Imperial Valley press., 1943-01-12
American Losses
Of Fall Revealed
Continued from Page II

Continued from Page II
of a mad aerial attack.
Our destroyers sank the Hornet
after two Japanese attacks had
riddled her with bombs.
PLANES ON MISSION
From my observation post I saw
the Japanese planes shrek down.
The Hornet had sent out its planes
to bomb a japanese task force 100
odd miles to the north They heavi-
~ damaged at least two cruisers and
three destro-ers in addition to
planting four to six 1000 pound
bombs on a new aircraft carrier of
the Zuikaku class. 1900 tons OF
larger. 1t was raging furnace
when they left it.
But the japanese were sending
wave upon wave of dive bombers
and torpedo planes against the
Hornet and its escort. American
fighter planes and the anti aircraft
guns sho. down many of them, but
the remainder dived on through a
he'll of fire.
Our ship was several thousand
yards from the Hornet 1t was 9:55
am. Sinily. in pairs, in threeS and
fours. at least 40 japanese planes
hurtled down on the Hornet, COM
ing out of the sun throw low scat
tered clouds. They were almost or
the ship before the gunners could
spot them. The Hornet twisted
circled, to no avail.
END OF HORNET
I saw a sudden flash ard a cloud
of smoke.
There gees the Hornet" an Of
ficcr said.
| told him he was too peSSimiStic
But the big carrier began spouting
heavy black smoke.
We were not yet under attack
but we had to protect another OF
our carriers. and we steamed away
at high speed from the Hornet and
its escorts.
AS we eft l saw a japanese
plane crash on the Hornets flight
deck Two others crashed later.
I saw the Hornet listing TO port.
smoking fiercely. One bomb had
landed near its stack and its pow
c. supply was diminishing rapidly.
knew the ship had suffered bad
il. but my hopes rose during the
afternoon when 7 was told it
would be able to receive some of
its own planes which had been out
fighting
The first attack lasted nearly
half an hour Then came a five
hour III during which the heroic
crew got the fires under control.
All the wounded were transferred
TO other Slips.
JAPS COME BACK
There was hope that the Hornet
could get entirely out of the COM
bat zone but the japanese planes
came back - horizontal bombers
and torpedo planes.
TorpedCes nit. The Hornet was
past salvage
Despite the fatal damage. casual
ties were relatively light and many
officers and men of the Hornet
watched as the destroyers steamed
III End shelled it to death.
Lieut.. Commander L. L. Bean.
Santa Ana. Calf. surgeon of the
Hornet, told some Of the stories Of
heroism.
She Was game TO the end" he
said. She took it like a lady. I
was not the only one with tears in
my eyes when she rolled over and
slipped under the water
u have spent years practicing
medicine and I have seen some ex-
smples Of courage and sacrifice. I
never say any To match those on
The Hornet. The men never lost
hope or courage
OTHER SHIPS LOST
The Atlanta, juneau and the de-
strOyers Laffey. Cushing, Monssen
and Barton were casualties of the
f5-minute "bar-room fight with the
lights out night battle in the ear
ly morning hours Of November Il
just below Savo island, within gun
shot of the place where the cruis-
ers Quincy, Astoria and Vincennes
went down August 9, in the first
phase Of our SOlomons offensive
That was when the United States
and japanese ships stood muzzle TO
muzzle-and the japanese ran.