Evening star., 1942-09-06
StaIingrads Lines Stand Firm
Repu|sing Fresh Nazi Onslaught;
y. S. Destroyer Transport Sunk
Loss of Men Held
Small; Tender
Also Damaged
By the Associated Press.

4
The destroyer Blue and a small
armed transport have been sunk
in the South Pacific, the Navy
disclosed yesterday, bringing to
48 the number of American war
ships whose loss has been an
nounced since December 7.
AT the same time the Navy tolc
of severe damage done by fire tc
the tender Prairie, mother ship for
a group of destroyers. at Argentia
Newfoundland, May 27.
The Prairie has now been recon-
ditioned and restored to service
Another entry for the black side of
the ledger was the program for the
launching or keel-laying of $50
naval vessels Labor Day, described
by the Navy as a worlds record for
the shipbuilding industry.
Two enlisted men lost their lives
in fighting the tender fire. Casual
ties in the two Pacific sinkings were
announced as few, the exact mum.
ber not being reported. The Blue
had a normal complement of 17s
men and the transport, the 1860
ton Colhoun, could have carried 20C
men, including a skeleton crew anc
troops.
Navy's Announcement.
A communique on the sinkings
said:
South Pacific:
Il. The U. S. destroyer Blue anc
the small auxiliary transport Col.
houn have been sunk during tht
past two weeks in the South Pacific
as result of enemy action.
2. There were few casualties anc
the next of kin of those lost will be-
notified as soon as reports are re-
ceived."
The time OF the sinkings-"durine
the past two weeks"-indicated tina,
the ships were not casualties of the
big sea battle off the Solomon
Islands. Whether they were sunk
single or while operating together
was not disclosed. They could have
been engaged in the continuing task
OF carrying supplies to United States
forces in the Solomons.
The destroyer Blue was launched
May n, 1887, with Miss Kate Lilly
Blue CT "Bluefields," Marion, S. C..
sister CT Rear Admiral Victor Blue
for whom the ship was named, sery-
Ing as her sponsor.
Rear Admiral Blue, born in Rich
mond County, N. c., December 6
1865, died on January %, 1928. He
had served two tours of duty as
chief of the Bureau of Navigation
and during the first World War was
commanding officer of the battle
ship Texas.
Caught From Another Ship.
A 4o-knot gale sweeping over
Argentia was responsible to great
extent for the damage to the 9,45O-
ton Prairie. She was taking on
supplies when a fire started in 9
ship moored directly astern. Famed
by the gale, the flames swept along
the dock to the tender,
Capt. r. w. Fleming, Cambridge
Mass, skipper of the Prairie, broke
his ship away from the dock ane
the flames were brought under con.
troll after she had been moved vel
away from other craft.
The flames were stopped just a.
they reached compartment fillee
with munitions. Aboard the Prairie
were 800 tons of high explosives, 30(
depth charges, 103 warheads for tor
pedoes, 10000 gallons of Diesel OF
and 1,000,0 900 gallons of fuel oil.
The enlisted men who died in tn,
flames were George William Genth
ner. chief storekeeper, 26, son O
Mrs. Thelma C. Genthner, Waldovor
Me, and Sebert Price Malear, 81
chief signalman, North Bend, Greg
whose widow lives in Portland, Me
Two others severely injured wer'
1t. Comdr. Joseph A. Corwin, 81
South Orange, N. j., and Chic
Gunner William C. Bachelor, A
Norfolk, Va.
The Navy described salvage anc
repair of the fire. -blackened hulk a
an East Coat port as "a strikin
example of the courage, resourceful
ness, determination and efficiency
of Uncle Sans bluejackets and ship
yard workers
Crew Members Praised.
Capt. Fleming paid high tribut'
| to members of the crew for fightin,
| the fire.
The crew of the Prairie was or
dered to get the tender under wa
as soon as the flames hit it an
meantime to food all magazine.
| powder and shell handling room
and pyrotechnic lockers. Ali moor
ing lines were burned away, bu
| the tender was held to the doc
by two vessels which were maxim
their own preparations to get unde