Evening star., 1943-02-05
Harry Crockett, 81, w. Writer
With British Fleet, Killed
Correspondent for AP
Fatally Wounded in
Ship Torpedoing

LONDON, Feb. 5.-Edward
Henry Harry Crockett, 81
year-old Associated Press war
correspondent assigned to the
British Mediterranean feet, was
fatally wounded in the torpedo
Ing of a British naval vessel and
died at sea, the Admiralty dis
closed today
He was picked up by another ship,
from which he was buried at sea.
Beyond the fact that some naval en-
listed men also were lost, no other
details of the torpedoing were re-
leased
Sympathy was extended through
the Associated Press to the family
by 1t. Gen. Frank NJ Andrews, new
commander in chief of American
forces in the European theater of
operations, who knew Mr.. Crockett
in Egypt, and Comdr r. S. RENDER
dine of the Royal Navy, who broke
the news to the London bureau
Mr.. Crockett had succeeded Larry
Allen, now a prisoner of war In Ital-
ian hands. as rowing reporter with
the British feet based at Alexandria.
Mr.. Allen was captured by Axis
forces during British air and sea
raid on Tobruk last September 13.
when the destroyer Sikh was sunk
under him.
Mr. Crockett is survived by his
widow, Sally Crockett, and two chill
dren. Sally Ann, 6, and Harry Bax-
ter. 2. living in Kew Gardens, Long
Island. N. Y.
Mr.. Crockett became the first AS
sociated Press correspondent to die
in action since the current war be-
gan, although many have been in
jured and one, Witt Hancock. has
not been heard from since the Jap
anese overram Java early in the
Southwest Pacific campaign.
The Spanish Civil War, proving
ground for the present conflict,
claimed the life of Edward J. Neil,
jr.. Associated Press sports expert
and war correspondent. who died of
injuries received when high
explosive shell struck car in
which he and other newsmen were
sitting near tunnel.
IL Correspondents Killed.
A recapitulation of the casualty
list Of American warscorrespondent
since the outbreak of the present
war in September. 1899, now shows
II to have been killed. two missing
and 33 wounded or injured in line
OF duty The only one other than
Mr.. Crockett killed by direct enemy
action was Jack Singer of Interna-
tional News Service. who was one of
the victims of the sinking of the
aircraft carrier Wasp in the Solo
mons September IS.
Mr., Crockett left New York for
Egypt last April II, flying to Cairo
by Clipper plane. and reached the
battle front in time to witness the
opening OF Marshal Erwin Rommels
last offensive at Bir Hacheim in
Egypt in May, He received injuries
to knee and elbow in that cam
paign when he was forced to dive
beneath truck to escape machine
gun bullets from strafing German
plane
Mr. Crockett first established his
daring AS an Associated Press re-
porter while covering the sinking
OF the submarine Squalus off Ports
mouth. N. H.. in 1899.
Mr. Crockett rushed to Ports
mouth from the Boston bureau OF
the A. P. and during the first night
after the sinking he helped steal a
march on the hundreds of other
reporters covering the disaster.
With two other newsmen he set
out IN a small lobster boat. Is miles
INTO the open ocean where Navy
men were trying to hook rescue
line onto the sunken sub. The sea
was rough, but just at daybreak the
neWsmen managed to reach a sister
submarine Of the Squalus, from
which the admiral in charge was
directing rescue operations.
Confirmed II Hours Later.
From him. MI Crockett obtained
directly the fact that 26 men had
been trapped in the flooded after
compartments and had been given