Evening star., 1942-12-15
American Mine
MayHaveSunk
Thorough Probe Of
Loss Of Transport in
Pacific Ordered

Coolidge, which was being used
as an Army transport, is being
made, Secretary of the Navy
Knox said today, following sug-
gestions that the heavily loaded
vessel might have struck an
American mine or mines.
1t Is a fair assumption that be-
cause of the fact that only four men
out of approximately 1000 were lost,
the ship was somewhere near land,
Mr.. Knox said. At the same time,
he added, it is not a fair assumption
that proximity to land made the
mines of American ownership. Jap
submarines might have mined the
area right outside of American
minef1elds, he said, and there would
be two kinds of mines in the same
waters.
We will know the truth when tho
investigation is completed, Mr.. Knox
added, and until then it cannot be
discussed with any degree of finality.
There might be question Of
possible fault somewhere" he said.
Lost in South Pacific.
The President Coolidge was lost
lin recent weeks" in what the Navy
first termed merely the South Pa
cific," but from what Secretary
Knox said today might safely be
called the Solomons area. The
liner, whose sinking was announced
Saturday, was owned by the Ameri-
can President Lines of San Fran
cisco and was chartered and OPP,
Grated by the War Shipping Admin
istration for the Army.
Secretary Knox said the story Of
the rescue of the men probably.
would be told publicly as soon as
the facts are assembled.
The President Coolidge, Of 81 1886
gross tons, was completed in 1881
at the Newport News Shipbuilding
& Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va
1t was 615 feet In length, had a
beam Of 81 feet and draft of %
feet.
Mr.. Knox said today he will leave
this week end for Houston, Tex, for
a one-day round of activities that
will include an address, launching
of two ships and the presentation
of the Army-Navy "E" to the ships
builders. of'-# s'
Funds Sought to Replace Houston.
The city of Houston has made q
drive to raise $4,000, 900 to pay the
cost OF cruiser to replace the
U. s. s. Houston, lost early in this
war in the Java Sea. Secretary
Knox will speak Monday night at
the final campaign meeting.
Preceding the speech, Mr.. Knox
will participate in the launching
Of two destroyer escort vessels-the
Keith and the Moore-both named
for Houston men who have lost
their lives in this war. In the
same ceremony he will present the
'E' to the Brown Shipbuilding Co.,
from whose ways the ships will be
launched. Secretary of Commerce
Jones, a native of Houston, will
accompany Mr.. Knox to Texas for
the ceremonies.
In addition to the money cam.
paign, Houston officials have staged
a recruiting drive and signed up
approximately 1000 men to replace
those lost with the ship.
Withdrawing from the battle area,
the Houston simply disappeared
somewhere in the vicinity of tho
Island of Java, and none of its crew
has been heard from since, though
the Japanese have indicated in radio
propaganda broadcasts on two or
three occasions that some OF the men
had survived.
Mr.. Knox said that while the Navy
did not know what happened, there
is belief that some Of the men actu.
ally did survive.
The Secretary said that while he
did not know whether the entire
$36, 900 had been raised or
pledged, he knew that great progress
had been made toward attaining
that goal.
At his press conference Mr.. Knox
said, I'VE are watching activities
on New Georgia Island pretty
closely" The Japs recently have
built an airport there. American
flyers have bombed Munda, loca-
ton OF the airfield, with regularity
during the last three days.
Asked About Aleutians.
The Secretary was asked about
the conditions in the Solomon and
Aleutlan Islands. He said he knew
nothing more about the situation
In the Solomons than had come out
In the communicates.
Asked whether this bombing Of
Munda might be in preparation to
move In and capture the field. which
lies $50 miles away from the Amer
lean position on Guadalcanal in
the Southeastern Solomons. Mr..
Knox said 1t would not be wise to
discuss anything about what might
or what might not be done in
the future, since such information
would be extremely helpful to the
enemy.
Japs 'Marooned" at Kkka.
Mr.. Knox and other Naval officials
have implied at various times that
the Solomons campaign would be
expanded eventually when troops
and equipment became available.
but most of these oficials have
suggested no considerable advance
could be undertaken until the posi-
ton on Guadalcanal was made com.
pletely safe from any Japanese
threat.
The Secretary was told, REGARDING
the Aleutians, that an Alaskan paper
had stated that the Japanese on
kiska Island were there now simnlv
because they could not get avay.
their planes having been DESTROYED
and their ships sunk. GrinninR Mr.
Knox said, that was Q very inter.
esting speculation"
Capt. Leland p. Lovette, chief AZ
Naval public relations, told the Sec.
retary that Kiska sis probably sorne.
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