Evening star., 1941-03-25
19 Are Missinq
In Blast and Fire
On u. ). Tanker
II Reach CoroIinu
Shore From Flaming
Ship; 5 More Saved
By tte Associated Press.

MOREHEAD CITY, N. c.. March
25.-Capt Dameron Meekins of the
Coast Guard at Beaufort Inlet re-
ported today that II survivors of the
stricken 9,316-ton Cities Service
oil tanker Denver had reached here
and five others had been picked up
by the w. w. Bruce. but that 19
were still missing after an explosion
and fire aboard the tanker, 80 miles
south of Cape Lookout and about
100 miles offshore
Two survivors were badly burned.
They were listed as Wenfield Camp
bell, Portland Me, and Oscar Deger-
stedt, Two HarborS, MINI. They
were taken to the hospital here
Mr.. Campbell and Mr.. Degerstedt
were among the II picked up from
lifeboats by the tanker Pan-New
York. They were transferred to a
Coast Guard boat. which brought
them ashore here None of the other
Is men was injured
Tanker Flaming Mass"
The w. w. Bruce, tanker, was
reported to have taken the 468-foot
Denver in tow in spite of heavy seas
and was heading for Beaufort, near
here. The tanker, still burning, was
described as flaming mass"
The Denver's chief mate, c. Desi-
none, was quoted as saying he did
not know what caused the explosion.
or just what happened because the
flames spread so rapidly.
Mr.. Campbell. ouartermaster
said he was on duty at the time of
the explosion and that he was taken
by surprise as every one else appar-
emily was.
1T was just hard to realize what
had happened, because it happened
so fast" he said. There was no
panic and we were in the small boats
very quickly. The sea was relatively
rough, but we had no trouble launch
ing the boats"
He said he believed most of the
missing were caught in the exploded
fore part of the ship.
Picked | in 45 Minutes.
Capt. Meekins, who was in charge
OF the rescue work, dispatche two
Coast Guard motor boats and they
took aboard the men rescued bv the
Pan-New York about 10 miles from
here. He said the survivors were
picked up from their ifeboats about
45 minutes after they had aban-
doned ship.
Coast Guard planes were held
ready, If need be, to start for the
Denver's side. and another plane
was being readied at Floyd Bennett
Field, N. Y, for possible rescue
flight.
Others rescued by the Pan-New
York were Chief Engineer r. Priest
ley, First Assistant c. Matthews.
Second Assistant N. Steen, Third
Assistant J. Hunt. Chief Officer G.
Desimone and Third Oficer N. Lar
sen.
Also crew members S. Hodge, J.
Kerns, J. Poulsen, J. Cartwen. A.
Morgan, L. North, r. Fritz, c. In
fante and A. Stabell.
crew OF New EnSlanders.
The w. w. Bruce saved Capt.
John Saxon, Second Oficer C.
Heath, Radio Operator r. Cough
and Seamen j. Sheviks and E.
Sanders.
The Denver's home port was New
York, but she regularly piled the
Philadelphia Corpus Christi CTexD
run and was due in PHILADELPHIA
Thursday or Friday.
The tanker sailed from Corpus
Christi Wednesday with a crew con-
sisting mostly of New Englanders.
The National Maritime Union Hall
at Corpus Christia listed only four
crewmen: j. Halpin, L. Reekast. j.
Daily and Mr.. Campbell.
Coast Guardsmen from Beau
fort Inlet, Cape Lookout and Fort
Macon stations were accompanied
by DR.. Ben F. Royal of Morehead
City, assistant United States Public
Health Service surgeon.