Evening star., 1942-06-23
Sinkings
Continued From First Page.


yesterday, 1t was announced in
Buenos Aires)
In Washington, Secretary Of
State Hull. commenting on the
sinking Of the Rio Tercero. called
it another instance illustrating
the policy of frightfulness and
terrorism the German high COM
mand is undertaking to carry on
in the Atlantic
while Secretary Hull said the
Rio Tercero had been attacked
and sunk in broad daylight, it
was indicated in New York that
the captain of the Argentine
freighter would describe the sink
ing as the result only Of an ex-
plosion.
"a scheduled interview with the
captain. Luis P Scalese, "a, who
was among the SO survivors
landed at the East Coast Port,
was postponed until after he had
reported to the Argentine En-
bassyD
Members of the crew said the
torpedoes struck within minute
of each other and that the vessel
running full speed, literally plunged
below the surface. about IS miles
of the coast. The ship sank SO
rapidly-listing between 70 and rs
degrees just before she went under
that none of the crafts 10 life
boats could be launched and deck
guns could not be fired.
They said that many of the 80
reported missing apparently were
trapped in cabins below decks as
the attack came at night, while
many of the crew we're not on
deck duty. The rescued. some of
whom got away on liferafts, were
picked up by vessels which were
nearby when the attack occurred.
In a graphic description of the
sinking, Capt. Arthur E. Buck, 81,
of New York. pilot for the British
Admiralty and naval lieutenant
in World War I. said:
She was blown to hell. I don't
know why everyone wasn't killed
But I plan to go back to sea next
week. Somebody's got to do it. II
we all pipe down there won't be
anything done"
Damage to Engines Doubted.
Another member of the crew in
dlcated. however. that the engines
were not damaged by the torpedoes,
as the ship was running full speed
and he heard no boilers explode as
she went down.
Capt Buck, who apparently leads a
charmed life, survived torpedoing
in the English Channel in the last
war, and had part of his pants
ripped off," but was uninjured, in
the San Francisco Preparedness
Day bombing in 1916. Eighteen per-
sons were killed across the street
from him on that occasion.
The pilot said that he was in
the wheel house when the first
torpedo hit under the bridge and
apparently tore the ship in half,
causing a list of 10 to rs degrees.
He said that he grabbed a float
ing door as the water came in line
with my position on the port wing
bridge and struck out for safety.
But just about that time he saw
the second torpedo coming directly
at him and he swung back toward
the freighter, only to find himself
"over and almost sucked into a
smokestack
Il struck out with all my strength, y
he said, Ito get clear of the stack.
Then I grabbed another piece of
wreckage. AS I turned the ship
had disappeared"
Hauled Into Life Raft.
He said he f1oated about 10
minutes before he was hauled into
a life raft His back and wrist were
injured slightly.
The quick action of Third Mate
Edwin R. Kremer. 20, of Philadel-
phia saved the lives of several per-
sons.
Kremer said that after the ships
captain, Twiggs E. Brown OF Florida,
ordered all to save yourselves" he
(Kremer was trapped under a
floating lifeboat dragging in the
water. When he came up. he said,
L saw the ship going away from
me and grabbed a stay"
He held on until he could cut
away raft with his knife and then
f1oated of. Later he pulled six men
into the raft.
I'VE found three other floating
RATS" he related, land lashed them
to ours. One parted as a naval ves-
sci tried to take us aboard, and we
in the other three floated away and
were picked up three hours later by
another freighter."
Just before the vessel went down
he said he saw the captain and a
naval gunnery ensign on the bridge. :"
THE gunner aft" Kremer said.
"got one shell in his gun but was un-
able to fire it. The boat was listing
heavily then"
"I saw q lot of men floating in
the water whom we couldn't reach
in our life RATS. but I imagine many
of them were picked up by rescue
boats" he said. II imagine many Of