New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
DEADLY GUNNERY BY
AMERICAN navy MEN
Spectacular ManeuVers- Biz
WarShipS Sunk

Norfolk, Va, July 16.-(By the
Associated Press)-Six former enemy
war craft now have found a last rest
ing place on the floor of the Atlantic
rs miles off the Virginia Capes. They
will be Joined next week by the light
cruiser Frankfurt and dreadnaught
Ostfriesland, the last of the German
ships turned over to the United States
for experimental purposes
Destroyers and battleships of the
Atlantic fleet sent down yesterday
with shell fire two destroyers. the
V-43 and SLAP, in operations which
consumed much Of the entire day.
Naval and army aircraft will UNDER
take to destroy the Frankfurt Monday
and the Ostfriesland Wednesday.
Should they fail. destroyers will shell
the Frankfurt and the Ostfriesland
will fall a target to the Il inch guns
of the superdreadnaught Pennsylvania
flagship. of the Atlantic fleet
While lacking much of the spec
tacular which marked the destruction
of the old destroyed G-102 Monday by
army aircraft, yesterdays operations
were impressive and were conducted
under weather conditions which naval
officers said were far from favor
able, the heavy seas kicked UP by q
25-knot wind pitching and tossing the
targets as well as the attacking de-
stroyers.
Under orders to fire at a speed OF
80 knots, the thirty sixth destroyer
division bore down on the target from
the distant horizon just before noon
only to find as they dashed past that
at that speed they were making the
maximum Of roll in a choppy sea-
They withheld their fire and set out
over a wide arc for another run by
at Is knots.
When the ships were six thousand
yards OF the marks, which were ar
chored in an approximate column 400
yards apart the Leary let go with
three of her four four-inch guns. Each
gun was dischrged ten times. One Of
the, thirty shells went through the
bridge Of the Wa and another passed
through the starboard bow and out OF
the stern. Naval officers said that had
the V-43 been in action with amuni-
ton aboard and steam up that shot
probably would have done for her
causing either a magazine or boiler
explosion.
Thirty shots were discharged by the
Herbert. six taking effect and placing
the target in sinking position
Now came the spectacular part 1of
the attack. Led by the Florida, has-
ship Of Vice Admiral Scales, the North
Dakota and Pennsylvania, which had
been observing the destroyers fts
bore away with running start past
the targets. After steaming seven
miles in SINCE file they circled and
came down to a $500 yard range
where the Florida opened up on the
Vas firing 40 shells in salvos from
her starboard six inch battery. The
first shots were over but the pointers
soon had the range and shell after
shell crashed into the rusty hulk as
it pitched and tossed at its anchorage.
Within a few minutes after the
firing ceased, the V-43 was settling by
the head. She filled gradually until
her forward deck was awash- Her end
then was only a matted of minutes
The stern was hoisted higher and
higher out of the water until it was
at right angles and as it slipped down
there was an explosion caused by the
pressure Of running water against the
air in the after compartments.
In the meantime the big battleships
augmented by the Delaware, which
fell into line behind the Florida, start
ed away on a wide circular course
which would bring them back On .
$500 yard range from which the
Delaware opened fire on the Sr13z.
Three shells in the first ealvos of seven
found the mark and before the full
140 shots allotted the ship had been
fired the old German destroyer had
been swept from stern to stern, explo-
sion following explosion as each shell
found the mark. An early shot carried
away the mainmast and another set
fire to the after house. Others explod-
ed below decks causing columns OF
smoke to rush from the ships fun
nels.
Despite this punishment the S-133
remained ahoat until after the naval
officers, foreign naval attaches and
other observers who came, down from
Washington on the naval transport
Henderson had started away on the
homeward trip. A radio message from
the Pennsylvania announced the sink
ing at 7.07 o. M