Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-01-06
Navy Cross Awarded
Hero Of Small Ships
Fight Against Odds
Vireinio.Born Officer.
Saves Vessel and Gets One
Of IS Attacking Planes

plane tender with repulsed 1!
heavy Japanese bombers in seven
hour attack during which ont
bomber was shot down and other!
damaged.
aThe 840-ton U. S. s. Heron
escaped safely into an unannouncet
Far Eastern port. where the Ameri-
can Navy is fighting with the Brit
fish and the Dutch, under command
of the Nays latest hero Of the new
war in the Pacific-Lt. William Lev.
erette Kabler, a native of Roanoke
only 80 years OLD and soon to be
lieutenant commander.
The sturdy little Heron lodged
three torpedoes and suffered only
one hit in rain Of forty-six 100
pound bombs showered from 10 four.
engined flying boats and five twin.
motored land bombers. The Heron's
defensive guns destroyed one huge
flying boat, badly damaged another
and inflicted probable damage on
additional enemy aircraft, the Navy
Department announced.
Former Mine Sweeper.
1t. Kabler's ship is former mine
sweeper with an overall length Of
1877 feet and a beam of IS feet. The
Heron was built in the 19l8-l9 pc
riod. James Fighting Ships lists her
armament as two 3-inch antt-alr-
craft guns. The ships complement
Is from AZ to 80 men.
Yet the seaplane tender, al
though suffering a direct hit. baffled
the swarming bombers with her
maneuvers and struck back with
telling aim. The feat Of seaman
ship received immediate recognition
from Secretary Knox, who ordered
the commander Of the Asiatic Fleet
to award the Navy Cross to 1t.
Kabler and recommended that ne
be advanced to the rank Of lieuten-
ant commander.
Secretary Knox later saw Presl-
dent Roosevelt at the White House
and presumably gave him further
details Of the conduct OF 1t. Kabler
and his fighting crew.
Nays Tale of Fight.
The Heron's fight against over
whelming odds Is related IN the
Nays war communique No. "a:
THE U. S. S. Heron, small sea-
plane tender. while engaged in &C
ton with enemy planes over
period of seven hours, sustained one
direct bomb hit and three very near
misses. The Heron was attacked by
a total of 10 four -engined flying
boats and 5 twin-engined land plane
bombers. Forty-six 100-pound bombs
were dropped by the enemy planes
and three torpedoes were launched
at her sides. Due to very skillful
handling, the ship was most courage
ously fought against overwhelming
odds. and destroyed one four-engined
flying boat, badly damaged at least
one other and probably more. The
ship though receiving damage from
one bomb that found its mark man
aged to reach port safely. The Com
mander in Chief Of the Asiatic Fleet
Thomas S. Hart, in accordance with
an order of the Secretary OF the
Navy, has awarded the Navy Cross
to the commanding oficer, 1t. Will
liam Leverette Kabler, and recon-
mended that he be advanced i'm
mediately to the rank Of lieutenant
commander. Further recommended
tons regarding other personnel will
be made at later date"
On Nays Credit Side.
Neither the exact locale OF the
epic battle or the extent of the dam
age suffered by the Heron was re-
vealed here today The little ship,
however, more than made up for her
original cost of 100000 when she
downed the big flying boat, and
whatever other damage she inflicted
was on the credit side, 1t was said in
Navy circles. ....
1t. Kabler studied at Bristol, Va,
and Emory and Henry College prior
to his appointment to the Naval
Academy in 1925. He served In the
hattleship Maryland and is a quail
ned naval aviator. He has been with
the Asiatic Fleet since the summer
Of 1910.
1t. Kabler married Miss Elaine
Dickinson of Pensacola. Fla, in 1880.
The couple has one child. 10-year-
old daughter, Vivian. Mrs. Kabler,
who gave her home address as Bris-
tol. Is now living in San Francisco.
1t. Kabler's GOODNESS under stress
Is attested by his high school teacher
in Bristol, the Associated Press re-
ported T. s. King, who taught the
lieutenant, said:
II never knew William to get ex-
cited about anything in his life.
When Japs attacked the Heron, I
can visualize him doing anything but
losing his head"
Bristol Is Excited.
All Bristol was excited over the
heroic feat Of her native son, but
naval heros mother, Mrs. E. L. Kab-
lSI, was IldPplCoC W 1Od4 IL LIZ 10 aAA'S
and well.
The best news of ALL" she ex-
claimed. lis that he is alive. This
is the first time we have heard from
him since the war began and, of
course, we have been anxious. I am
proud of him. What mother wouldn't
be?"
1t. Kabler's father was m the in
surance business at Bristol prior to
his death about 10 years ago.
A cousin of 1t. -Kabler, William
Kabler, a selectee at Fort Belvoir,
Va. was listening to a news broad
cast last night at his home in Alex
andria when he heard the story Of
the Heron and her commander. 1t.
Kabler served a tour of duty in
as a naval aviator about
three years ago, his cousin said
Another cousin. Hugh Kabler, is
employed in Baltimore defense
plant.
1t. Kabler was transferred to the
Naval Air Corps after graduating
from Annapolis in 1928, and took
fight training at Pensacola. He
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