Evening star., 1943-06-07
Navy Investigating .
Collision That Killed
"a Men Off Coast
Survivors Describe How
They Escaped Double
Explosion and Fire
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NORFOLK, Va. June, g.
Eighty -four men lost their lives
In terrific explosions and blazing
oil when an American tanker
and an American freighter load
ed with ammunition collided in
the dark a few days ago of the
East Coast.
The Navy announced the collision
yesterday and said an investigation
is being made.
So tremendous were the explosions
that debris was showered on the
decks of a Coast Guard ship a quar-
ter of mile away.
The blast killed 66 of the SO men
aboard the freighter, tore the ship
to pieces and sent her to the bot
tom almost Immediately after the
collision. Eighteen of the tankers
50 seamen perished in the seething
flames which burned the lifeboats
before they could be launched and
forced those still alive to leap over
board.
The victims included IS members
of Navy gun crews, OF whom Is
were aboard the freighter and 10
aboard the tanker.
Survivors Reach Norfolk.
The two ships, survivors said. were
proceeding in opposite directions
when the freighter veered suddenly
and rammed her bow into the tank
er's port side aft of the forecastle
head.
survivors were landed at Norfolk
by Coast Guard and naval rescue
ships. Among these was Deck Cadet
w. J. Leonard. 81. OF Malverne.
N. Y. who was in the tanker's
wheelhouse He said the freighter's
course was changed suddenly and
the ships came together in a glanc-
ing blow.
The impact knocked Cadet
Leonard down-and saved his life
The amidships house was quickly
ringed by flames," he related, and
a sheet of fame swept through while
I was on the floor. The captain,
the first. second and third mates.
six Navy gunners and two signalmen
were in the house.
Il believe they were all lost. They
must have swallowed the flames"
The deck cadet escaped from the
amidships house, jumped overheard
and later climbed on life raft
carrying about 20 men. They were
picked up an hour later by a naval
ship.
Heard Two Explosions.
Cadet Leonard said he heard two
explosions and expressed the belief
the first was aboard the freighter
and the second on the tanker.
Martin Varnell, 30. of Houston.
Tex, meSsman. was asleep at the
time. Awakened by shipmate he
fed from his smoke filled quarters
to the deck
Il saw three men dead on the
poop deck" Mr. Varnell said. Il
believe they were Navy eunners.
One had his arms and legs blown
off,
Mr.. Varnell, finding the lifeboats
on fire, leaped over the side and
swan for more than an hour be-
fore he was rescued by Coast
Guard vessel. He said he learned
from the crew that the deck of the
rescue ship was showered by debris
which the blast had hurled a quar-
ter of mile.
Mr.. Varnell reported the tanker
was still afloat and burning when
he was picked up.
The entire merchant crew of Al
and Is of the 28-man gun crew
aboard the freighter were lost.
or the three survivors Of the gun
crew two were in such serious condi-
tlon they could not be questioned
The third was Edward Matagora, 20.
Navy gunner Of Newburgh, N. Y.
badly burned about the face.
Swan Under Flames.
From his bed IN a naval hospital
Mr.. Matagora told a reporter how
he was awakened by a shipmate,
ran to the deck and leaped over
board without lifebelt. He was res
cued by a Coast Guard ship after
swimming for two hours. the first 10
minutes OF which he fought for his
life through blazing oil slick, div
ing frequently and swimming under
water. He said he would have
burned to death if he had been
wearing lifebelt as it would have
prevented his swimming beneath the
surface.
Mr.. Matagora said he did not see
the freighter and had not known
whether the sinking came from a
torpedo, a mine explosion or a COL
lision.
The Navy said that crew lists were
not available.