The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-02

AA KkVO U4AC NA0AoCI SSSSAA ~AS SA ny head if they'd give me some- ming to hunt those submarines with, even if 1t did mean another visit Co the dentist, but they say we are too old for that work"
 Seated on the edge of bunk, the captain told of the German attack nt noon when he and many of his men were eating. A rough swell had concealed the peak of the subs periscppe and the swtshing stream of tho first torpedo's wake.
 Lcganberry juice from the table shattered in Captain Shaw's face as the initial torpedo sliced into the merUliantman just abaft the bridge cFf Che Starboard side. In less than i've minutes, he and his crew had cleared the ship in the trio of life- hoats.
 we stood by to see what would happen" Capt Shaw said. "She righted and we could see she would floa& I was preparing to go back when the second torpedo came and smashed into the engine room"
 Then Came Second Blow
 The second torpedo struck about 6 half hour after the first and the ship sank five minutes later. Soon after the black coming tower of the u-boat was sighted about 8 quar- ter of Q mile away, but she didn't surface completely.
 The three lifeboats became sep- arateu while wiating for rescuers. A sextet in Capt. Shaw's boat earned repttatoin as "The Crooners" by singing popular songs to thei~ mates before each breakfast" of biscuits, oemrnican and water. There also were Small rations of butter, canned milk, raiSinS, peanuts and prunes, Rarnished with "rainwater sauce"
 Capt. Shaw's lifeboat first was sighted by two patrol planes. which dropped eight tins of tomato juice, enabling the men to have couple of rounds of cocktails.
 39 Seamen Lost Lives
 A Gulf Port, June 2-CUP)- Thirty nine seamen lost their lives when two Axis submarines sank their medium -siZe American cargo ship Ia the Gulf of Mexico on May %, the eighth naval district an- < xouneed today.
 On9y three members of the crew cg zxgurvived. The loss of life was the greatest in single sinking since AsFiB submarine warfare began In the Gulf early in May.
 TWO of the survivors, unconscious and with their bodies covered by Sanr Aled heavy fuel oil from the tki1u burkers, floated for seven days eora a raft under the broiling HulK sum before they were picked nn bX q merchantmen and taken to Bort Arthur, Tex.
 Thk two were Boatswain Rolf Heilsnd of Philadelphia, Pa, and Wgsnsk John c. Traubal of (U. S. Ave. $ Gibbsboro, N. J. Due to their critiQHl condition the Navy has oh- talns only meager information of the slnking.
 Tz1e third survivor was Second Assistant Joseph Shackleford of Nevexen, Va, the Navy announced Hhackelford, First Assistant John s Giettek of Westfleld Mass, and Jesse D. Hogge of Wicomico, Va the cook, were picked up after he sinking and taken to Mexico The Navy said it did not know if zletxek and Hogge died en route Io Mexican port or after they landed there.
 Unknown To Navy
 Tiaa ships whereabouts was un- ssSS2ts ke. kfAn NYaxrxy nRp1AS1 $hn frxyr Rrrivsd in Port Arthur.
 Tie doctor on the rescue Shir said skhat he washed Hollands anc Traubal's faces with kerosene fol three hours and a half before anouRh of the caked fuel oil wal removed to enable him to see the mems features.
 During the seven days on 8 raft tfle men had had no food or water Exofn the meager details they were able to give from the hospital al Port Arthur, the Navy pieced to- sether the story.
 Heiland and Traubal were asleep Id their hunks and when the first torpedo hit on the starboard side aft IBIS a. m. they jumped from thelF hunks, ran to the deck, just IS the second torpedo hit the port Dide ainidships.
 aI1ae ship folded like an accord ton, they said.
 ElAgen men jumped Into the wa- ter. severed with oozing oil from the bunk kers. Holland and Traubal saw r1au after man go under, weighted dowA by the clinging, suffocating nEI. HelIand, Traubal and another H1au they couldn't identify, got on lI<8 raft. The raft was not strong rno1sl1 to hold all threeN and the unt5 ntifled man volunteered to try f3 ~ke it to another raft nearby
 nd and Traubal did not sec Mi. 1Eain.