Evening star., 1942-10-27
Carrier Wasp Struck
Three Times With
Only Brief Warning
Copt. Sherman Pays
Tribute to Grew in
SoIomons Disaster
BY NORMAN BELL,
Associated Press War Correspondent.


PEARL HARBOR, Oct. 27:-The
sharp cry of ''torpedoes!" was the
first warning the crew Of the air.
craft carrier Wasp, sunk in the
Solomon Islands September IS, had
Of impending disaster.
Capt. Forrest p. Sherman, the
carriers commander now safe at
Pearl Harbor, said in an interview
that three torpedoes fired by sub
marine exploded against the fore
part of the Wasp in rapid succession
as she was changing course. A
fourth torpedo missed. A few min
utes later, he said, and all the tor
pedoes might have missed.
He disclosed that Jack Singer OF
New York, previously reported miss
ing in the South Pacific, was one of
the victims of the Wasps sinking.
Singer, correspondent for Inter
national News Service, was last seen
in the wardroom lounge, which later
became mass Of flames.
Heavy Internal Explosions.
Capt. Sherman paid special tribute
to two officers who lost their lives,
Comdr. John j. Shea Of Boston,
who was last seen directing a fight
against flames on the flight deck
when it was rocked by violent
explosion, and 1t. Comdr. Laurice
A. Tatum, dental officer, who "ex-
posed himself. to fragments of ex-
ploding ammunition while adminis-
tering first aid to an extent which
contributed to his death before being
rescued"
The Wasp was sunk shortly before
pm, while covering reinforcement
operations at Guadalcanal.
(The Navy Department, in an
nouncing the sinking yesterday
said about 80 per cent Of the
Wasp's complement, about 1900,
was saved)
''The torpedoes struck In the vicin-
ity Of the gas tanks" said Capt.
Sherman, whose home is in Melrose,
Mass. "The gas supply actually was
in Use refueling planes and other
planes were being armed with bombs.
The shock of the attack was very
great. Many heavy internal explo-
sions followed. The bombs, gas
tanks and ready ammunition ex-
ploded and oil and gas on the water
caught fire."
Capt. Sherman said the flames
spread with intense fury as explo-
sion after explosion tore at the
ships vitals.
Eager to Return to Battle.
One explosion surrounded the
bridge with gas and smoke and
caused many casualties. He added
that there were a great many
courageous and valiant efforts to
combat the fire, but that, due to
breakage of the water mains, very
little could be done.
Capt. Sherman declared he and
every survivor with whom he talked
on the hospital ship want to get
another carrier and go after the
Japs. -.-,... .t -. ,.- ... ..-
He disclosed that he joined the
Wasp last spring after she had been
used In supplying besieged Malta, in
lsthe Mediterranean, with planes
When the order to abandon ship
was given, Capt. Sherman said, he
knew there were other enemy sub
marines In the vicinity and it was
mot possible to be deliberate
Medical Officer Praised.
The men swan to destroyers and
go per cent Of the crew was saved,
he said:
Capt. Sherman paid tribute to
Comdr. Bartholomew w. Hogan,
senior medical officer, for carrying
on without sleep for 48 hours de-
spite injuries, and to Comdr.
Michael Holt Kernodle, air officer
who was "one of dozen who got
life belts to men who couldn't swim
and got lines tied to them"
True to the traditions of the sea,
Capt. Sherman was the last to leave
his ship, hour and 20 MINUTES
after the torpedoes hit.
He said he jumped into clear
water but later had to swim through
oil-covered water. He was in the
water an hour and a half.
II was bruised and stiff but after
three or four days of rest am in fine
shape again."
Some of the crew members were
In the water as long as three hours
and some died on the destroyer after
being picked up and were buried at
Spa