Evening star., 1942-04-06
BY GEORGE WELLER,
War Correspondent OF The Star d
Hhteaon nailv Naue

Chicago Daily News.
FROM AN AMERICAN NAVY
BASE IN THE SOUTHWEST PA
CIFIC, April 6.-This is the story of
the life and death of a battered
tin can"-an old Yank destroyer
of 1918 yintage-that was sent down
somewhere in the Southwest Pacific
under shower of Japanese bombs
The old hulk was the Peary, an
antiquated destroyer with creaking
plates that was no match for the
fleet. But what the Peary lacked
in equipment, its men made up in
spirit. When last seen, the Peary
was settling in the water, its last
gun barking at a beehive of Jap
planes swarming overhead.
Japs Distort Sinking News.
Many American warships sunk in
the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea
were old-line craft of 1918 vintage.
Such sinkings are hailed with the
same banzais in the japanese press
as though they were brand-neW
battle wagons still greasy from 1912
shipyards.
Some Of these Superannuated de-
stroyers have simply vanished. The
Pillsbury, which disappeared south
of Tjilatjap, fell victim to over
whelming Jap naval forces, in the
same waters where the unprotected
7-knot Dutch freighter, the last
vessel to escape Tjilatjap, incredibly
vanished two days later.
But the Peary'S history is differ
ent from the Pillsbury's-although
both left Cavite at about the same
time--in that something is known
Of the manner of her passing and
something can therefore be recorded
OF the men who fought with their
relic literally until the South Pacific
waters hissed over her red-hot decks
and splitting guns.
People were still saying hang
Kaiser Bill" when a bottle was
cracked upon the Peary's bow and
the can was given the name of the
Arctic explorer. But the first of
her four aerial bor-bardments oc-
CURED at Cavite in December, when
for destroyer she had reached an
age corresponding to the human
three score and ten.
Splinters penetrated the whole
bridge, smashed the gun directors,
broke the SearchlightS, pierced the
ventilators. Burning fragments ig-
nited the decks. 1t was a COM
bined augmentation and incendiary
bomb. Although several members
OF the crew were killed more were
killed elsewhere in the general
bombing of the navy yard.
Commander Cited.
The old lady was saved this time
by the bravery of the crew of a
nearby mine sweeper, who threw
hawsers aboard the flaming decks.
Several ropes parted in flames. The
commander of the mine sweeper
which towed the Peary to safety,
1t. Comdr. R. E. Hawes of Georgia,
was recommended for the Navy
Cross.
When 1t. Comdr. John M. Ber-
mingham of New York City, who
succeeded Comdr. Harry H. Keith of
New Mexico as captain, saw the
damage caused by the raid, he
groaned (Comdr. Birmingham was
listed as killed by the Navy Depart
ment) Naval advisers voted nine
to one that the old-timer be
scrapped The officers, however,
speaking for the crew. had pleaded
successfully for one last chance to
allow her a crack at the Japs, and
Rear Admiral Francis w. Rockwell
had given ear
Smashed up, burning and as full
of holes as colander after the
Jap hit, how could the Peary again
be sent to sea? Ten days of "a
hour labor by the crew made the
Peary seaworthy, if not battle
worthy
Permitted" to Go to Sea.
In an order which probably was
the first of its kind ever issued. the
Peary received permission" to leave
port.
In the extreme northeastern Gel
ebes. the Peary was discovered early
one morning by a Jap four -motored
bomber. With the Peary able to
travel at only 81 knots, the crew
knew that a warm day lay ahead.
The Jap bomber sent out signals
summoning other patrol bombers
from neighboring sealanes for what
looked like as easy kill. Eventually
radio calls brought three more four
engine bombers and two Dornier
torpedo planes.
Then began a game of cat and
mouse. 1t was pm: the weather
was sunny blue. The Japs knew it
was impossible for the Americans
to receive help of any kind. The
time for deliberate attack was vir-
tually unlimited and they meant to
use every minute of it.
Flying at a careful height above
the Peary's maximum machine gun