Evening star., 1943-07-19
Americans Invade
-
LAP Waters 10 Save
Isl Of Helena Crew
BY ]. NORMAN LODGE,

4 0OLOMONS, July 10 (DeldyeO).-
= Steaming impudently beneath 1
moon of almost dazzling brilliance
: units of the American fleet rescued
4 157 survivors of the cruiser Helena
7 from this island before dawn today
(The 9,70O-ton light cruiser
! Helena was sunk in the first
{ battle of Kula Gulf July 7. She
Z was the only American loss in
that engagement, which cost the
z japanese nine warships, and most
Z of the 600 to 300 men probably
4 aboard her were rescued within
few hoursD
The predaWn rescue was one of
Ethe most magnificent maneuvers in
sthe Pacific war to date, and the very
saudacity of going into the enemy S
Gown backyard through waters thick
swith submarines made its signal
success the more remarkable.
''Well Worth While"
Tonight heavily -beared men who
have suffered from hunger, squalor,
thirst and anxiety for more than a
week slept once again without fear
of molestation.
1T was an impudent thing to do,
running up there" the commander
OF the protecting destroyer fleet said
on his return, but it was damned
we'll worth while.
The Helenas men were fighting
men"
The commander explained that the
force of destroyers-converted four
plpers now known as APD'S or de-
stroyer transports - penetrated
northward deep into the japanese
Solomons.
I'VE Americans do more than most
other people to rescue our fighting
men," he continued. Il am verv
happy our mission succeeded as
smoothly as it did without inter-
ference from the enemy He crossed
his fingers and grinned. I'VE were
lucky"
Japs Dropped Bomb.
Having been aboard one of the
rescue boats, I can attest that con-
siderable luck was attached for dur
ing the entire period spent prac-
tlcaliy at a standstill off the enemy
Island, there were constant enemy
contacts on our location instru-
ments.
While we were waiting for the re-
turn of our landing boats from the
beach-humorously so-called-a jap
anese bomber came over and
dropped a stick of explosives across
the stern of one of the destroyers,
but the blast apparently did no dam
age
At another point an enemy float
biplane passed barely 100 feet above
our ship, but fortune favors the
brave. The moon ducked behind a
black cloud at that moment and We
were unmolested.
The rescue boats were in charge
OF Ensign Rollo H Nuckles of Kan
saS City. Mo, erstWhile California
University drama student. Lowered
from the destroyers, they slid noise
lessly ate snails pace into the coral
outcroppings, feeling their way
through the dark passages.
Ships Made Targets.
linen the moon rose to its full and
silhouetted each ship, making it
perfect target for planes. The min
utes rolled into an hour and passed
beyond. Aboard the DESTROYER all
eyes were glued to binoculars leveled
on the shore.
Finally deep sigh was heard
through our ship. Tiny black specks
showed ahead of white wakes, and
the boats hove into view.
Alongside, men scrambled aboard
quickly and were taken to the GAL
leys where Chief Cook Harley
Moore, a veteran Navy man from
Alma, Nebr., had ready huge caul-
drons of soup and coffee and cocoa
with sandwiches, scrambled eggs
and cigarettes for the semifamished
Helena survivors.
There were some unlocked for ar
rivals among them-16 Chinese,
residents of the island for five
years They included three women
and four tiny, slant-eyed doll-hke
tots. 1t is doubtful if any of the
cruisers survivors were any happier
tndn lneSe cantonese, VINO had lived
in constant terror of japanese raid
ing parties.
Would Revise Rules.
The survivors mostly were in
nondescript attire, wearing impro-
vised foot coverings made of rice
sacks and kapok from their life
jackets. All were nursing coral
cuts, and every one was shoeless.
One of the rescued men, 1t.
Comdr. Warren Boles of Marble
head. Mass, said some one should
revise the book about going over
side. We'd been taught to unlace
our shoes and kick them off in the
water. That probably is okay in
other places, but my advice 10 any
future shipwrecked person in these
waters is to tie his shoes on tighter
and save himself from coral c;,tS."