Evening star., 1942-09-22
Two j. 5. Ships
1orpedoed in
Mediterranean
Sent to Bottom in
Same Bottle Carrier
Eagle Was Sunk

The Navy announced today
that two United States merchant
vessels were lost in the Mediter-
ranean Sea early in August out
of Malta abound convoy at
about the same time that the
British aircraft carrier Eagle was
sunk. More than 200 survivors
have been returned to this coun-
try, the Navy added.
One of the American vessels was
torpedoed and sunk by motor tor
pedo boat at night after Axis air
and sea craft had attacked the big
convoy almost constantly for four
days.
The Eagle, loss of which was an
nounced in London August IL, had
been sunk the second day.
Second Ship Scuttled.
The other American merchantmen
was scuttled by the crew to prevent
its falling into enemy hands after
it had been torpedoed.
Killed in the first ship were four
members of the gun crew who were
shot by machine guns when the
Axis torpedo boat roared in to the
attack. There was no loss of life
aboard the second vessel, the total
complement of which was composed
of 48 crew members, IA gun crew
members and 43 passengers Total
complement of the first vessel was
107.
The ships companies, rescued by
British war vessels, eventually re-
turned to this country via England.
This is the story as the Navy
told it:
The four-day ordeal (of the
convoy was opened by submarine
attack, which came shortly after
the convoy passed through the
Strait of Gibraltar. Effective
counter measures taken by protect
ing warships, however, got the mer-
chantmen through without injury.
Dive Bombers Attack.
"The next day, there was another
submarine sortie and dive bombers
made their first appearance over
head. AS was later announced by
the British Admiralty, 1t was in this
attack that the British aircraft
carrier H. NJ S. Eagle was sunk.
High altitude bombing was added
to the pattern of attack on the
third day and the British tanker
Ohio was hit and severely dam
aged. The story of her heroic strug-
gle into Malta despite her damage
has been announced by the British
Later on the third day, torpedo
planes joined the attack and several
hits were scored in the face OF
spirited anti-aircraft fire.
"As dusk fell the conveys course
brought it close to shore. Proceed
ing blacked out, the ships moved
silently past the coast line until
an hour after midnight. Then tab
bing fingers Of light from the shore
picked them up, and motor torpedo
boats roared out to the attack, sup
ported by shore batteries.
Freighter TOrpedOed.
tors, one of these small, deadly craft
singled out a merchantmen and,
weaving and skidding on the sur
face of the water, sped in to the
attack. With machine guns blazing
1t circled the larger vessel Four
members of the gun crew were
killed in this phase of the engage
ment.
"A moment later torpedo opened
up the merchantman's side. Flames
leaped skyward. The crew fought
the fire until dawn turned the east
gray. Then high flying bombers re-
appeared. A direct hit exploded on
the wallowing merchantmans stern,
and the captain, after destroying
the ships papers, gave the order
to abandon ship. The survivors were
picked up almost Immediately by a
British ship and taken to Malta for
later passage to England and the
United States.
In the meantime, by zig-zagging
and lodging, the second United
States ship had successfully eluded
torpedoes from both the E-boats
and the ever-lurking submarines;
but in doing so she had become sep
arated from the rest of the convoy.
Freighter ScuttIed.
Suddenly torpedo crashed with
out warning into No. / hold, on the
port side. The ship settled at once
by the head and appeared to be
sinking. Crew and passengers low
cred three lifeboats. They pulled a
short distance away and awaited
developments.
Several hours later, the vessel
was still af1oat. A Heinkel bomber
flew over, but passed up the Grip
pied ship. Encouraged, the crew
reboarded their vessel to obtain
valuable navigation instruments,
and other equipment.
Upon reaching her decks, however,
they noticed for the first time a sur
faced submarine nearby, observing
them. Fearing that the enemy in
turn would board the ship, the crew
before leaving placed a charge of
explosives in the hold and touched
OIL time fuse. AS the last lifeboat
pulled away, the ship blew up. The
submarine moved away"
The men from this vessel were
picked up by British man of war
several hours later takep tn ~