Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-12
By WILLIAM r. KING.

| United States Correspondent With the AEF
in North Africa.
ABOARD A TRANSPORT WITH
A UNITED STATES AMPHIBIOUS
BATTLE FORCE IN THE MEDI-
TERRANEAN, Nov. Delayed lP).
The Explosive crash of torpedo
striking the ship just behind us
ushered in the eventful final day of
our convoy voyage carrying United
States and British troops to a point
from which landing operations could
be carried out against Algeria.
A piercing alarm signal meaning
immediate danger for our ship
heavily loaded with highly trained
American soldiers and their modern
battle equipment-followed instan-
taneously, sending Army and Navy
gun crews racing to their battle sta
tons.
The ship was smoking heavily and
began falling behind as the convoy
ploughed through the Mediterra-
mean in the gray light of pre-dawn.
Two seamen and a fire control
officer described how an enemy plane
believed to be italian glided swiftly
IN, loosed two torpedoes and disap-
peared.
Casualties Light.
Our ship flickered out a query on
the signal lamps and after a mo-
ment the stricken sister ship re-
piled: Hit
Casualties were light, Plans
were put in motion to tow her.
Two more alarms sounded before
lunch time and as sunset approached
AXIS planes made a determined
effort to attack again, but fire from
the escorting warships kept them
SO high they appeared only as specks
in the sky.
Firing within the convoy was
sporadic, but on the horizon heavy
supporting force of British battle
ships and large carriers could he
seen putting up virtual barrage.
AS the day grew darker, cannon
flashes lighted the horizon in mo-
mentary flares, and tracer shells
cut the sky in lurid streaks High
above, the shells were bursting in
clusters, but there was no evidence
they scored a hit. 49,
While anti-aircraft guns were fir
ing, escorting destroyers dropped
depth charges, both in our path a
| few hundred yards ahead of us and
to port.
| At $40 pm, the bridge ordered
the ship to resume her normal life
The convoy plowed on through the
choppy Mediterranean under the
cover of darkness.
Filet Mignon Dinner Served.
Immediately after the tenseness
of battle, fllet mignon dinner was
served with all the trimmings, in
Guiding printed menu prepared by
the United States Coast Guard per-
sonnet manning the ship. Happy
landing, au revoir," the decorated
menu said.
The day of excitement capped a
trip to the Strait of Gibraltar with
out single serious threat from
I U-boat or bomber. The infinite
planning and cogwheel Corpora
ton of the United States and British
navies and armed forces did the jon.
AS the day and hour for landing
on the beach just east of Algiers
grew nearer. the atmosphere bris-
tied with evidence of the mems
desire to get into action for which
they had been training intensively
for almost two years.
In every cabin and in every cor
ner of the large troop quarters men
were tenderly cleaning their small
arms and loading clips and drums
with ammunition. Deeper in the
holds soldiers in greasy fatigues
were giving last-minute adjustments
to their ligth tanks, heavy guns and
numerous vehicles they planned to
take into battle combat loaded" SO
that men and equipment could be
landed on a hostile shore in the
shortest time, under fire if necessary.
Enemy Planes Sighted.
In the words of the commodore
who was in command, this convoy
was quite without incident"
The convoy, which was only part
of the force bearing down on Africa,
/ consisted OF transports and cargo
ships and other auxiliary vesse<,..
The first alarm came in the early
afternoon of the first day In the
Mediterranean.
The piercing signal which rang
through the ship on the speaker sys-
tenn sent gunners to their posts as
1t had done at least once daily in
practice alerts.. Then the voice on
the speaker said: This Is no prac-
tice. Enemy planes sighted"
The soldiers were ordered from
open decks and gunners waited
grimly, bat the planes remained only
specks In the distance. ~ !,
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