Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-12

Vi doIlCu OH HeT QeCkS, Cne Seamer
said in statements released by thu
4th Naval District.
One exploded on the flight deck
near the bridge, starting a furiou.
fire." and the other dived under thu
flight deck into a row of officers
staterooms, its controls shot away
as it attempted to swerve after
launching torpedo.
The Hornet was identified by the
Navy yesterday as the carrier pre-.
viously announced as lost in the
battle Of the Santa Cruz Island.
last October rs.
Guns Were Ready.
The story of her fighting death
was told by Gunner's Mate Alvin
Grain of Roseau, Mimi, and fellow
creWmen now in this navy yard
The attacking planes came in two
waves, Gunner GRAIN said, while
the Hornets attack planes and other
units of United States task force
were defeating a Jap force north.
east OF Guadalcanal.
Our guns were all manned and
ready" he related. ut was just like
the pause before football game
when every one is listening for the
referees whistle for the kickoff. And
suddenly shout: Here they come,
commence firing
Some OF us had never fired at
enemy planes and the boys were
making bets of the chances of get
ting a crack at dive bombers and
torpedo planes. Within seven or
eight minutes, we hsd shot down so
of the 81 which came over in the
first attack"
The first wave, however, scored
repeated hits and other vessels in
the American force ranged alongside
her with fire hoses going to. help put
out the fires.
Downed 9 of 10 Planes.
Then the second combined dive
bomber-torpedo plane attack began,
Gunner GRAIN related.
Il counted six torpedo planes and
four dive bombers and we shot down
all the torpedo planes and only one
bomber got away" he added.
The shooting was so thick and
fast," the 4th Naval District said,
that not all the Hornets men could
keep track Of it as we'll as Gunner
GRAIN"
Clifford v. Butterfield, %, gunner's
mate from Idaho Falls, Idaho, said:
THE enemy came in all around
and anti-aircraft shells filled the air
with smoke. We let EN- nave it and
they let us have 1t but so many
things happened I couldn't say how
many We got in the first few
minutes. 1t was like shooting wild
geese"
Tossed by Explosion.
Pratt Jacobs, %, aviation metal
smith from Camden, S. c., told this
story Of the first attack:
THE first dive bomber missed us
with his load and I watched him
drop his bombs before ducked for
cover. The second dropped a demo-
lition bomb that hit the deck 20
feet from me. The conclusion threw
me up in the air against bulkhead,
Joe Lassiter, 10, aviation ma
chinist's mate of Asheville, N. c.,
saw both enemy planes crash aboard
the 20,000-ton carrier and said the
enemy's most effective hits were
scored during the second attack.
The abandon ship order came
soon after that" he said. Injured
crew members already had been
transferred to other vessels and the
crew still aboard cut loose lifeboats
and swarmed oversize into them"
5000 Pies Lost.
The Hornets bakers, Frederick
Plath of McAllen, Tex, and Joseph
Laino of Brooklyn, said: I'VE had
10000 doughnuts and 5000 mince
pies cooked and ready to serve to
the men during any lull in the
battle, but there just wasn't any
lull"
The heat of the fires reached q
quantity Of dough ready to be
baked, Baker Laino said, and "it
rose all over the floor a foot deep
I'm glad couldn't stay around to
clean up that mess"