Evening star., 1942-01-10

Continued From First Page)
and agonizjng experience Of my life.
The sharp heeling over Of the ship
flung me sliding down the starboard
side into the sea. Hundreds of Of
ficers and seamen plunged into the
water along with me.
Anderson had reached the star
board railing a little to the right Of
me when the cruiser was hurled
over.
Swallowed Oily Water.
I heard him shout something to
an officer as I slid into the sea. ]
never saw him again.
GA Cairo dispatch on December
II announced that Anderson, who
had been through the bombing Of
the Illustrious with Allen last
January, had been killed at sea-
I could not swim, and was fearful
lest the pressure Of deep submer-
sion collapse the old life preserver
which I had retrieved after the
bombing of the Illustrious just one
year ago today (January 1O.
As 1 slipped under the water the
cruiser disappeared with a tre-
mendous suction, leaving a huge
lake OF oil on the sea. There was
one muff1ed blast as she took her
death plunge.
Iswallowed large quantities OF oily
scum and water before I bobbed to
the surface. The water all around
was dotted with the heads OF hun
dreds Of sailors.
Several sailors had succeeded IN
getting of a small motorboat. Try
ing to splash toward it, went
under again. My lungs felt as II
they were bursting. but I came up
and q sailor helped me aboard the
boat.
Motorboat Goes Under.
But a score of others had the same
idea. The boats stern section rap
idly filled with water as the weight
of more and more men pushed IL
down.
Finally the motorboat tipped over,
hurting us all into the sea.
managed to reach the boat ana
pull myself into the front cockpit
again. Then the boat sank.
With Q lone sailor I hung to the
tipmost point of the bow until 1t
slipped beneath the waves. I even
hung on until it pulled me under
and I got another large dose OF oil
and water.
I strained every muscle to force
nv head above the surface.
From beneath the waves pair OF
hands reached up and paved at my
shoulders, then slipped away.
1 collided with . small floating
spar. Desperately I tried and sue
ceeded in tucking it under my LETT
arm, still carefully holding up the
ufebelt with my right.
Unable to Hold On.
I Joined with scores Of others IN
crying for help, hoping in the pitch
darkness to attract the attention Of
the destroyers. No one had fash
light, so it was difficult for the res
cue ships to find us.
At that moment saw . huge
black silhouette Of . destroyer about
IS yards ahead.
Help, I'm drowning" gasped .
sailor in the water near me.
Keep going" I called weakly.
Look, there's q destroyer ahead"
That seemed to give him new en-
ergy. He swan toward the de-
stroyer. I tried, too, but couldn't
get closer.
The waves seemed to carry me
farther away Is I screamed for
help.
A big wave swamped me again
with q mouthful Of oil. Then, as
If miraculously, another wave pushed
me forward almost directly under
the propellers Of the destroyer Grit
nm.
I called for help until my throat
felt burned out. Suddenly . long.
oily rope was flung over the side.
I grasped it, but there was no
strength left in my hands.
Hang on" an oficer on the ship
shouted. ''WeU pull you up"
Cant" called as the rope slipped
from my fingers.
Saved by Sailor on Raft.
Try to get q little forward, the
ofncer shouted. I'VE are putting over
q rope ladder"
Somehow managed to propel my
self forward and hang onto the
n