The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-01-20

First word of the attack on the
Malay was released by the navy de-
partment in Washington last night.
Then officials Of the fifth naval dis
trict here allowed interviews with
the survivors and said their publica-
ton had been authorized by the
navy department in Washington.
Counter measures being taken
against the submarine attacks were
a military secret. But the assump-
ton was that every available naval
vessel and plane were searching
the waters close to the populous
Atlantic coast to rid them of what
President Roosevelt has termed
"rattlesnakes"
One member Of the Malaga crew,
boatswain Walter Bruce of Staun-
ton, ILL.,, said the submarine ap-
parently deliberately chose the
Malay as its target.
There were several other ships
around u.s." he said, "but none were
bothered, showing that the sub
marine was after oil tankers."
The Malaga was empty, enroute
from Philadelphia to Port Arthur,
Texas, to take on a cargo of crude
oil.
Fusilade Of Shells
Grew members revealed that the
submarine opened the attack with
fusilade of shells fired from about
500 yards. The first hit was the
bridge, splintering and firing life
boat. Three others followed quickly,
striking aft. One pierced the cooks
sleeping quarters and inflicted fatal
burns on Adams J. Hay, second
cook, who died in lifeboat.
AS soon as the shellfire started, Is
OF the crew abandoned ship in life
boats. The submarine then ceased
firing and the men climbed back
aboard the tanker. Whereupon the
submarine - then about 1900 yards
away - fired a torpedo which
struck her amidships.
A Swedish ship pulled along side
the Malaga and offered assistance but
Captain John M. Dodge of the
Malaga instructed her to proceed.
The four missing members Of the
crew lost their lives as the result
OF a "panicky" lifeboat crew, sur
vivors said.
Philip Cauthorn, seaman of Tap
pahanock, Va, described the loss of
those men:
No Panic Aboard
"No members of the crew got pan
icky during the siege except the
crew OF one lifeboat which lost four
Of its members while launching.
They cast off the forward bow first
while the rear was still attached
The lifeboat swung around and
pitched them out. The men haven't
been seen since.
He also revealed that the Malaga s
steering gear was damaged by she'll
fire and that she had been steered
into port with her auxiliary appara-
tus.
One of the creWmen was l7-year-
old Anthony D'AleXander Of Phila-
delphia who had signed on only
three days ago. He had been re-
jected by the Marines because he
could not get his mothers written
consent.
II was determined to go to sea and
try to do my part" he said. TITS
a funny thing. I had just come off
watch and was asleep and dream
Ing we were being shelled. I woke
up and found we were under fire
In addition to the men lost in the
1ifeboat mishap and the death of
cann,,I thron ntlnr M
bers OF the crew were injured. They
were Chambliss H. Holston, broken
leg, no address; Mehmet Arif,
crushed hand, Brooklyn; and Maui
rice Guttbrodt, broken collarbone
New York.
30 AT Least Died
The combined loss of life aboard
the four tankers attacked within
the last week is now at least 80
and possibly more. Two men are
missing from the Norness; the miss
ing from the Coimbra has not been
revealed; % Of the crew of the Allan
Jackson we're drowned or burned to
death.
The four members Of the Malaga
crew that are missing and feared
dead are. Clifford E. Ashby, fire.
man, Port Arthur, Texas; Manuel
De Rosa, chief cook, Jersey City
N. j.; William L. Miller, messboy
address unknown, and Andrew An
derson, oiler, address unknown.
The complete crew list was not
available but the survivors included:
Second mate William A. Green
New London Conn; Joseph GREE
dien, punpman, Warren, r. l.; Ed
ward B. Davis, steward. Brockton,
Mass.