Evening star., 1943-05-14
Captive List Revives
Mystery Of Missing
American Warship5
IA Of 1,044 Prisoners
Held by Jops Are
From D. 6. Area


American warships which van
ished" in the Java Sea more than a
year ago was revived today by the
Nays first prisoner list which
showed some men off all three YES
sells were captives of Japan.
Until the release of the names of
Navy men held prisoners by the Jap
anese, there had been no official hint
concerning the fate of the cruiser
Houston, the destroyer Pope and the
submarine Perch, which "disap-
peared" without any trace after the
disastrous battle of the Java Sea.
Eight residents of the District
and three each from nearby Mary
land and Virginia were among
those listed as prisoners of war.
The prisoner list. which named
q total Of 1,044 officers and men
held by the japanese. included
seven men last recorded assigned
to the Houston; two off the de-
stroyer Pope Zone of them a Wash
ington mani and two from the sub
marine Perch.
navy oluCldlS 1,
Naval officials offered no COM
ment whatever on the inclusion of
these names in the prisoner list
but other authorities said about
the only conclusion possible was
that the ships did not go down with
ali hands aboard.
Three Of the District men reported
held are officers and five enlisted
men, while in nearby Maryland there
was one officer and in Virginia all
were enlisted personnel.
One Of those reported as missing
and now registered as a prisoner of
war Is 1t. q. g. William Oscar
Spears, jr, son Of Rear Admiral
William o. Spears Of Woodley Park
Towers, now on duty in the Office of
Chief Of Naval Operations here. His
last assignment was to the destroyer
Pope. Another son of Admiral
Spears. 1t. q. g. John Pratt Spears
was killed in one of the battles of the
South Pacific.
1t. Spears Is a native of Chat
tanooga. Tenn, where he was born
on January 18. 1916. He was gradu-
ated from the Naval Academy in
1898.
Listed also was Ensign Wilmurt
Addison Bennett, jr., Naval Reserve,
whose father, Wilmurt Addison Ben
net. sr., lives at 1877 Monroe street
NV.
Native Of Washington.
Ensign Bennett was born in Wash
ington May Z, 1919. He attended
Valley Forge Military Academy,
Washington and Lee University, and
enlisted in the Naval Reserve as
an apprentice seaman on July 8,
1910, in New Orleans. He was given
training on the battleship Wyoming
from July IS to August 9, 1910, and
then was appointed a naval reserve
rnidshipman September 16, 1940 He
was sent to the Naval Reserve Mid
shipments School at Northwestern
University, Chicago, from which he
graduated on December II, 1910, and
the following day was commissioned
an ensign in the Reserve. He was
sent Immediately to duty with the
Asiatic Fleet.
Also on the list today was Comdr.
Alan Reed McCracken, U. S. N,
whose wife. Mrs. Charlotte WASH
burn McCracken, lives at 2713
Thirty-fifth street NV.
Comdr McCracken is q native of
Paxton, ILL.,. where he was born July
IA, 1898. He graduated from the
Naval Academy and was commits
stoned an ensign in 1922, and reached
his present temporary grade OF COM
mander in 1912. His first duty was
aboard the battleship Wyoming,
serving there until 1926, when he
was transferred to the battleship
Nevada. being assigned as aide and
flag lieutenant on the stan of the
commander Of Battleship Division
No. 2, Scouting Fleet.
Served in Washington.
From September, 1928, until De-
eember, 1880, he was on duty here
In the Office Of Naval Communica-
ton. He then joined the destroyer
Leary. Subsequently, he was aide
on the staff of the commander,
Cruiser Division 4, Scouting Force,
from May to July, 1888, when he
reported to the Naval Academy as
Instructor in the department of
English and history. He served as
executive officer in the U. S. S.
Clark from June, 1896, to June
1889, and In the Bureau of Naval
Operations until June, 194l, when he
was ordered to sea.
Others from the District reported
as prisoners, in today's list, from
the District of Columbia, with next
of kin, are:
Carl Anian Carlson. jr., gunner.
q. S. NJ; wife, Mrs. Mildred Carlson,
2819 Hillcrest drive Sc.
Jim Bob Phifer, chief gunner's
mate, U. S. NJ; wife. Mrs. Eleanor
Francis Phifer, 1854 Eleventh street
Sc.
Hollis MacGewin Scales, water
tender. first class, U. S. N: mother,
Mrs. Willie Scales, 1404 Park road
NV.
William Frederick Stickman, chief
n1achinist's mate, U. S. NJ; mother,
Mrs. Emily Anna Stickman, 1882
-Four and a half street S.W
James Harold Wells, baker. first
class, U. S. N: mother, Mrs. Mary
Elisabeth Wells, IL Bowline street,