Evening star., 1942-02-21
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Feb. 81.
The sinking Of the tanker Pan
Massachusetts, of the Atlantic
coast Thursday afternoon by an
enemy submarine was announced
by the Navy today after the
landing here of Is survivors.
They told a narrowing story of
their escape and the death of 20
fellow crewmen in an inferno of
burning oil.
Capt. Robert E. Christy, 52-year-
old sea veteran who lost the first
ship of his career, said two torpedoes
exploding in quick succession turned
the ship into a mass Of flames and
"the sea soon was afire for half
mile around us as the gasoline and
oil spread" The vessel was loaded
with 100000 barrels of gasoline and
oil.
Capt. Christy. of Corpus Christie,
Tex, added: three or four shells
also exploded on us after We were
ablaze. but the submarine was not
seen by any Of us-the two look
outs died in the fire aboard ship,
and they are the only men who
might have seen It,"
Following Ship Is Rescuer.
The survivors were picked up by
a ship which Capt. Christy said was
about five miles behind when the
Pan Massachusetts, was torpedoed.
He declared the men on the rescue
ship came to their assistance de-
spite the danger of also being tor
pedoed, launched boats and saved
all who were alive-that Is bravery"
The survivors were landed here
yesterday afternoon but the Navy
withheld news of their arrival and of
the sinking until today. presumably
as a precaution for the safety of
the rescue vessel.
The Pan Massachusetts, was the
31st ship reported attacked in the
current series of sinkings in North
Atlantic coastal waters. 1t was
owned by the National Bulk Car
riers, Inc.
Other survivors told how some of
the crew were burned to death on
board before they could leap into
the sea. Some died in the flaming
oil that covered the water around
the ship.
Living Show Marks of Fire.
The first nine to come ashore
looked as If they had been through
q furnace. Their faces were scared,
some were heavily bandaged, and
all had blankets wrapped around
their shoulders. Every man walked
up the landing ramp without as
sistance and climbed into the ambu-
lances that took them to a hos
pital.
The other nine. including Capt.
Christy, First Officer Alfred Ca
rini, SO, OF Long Island City, N. Y,
and Third Officer H. L. Dodge, So,
Of Baltimore, Md, were taken to a
downtown hotel.
They related that the flames
burned f1ercely on the port side,
but that strong wind prevented
their spread on the water to star
board.
''The ship was enveloped in flames
everywhere I could see," a crew.
man related. 'T tried to open the
portfolio but the side of the ship
was burning also. Desperately I
threw on what clothes I could and
made my way to the deck.
A Leap For q Clear Spot.
Men we're shouting all around
me. Flames were shooting high into
the air and the sea was burning all
around. The lifeboats and RATS
were in flames. We ran about, look
ing for place to jump. When a
patch would clear for a moment,
somebody would jump.
IT picked my spot and leaped.
Flames reared up. around me, but
I managed to fight my way to open
water.
THE water was like ice and I got
numb-so numb could hardly keep
afioat
Then we sighted q ship and
started yelling. We didn't think
we would be seen, but we were. The
ship lowered a boat and IS were
taken aboard-18 out Of 38. One
man was taken aboard stark naked
Some were badly burned and In
great pain"
Others told how the two life
boats were burned instantly and
how, when an attempt was made
to launch q raft, ut drifted into the
flames and went up with a flash. -
But the sentiments expressed by
most of them were summed up by
First Ohcer Carini as he thrust his
fingers out in q "V-for- victory" sign
and said, "I'm going back to sea-"