The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-19
SENSATIONAL
 TRAGEDY AT SEA
Ccoutlnued from Page D

also amputated the torn finger of Chief Steward Nicanor Alba. 70, of C44I W. I24th St) New York City, a Filipino.
 Survivors were landed at a West African port, and five were hos pitalized. The others were placed aboard another ship and brought here.
 German-BOrn Officers
 Ironically, details of the attack were revealed by the merchant mans captain and second officer both German born naturalized American citizens with relatives in Germany. The men requested their names be omitted fro mthe account of the sinking.
 The third officer was first to re- port the raiders lights. the captain said. Previously an SSS had been received by the ship, which gave 8 position 30 miles away. The captain said he ordered an sos sent out but received no answer and so be- neved the first distress call was faked by the raider, which later damned" the merchantman'S real distress signals.
 Spotted about three miles dis tant, the raider closed in to three quarters of a mile and opened fire. The Navy's gun crew promptly re- piled, the captain said, and prob- ably hit the raider twice before their gun deck was hit.
 Hit From Three Sides
 eve were attacked from three sides simultaneously" the Captain continued. "The reason believe the raider launched the torpedo boats was that saw lights along its sides before the attack which probably were put on before the boats hit the water. I also heard roar of gaso- line motors"
 The second officer, 35-year-old Brooklyn resident, told how the port lifeboat was lowered with 13 men in it as tracer machine-gun bullets from the port side and bow poured into the merchantmen.
 Occupants of the aft 1ifeboat, he said, were brutally machine-gunned, but seven or eight managed to leap overheard and swim to a life raft.
 The second officer said he was knocked overheard by a piece of shrapnel, which struck him over the right eye, inflicting a wound that required month to heal.
 Struggling in oil slick, the second officer said he finally reached a raft and then picked up the radio operator and 8 gun crewman. The captain, third engineer and six crewmen were sighted on another raft, he said.
 Invited on Board
 When the raiders loomed up 25 yards from the rafts, the second officer said, "We slid over the side and held. Come alongside boys a voice from the raider said in per- feet English. In German, someone else said There's nobody on this one.'"
 Some of the crew. The said, "did respond to the invitation for later we found several lifeboats with their oars shipped, indicating the men had gone aboard"
 At daybreak, the second officer found another lifeboat and trans ferred from the liferaft, taking along the injured and later picking up his captain and the others. The lifeboat was equipped with sail and oars as well as provisions.
 Other survivors includea:
 James Evans of (378 18th street), Brooklyn, N. Y, an oiler.
 Third Asst. Engineer William N. Wallace of Wilbraham, Mass.
 Benjamin M. Alba of (441 w. 18th street,, New York city, second cook and brother of the chief steward.
 Benjamin T. Alba, same address, cousin of the steward.
 George De Ollaume of (361 Hoyt street., Brooklyn, N. Y, wiper.
 Radio Operator Gerald K. Wilson of (505 w. 140th street), New York city.
 Jessie Smith of Alabama, navy gunner.