Passage was booked on the ship "Chicago" and they traveled from Bordeaux France to New York City from October 1, 1919 to October 22, 1919. Two thirds of the way through the trip the following happened as related by August and recorded by Eleanor A. "... the emergency bells on the ship began to ring, and though they were not allowed on deck, August and Heinrich went up to see what the problem was. They were informed that another ship was on fire and that they were heading toward it and making preparations to receive all the survivors. After a while August could just see a black speck on the horizon. Gradually the speck grew until it became the raging fire of a burning ship. As they drew nearer they could see survivors in the life boats. The Chicago drew along side the life boats and began the process of loading passengers up a rope ladder on the side of the ship. The sea was calm and every passenger was safely on board but one - a very large lady. She had tried and tried but simply could not hoist herself up the rope ladder to the deck. While she was trying a storm began brewing. Finally, members of the Chicago's crew tossed her a rope which she tied around herself and they gently raised her up out of what was becomming a raging sea."
The next while a terrible storm tossed the ship with incredible waves. One of the crew told August that he could not remember a worse storm in all his days on the ocean. Though it would often look as though the ship would be swallowed by the waves which rose and broke over her, August remembers no fear. The passengers of both ships traveled safely on the Chicago to New York City. Even though food had to be rationed, all were grateful that not one life was lost in either the fire or the storm that followed.