Evening star., 1942-12-16
Chaplain Retells
Wasp Sinking at
Washington Clut
Former Cathedral
Canon Floated in
Shark.Infested Sea
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.


Floating in shark-infested waters
OF the Coral Sea may have soaked
the Khaki uniform Of Chaplain Mer-
ritt r. Williams Of the late U. s. 8,
Aircraft Carrier Wasp but 1t GER
tainly had no dampening effects
upon the padres" good nature.
Speaking before members of the
Washington Club yesterday the
chaplain evoked many a chuckle
from his spellbound audience as he
told Of his experiences and his re-
actions to the terrible explosions
which finally sent the ship to the
bottom.
The humor introduced in his story
doubtless hid grim memories but
there was twinkle in his eye as
he described his feelings standing
on the ships bridge shortly after
the second repercussion and, as one
heard him, it was easy to under
stand the proverbial popularity Of
Navy chaplains, whose job is to
sustain the morale of others.
After Second Blast.
After the second blast looked
around and expected to see st. Peter
tap me on the shoulder and ask,
What are you waiting for?'" he said.
The chaplain's voice became seri-
Gus as he continued, After the third
violent explosion everything seemed
to spring loose and although no
one on the bridge was hurt, it soon
became untenable"
Chaplain williams told how he
was attending to the wounded on
the flight deck when word came to
abandon ship.
"All the men who were wounded
had life belts placed on them and
they were lowered overheard into
the water"
Recognizing 4 suppressed gasp
from his audience at this point, the
speaker assured them that "the
water was warm" and no one was
injured by their immersion in the
sea.
Asked about sharks, he replied
that the waters were infested but
no one was attacked IT guess the
sharks were too stunned by the
depth bombs" he added
The chaplain paid high tribute to
Capt. Forest P. Sherman, skipper
of the ship, and Comdr John F.
Greenslade, the navigator, who, he
said, took of his lifebelt and gave
1t to one Of the men. That was
one man who actually swan around
in the sea without a lifebelt," he
added.
Swan Through Oil.
The chaplain had previously ex-
planned that every man on the ship
wore lifebelt when he went over
board. He added that one of the
most disagreeable phases Of the ex-
perience was swimming through the
oil which covered the waters.
Fuel oil and salt water are not
q savory combination" he remarked.
"and I had pretty good cargo of
fuel oil aboard when we got on the
rescue ship"
Chaplain williams, who was a
canon Of the Washington Cathedral
prior to his entry into the Navy,
told Of the life and duties of a Navy
chaplain aboard ship where he
serves as minister of God, friend
and confidant Of the men, athletic
officer. recreation oficer, editor of
the ships paper, librarian and So
cial service ofIicer"
There is an old saying among
Navy men when they are dis
gruntled with others, he concluded,
that. my last shipmate went down
with the Maine" After we were
rescued and stood on the deck Of
the rescue ship, one young oficer
turned to me and said. Padre, my
last shipmate certainly did not go
down with the Maine"
Chaplain Williams was introduced
By Mrs. Frank F. Bunker, president
Of the club. Refreshments were
served following the program.