The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-17

In addition to the maritime commission shlpss American vessels in the Pacific are operated also by American President Lines, Matson Navigation Com pany, and the major oil companies.
 American President Lines operates 13 vessela from San Francisco and Los Angeles to the Philip pines, Burma, Dutch East Indies, Shanghai, Hong kong and other Far Eastern ports.
 EMERGENCY CONFERENCE CALLED
 Henry F. Grady, president of American Presi dent Lines, called an immediate emergency confer ence of all his operating heads.
 American President Line officials said Philip pine British and Dutch East Indian ports would prob ably be considered Friendly" within the meaning ot the navy's order.
 Torpedo Story
 Washington October IT. - CUP) = The U. s. s. Kearny of the United States Navys newest desroer torpedoed and damaged today in the first success attack on an American naval ship the Atlantic Ocean since the European war started
 The attack according to the Navy Departments priea announcement occurred $50 miles south and west o American defended Iceland. The preliminary Navy ds patches indicated that there were no casualties among
 At the time of the attack the Kearny on patro duty carrying out its assignment in the North Atlantic Axis submarines warpanes surface raiders on sight American defensive waters The sea lanes to 4ceano are considered American defensive waters.
 Tn Navy did not identify the attacking submarine, but officials believed it undoubtedly was German suD the S. S. with orpedoes in the same general area but missed.
 Able To Proceed
 Despite the damage the Navy said, the Kearny was able to proceed under her own power.
 It was not indicated whether she would seek tns shelter of harbor in Iceland Greenland or would cross the North Atlantic to base in this country or Canada
 The Kearny is a 1,630-ton vessel under command 0t Lieutenant Commander A. L. Danis. She was completed in 194O and is armed with five standard fveinch guns 10 smaller weapons and 10 21-inch torpedo tubes.
 The Greer notified of the presence of German sub marine by British patrol plane on September followed the submarine. During the of this observance the submarine fired two torpedoeS and the Greer counter attacked with depth bombs Although the action occurred over period of hours neither warShip was hit.
 At Time of Greer
 At the time of the Greer incident ships of the U. S Atlantic patrol were under orders merely to report he of Axis warshps which they encountered and mol to attack unless they were attacked first
 But on September II President Roosevelt directed tk Navy to shoot on sight all Axis warshps planes found in American defensive waters AS far has been revealed todays attack Kearney the first engagement in which an American warshp has been involved since thos orders were issued.
 The German government has declared the around Iceland and far west the shores of Greenland war zone where vessels of any description subject to dec ton The United States does not recognize this zone. the damage to the Kearny. Officials said that they expected more details later today.
 It was pointed out that the torpedolng occurred cn this morning and there has been little time for the com mander of the destroyer to make full report He N expected however to give complete account to hts super Iors as soon as feasible