While on convoy escort duty in French waters the crew of USCGC Seneca initiated one of the most heroic and tragic rescue attempts in history on September 19, 1918. A torpedo struck the SS Wellington, a large British cargo vessel, ripping away the forward 30 feet of the ship. The crew of 36 was rescued by Seneca but before they had even been taken aboard, LT Fletcher Webster Brown, received permission from his captain to call for volunteers to go upon Wellington and, if possible, take the ship the remaining 300 miles to its destination in Great Britain. Every man of Seneca’s crew volunteered, but only 18 were chosen.
The 18 Seneca crewmen boarded Wellington and were later joined by 2 of the Wellington’s original crew. Soon, with Coast Guardsmen manning the aft gun, engine room, and bridge, the Wellington was underway toward Great Britain making approximately 5 knots. The ship maintained the speed throughout the evening, and Seneca left her to resume her duties with the convoy. By midnight, however, the weather had deteriorated significantly, and the seas had begun to rise. Shortly after midnight they lost the bet; the rising seas burst the forward bulkhead and the Wellington went down with 10 of the heroic volunteers from Seneca aboard.
| Name | Rating | Duty Station | Date |
| Zuleger, A. | AMAA | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Newburry, C. S. | Cox | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Nevins, J. J. | GM2 | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Oversen, M. M. | WT | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Stellenwarf, M. | Cox | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Tingard, R. H. | WT | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Elam, R. | Cook | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Best, W. H. | WT | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Prime, W. H. | S1 | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |
| Boyce, W. L. | Asst Machinest | USS Seneca | 9/16/1918 |