Evening star., 1942-04-01
19Were
In the Atlantic;
Army Got -Four
Man Who Sighted
Sub, Sonk Some
Bags Another
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The United States Army and
Navy forces have destroyed a
total of Is Axis submarines to
date. the Navy reported today
in announcing three new sink
ings of underSea craft.
One of the three latest successful
attacks was carried out by Donald
Francis Mason, %. of Rochester
Mimi, who recently radioed his base
In reporting a previous successful
sub attack, sighted sub. sank same. "
Mason. an enlisted pilot, was pro-
NOTED to ensign after his second
exploit.
Another of the new sinkings was
credited to Ensign William Tepuni,
26, naval reserve pilot of San Fran
cisco. who so damaged a submarine
when he first attacked 1t in the At
lantic area that a sure kill was
made the next day by destroyers,"
the Navy said.
Army Flyer Commended.
Earlier today the Navy had dis
closed the third new sinking with
an announcement that Secretary
Knox had commended First 1t.
James Valentine Edmundson of the
Army Air Forces for destruction of
an enemy submersible in the Ha-
waiian area. Naval spokesmen con-
flrmed that this sinking had not
previously been announced when
they summarized the record of sue
cessful attacks to date.
These attacks include 81 carried
out by the Navy-l7 in the Atlantic
prior to the two announced today
for a total of 19 and two at Pearl
Earbor.
Four sinkings have been credited
TO the Army, the Navy said, includ-
ing the successful attack carried
out by 1t. Edmundson.
There is evidence of additional
sinkings of Axis undersea craft"
the Navy said, but announcements
will not be made until full reports
have been received in the Navy De-
partment and absolute surety of
claims is determined, and not then
until the confirmation is of no pos
sible use to the enemy"
Admiral Describes Attacks.
Vice Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll,
Atlantic feet commander, advised
the Navy Department that in de-
stroying his second. U-boat. Ensign
Mason left the sea so Uttered with
debris that evidence of the wreck
ing of the submarine was conclusive.
Mason, who was made a chief
aviation machiniSt's mate after the
first sinking and was awarded Dis
tinguished Flying Cross, has been
decorated for his latest success with
a silver star, equivalent to a second
Distinguished Flying Cross. En-
sign Tepuni also has been awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross for
his service in crippling the U-boat
so that destroyers could complete
its ruin.
Both sinkings occurred on rou-
tine patrol flights" the Navy an
nouncement said. Ensign Mason
sighted an Axis craft on the sur
face. swooped down and released his
depth charges.
"All OF the charges scored hits
on the underwater vessel and it
blew up, scattering wreckage over
q large area.
Ensign Tepuni sighted another
submarine the same day, bombed
1t and left it helpless on the sur
face. Destroyers moved in the next
day for the kill"
Bombs Straddied Sub.
Giving further detail of Mason's
first successful encounter with a
U-boat, the Navy said he was
patrolling. when he observed the
wake of a submarine proceeding
submerged at periscope depth.
He turned, dove to a low alti-
tude and dropped two depth bombs,