Evening star., 1942-04-05

their mates from under the lifeboat
wreckage. None was lost"
Radioman Kinds said the appear
ance of the fighter planes afforded
Capt. Mcconnell the opportunity to
destroy all information of value to
the enemy and to have all foatable
equipment cast overheard.
Shoots Tail OFF. Jap Plane.
Among the last to leave the ship
was the executive officer, 1t. Comdr.
L. J. McPeake. He stood by a gun
in the stern and shot the tail off
the first japanese plane to venture
back.
The radioman reflected on the
sometimes strange conduct of man
under stress-in this case the choice
of articles to carry with them the
members of the Langley's crew made
on leaving the vessel.
Kinds himself took along two
oranges. He had not been long in
the water before he noticed a Fill
pino meSsboy swimming with
OulJd DOdTQ on Ills nedQ.
Each man, following his particu-
lar line of duty, emerged from the
engagement with one or more dra-
matte individual experience to re-
late, but Black, from his continual
vantage point, got perhaps the most
inclusive view.
First Plane Sighted.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the morn
ing of February 27 we sighted a
single plane" he said. 'It was a
two-motored job. 1t circled the ship
and disappeared
"At about HAS its big brothers
arrived-nine heavy bombers. Their
bombs dropped on the port side
amidships, striking the water right
outboard.
Then came the second wave
They saw the first bunchs mistake,
had a better range and more time.
Some bombs hit the ship. They must
have been heavy for the noise was
terrific and the Langley shivered.
Then the dive bombers, diving
at the gun crews fore and aft and
dropping bombs, some hitting, some
missing.
"At first their aim was good, but
after time they seemed to get ex-
cited. They strafed as they, glided
in, and we had some killed and some
wounded. Fires started, but were
quickly put out.
by now the ship was listing badly,
and we started throwing things over
that would float"
Order to Abandon Ship.
When it looked as if the Langley
might capsize, the order came to
abandon ship, Black. said, and
shortly afterward an escort vessel
picked up the survivors.
The enemy did not sink our
ship" he continued. "A rescue ship
fired broadsides into her to keep
the enemy from getting her"
When the Pecos, to which the
Langley crew was transferred, in
turn was attacked the next day,
the Navy really got its dander up,
Black said.
Men who had been wounded
came back from the dressing sta
tions fighting mad"
But the battle for the Pecos was
hopeless and once again the order
to abandon ship was issued.
"The wounded were taken care
of first, being put on boats in the
water or held up by their ship
mates" he recounted. Many who
had given up were told by their
shipmates to hold on, and were
saved that way.
While we were still in the water,
we heard firing in the distance.
Then the rescue ship came.
"As it was picking up the men,
submarines came around and fired
two torpedoes and the ship had to
leave. Twice it came back, but again
had to leave.
when it was well distant from
the men in the water, it dropped
depth charges. That caused great
conclusion and may have weakened
some Of the men who drowned later.
"a lot of the men didn't know
whether they we're going to see the
beach again or not. But those men
on Asiatic station are fighting men,"