New-York tribune., 1921-02-28
lOI4Ost When
DESTROYER Is
Gut i'm Two
One Killed, Is Missing as
American Merchant Ship
Hits the u. S. S. Wool
sey OFF Panama Coast

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The Amer
lean naval destroyer Woolsey collided
with the American merchant ship Steel
Inventor thirteen miles southwest Of
Coiba Island, just off the Pacific coast
of Panama, at 1920 a. m. yesterday, and
later sank, the Navy Department was
advised to-day in radio message from
Admiral Hugh Rodman, commanding
the Pacific feet. The casualties are:
One dead-Tom Stanley Woodcock,
engineman.
Two injured-D. N. McCraigo and A.
Burnside.
Fifteen missing-D. 7. Blakeley, fire
man; Floyd Coltengin, fireman; Ro-
man Fieckie, blacksmith; John Jo-
seph Catcher, machinists mate; George
Joseph zibello, fireman; Ebert Jesse
Harson, fireman; Henry George Han
cock, engineman; Emerson Floyd Long,
storekeeper; Leo Norwardski, fireman;
Harold Reed, fireman.; Matte Owen
Stewart, fireman.; Webb Stubbefield,
fireman; George Elmer Wochiman,
electrician; Charles N. Yost, fireman;
Emerson Dale Waight, fireman.
The Woolsey sank to-day while be-
ing towed in by the destroyer Aaron
Ward.
Merchant Ships Damage Slight
All the casualties are of the navy,
the merchant ship escaping without
loss of life and with very little dam
age. She is proceeding to Balboa under
the convoy of the destroyer Buchanan.
Admiral Rodmhn's radjcgram gave
few details of the accident. 1t said the
merchant ship crashed into the Wool
sey, cutting the destroyer in half at
the after tank and the outer part of the
ship Immediately flooded.
The 112 survivors of the Woolsey
were taken aboard the destroyers
Aaron Ward and the Philip, companion
ships of the Woolsey.
The Woolsey was in command of
Commander H. C. Gearing jr., and had a
commissioned strength of eight officers,
eight chief petty officers and 1O6 en-
listed men. 1t was one of the navy's
most modern 310-foot destroyers, with
displacement of 1,154 tons. 1t was
built by the Bath Iron Works at Bath,
Me-, at a cost of approximately S1,50O,-
600. 1t carried four 4-inch guns of SO
caliber and two 3-inch caliber guns,
with 21-inch triple torpedoes. It was
launched September II, 1918, and com
missioned September 80, 1918, and as
signed to the Pacific fleet when the
fleets were divided.
Rodman Asked for Details
Radio instructions were dispatched
tonight to Admiral Rodman to furnish
additional information of the disaster
at once. He was directed to take
every possible step toward the recoy-
cry Of the missing sailors.
A naval court of inquiry will be
convened by Admiral Rodman at Bal
boa upon the arrival of the vessels
now en- route there and full investi-
cation will be made of the disaster,
which is the first to have occurred in
the Pacific fleet, naval officers said.
The Navy Department tomorrow will
make known the home addresses of the
deadj wounded and missing sailors.
SAN DIEGO, Calf, Feb. 27.-The
United States destroyer Woolsey was
sunk in g collision with a merchant
vessel about 1875 miles north of Pan
ANA while returning north with the
rest OF the Pacltc fleet at 6:2O q. m.
yesterday, according to radio mes
sage received here to-day. One man
was reported killed, four injured and
fifteen missing.
The Woolsey left this port January
7 with the rest of the Pacific fleet
when it started south for maneuvers
with the Atlantic fleet in Central and
South American waters.
About month before the Woolsey
went south the destroyer and the
tender Prairie were in collision in San
Diego harbor, the Woolsey being badly
damaged amidships. Repairs, however,
were made in time for it to leave with
the rest of the feet.