Evening star., 1942-01-22
Ship Survivors Tell
OF 'HeH in Water

HOBOKEN, N. j., Jan. 22.-With
their ship torpedoed and sunk with
in sight of land, three survivors of
the coastwise steamer City of At
lanta recalled today how they spent
nearly seven hours in the cold sea
of North Carolina awaiting rescue
and watching shipmates lose their
grip from wreckage and disappear
The three, all from Savannah, Ga. :,
were the only known survivors of a
crew listed at Al by the Navy. John
York Of Clayton. Ga, second assist
ant engineer, died shortly after be-
ing taken aboard the Seatratn Texas,
rescue ship.
Two survivors, Robert Fennell. jr.,
oiler, and George B. Tavelle, second
mate, are in a hospital here, while
Earl Dowdy, uninjured, left for Sa-
vannah last night.
Saved Wife's Picture.
Twenty-one survivors of the 3100-
ton Latvian cargo ship Celtvaira.
also torpedoed without warning of
the North Carolina: coast, were
brought to Charleston, S. C.. Two
of the crew of 80 were killed by the
explosion. Nine other survivors were
taken to another port.
The 5,269-ton City of Atlanta and
the Ciltvaira were peset by enemy
submarines early Monday morning.
Mr.. Fennell of the City OF Atlanta
said the torpedo sounded like pis-
tol shot. He bolted upright in his
bunk. saw the sea through a gaping
hole in the freighter's side He
raced for a stairway as the ship
listed to port side, but halfway up
stopped short, ran back to his bunk
and took his wifes picture from be-
meath a pillow.
THE next 6 hours and IS min
utes," said the 22-year-old oiler
from hisshospital bed, was a he'll of
holding on to wreckage, trying to
keep afloat, praying lot and swear
ing at the men aboard the big sub
marine that passed within so feet of
U.s."
Mr. Fennell suffered cuts and
bruises and an injured leg.
Blinded by Subs Light.
Mr.. Tavelle, on duty when the
torpedo struck, said he was thrown
into the sea- A submarine search
light, he related, blinded him and
about 20 others, holding to bits of
wreckage. Some of the men couldn't
hold out and soon sank beneath the
waves.
Mr.. Tavelle. who was cut by shat
tered glass from the pilot house
said I'VE yelled ourselves hoarse
when the Seatrain Texas came near
at 7:55 am. and lowered a boat
and threw over ropes, a ladder and
life preservers."
Survivors said the freighter sank
so fast there was no time to launch
lifeboats.
Leon Da Saliva, mess boy on the
Ciltvaira, said 'the ship was broken
In the middle with a ghastly hole
and the engine and stoker rooms
below deck soon filled with water
Four hours after the attack, he
said, the American tanker (the So
cony Vacuum took them aboard
from lifeboats.
The Latvian ship was abandoned
In a flooded and sinking condi-
ton.
Yelled Curses at Sub Crew.
The City of Atlanta survivors said
the U-boat, not more than so feet
away, played its searchlight on the
men gasping and choking in the
sea until the City of Atlanta's nose
went up and it slid stern first out
of sight.
It was that behavior on the part
of the submarine commander that
drew from the men their last
screaming curses.
"One thing stands out in my
mind" Mr.. Tavelle said. while the
searchlight was playing over the
men in the water as they hunted
for pieces of wreckage, I heard them
yelling:
"'I'd like to wiring your neck, you
-Heinies,' and I wish We could gel
0iir hands on Will"