chiefs of Police Association for 22 years, and President of the USS Lincoln Memorial Association. He epitomized safety, protection, and service to the community.

At his death, many letters of condolences from the Governors and other VIPs whom he had escorted to the Guard Camp and to the Stockton Hotel were delivered to his widow. Thank you for your service.