Evening star., 1943-11-21
Axis Sub Destroyed
In Caribbean After
Downing Navy Plane

A 10-hour battle in the Caribbean
between an Axis submarine and
Army and Navy planes in which the
sub was sunk after shooting down
one plane and severely damaging
two others was told by the Navv
yesterday.
The action happened several
months ago, and on one of the
planes during the battle was Paul
Raymond Lanigan, radioman third
class, U.S.N.R., %, of 639 Four
teenth street NE. He was slightly
wounded, according to the Navy
The action began early one after
noon, when the sub was sighted
and attacked by NAVY Martin
Mariner piloted by 1t. Anthony r
Matuski, Is, of Setauket, Long
Island. He severely damaged the
u-ooat With his bombs, and reported
by radio that there was no damage
TO MS plane or personnel. But a
few seconds later there came
through the air 'Damapedl
Damaged! Fire!" which was Tho
last heard from the plane or its
nine-member crew.
Two hours later another nlane
plloted by 1t. Lewis D. Crockett of
Nashville, Tenn, appeared at the
scene of the attack. He bombed the
U-boat. but the latter succeeded in
rupturlng a gas line on the plane
and it caught fire. While men fought
the fire, 1t. Crockett went in again
with bombs, fearing his plane might
explode.
Radios For Help.
He radioed for help and a NAVY
bllmp, the K-94, went to the scene
l was plloted by Ensign Wallace A
Wydeen, Is. of Minneapolis. MINI
A Navy Ventura, piloted by 1t. q. e.
Theodore M. Holmes, of Omak,
Wash, passed the blimp while on
the way to the scene. 1t. Holmes
warned the blimp commander of
heavy antiaircraft fire from the
U-boat.
The U-boat by this time was bow
up at an angle in the water. When
the Ventura arrived. 1t. Crockett
assumed command of the situation.
and directed the attack on the
U-boat, and both planes dropped
bombs and Strafed it. driving the
German gun crews from the decks.
The submarine by now was becom-
ing a difficult target for the planes.
Then, after the Ventura had ex-
pended all its bombs. it and 1t.
Crockett's plane circled until other
planes arrived. The blimp stood
around for several hours. but when
its fuel supply was getting low 1t
headed for its base, and was forced
to make landing on the water. 1t
was subsequently lost, and Ensign
Wydeen is carried as missing.
Bomber Pilot Killed.
Nearly five hours after the first
attack, another Mariner piloted by
1t. q. g. William Dresbach, 25, of
Kingston, Ohio. arrived, and he and
Crockett resumed the attack. AS
the latter was making his diving
attack, he was shot through the .
chest and shoulder and before los
ing consciousness, he turned the .
plane over to 1t. j. g. Oren r. |
Christian, q, of Los Angeles, Calf
The bombs released by 1t Dresbach
exploded just astern of the sub
mersible. 1t. Dresbach was killed
The planes instrument was shot
up and there were IA bullet holes
in the fuselage.
Subsequently an Army Bib, /
piloted by First 1t. Milton L. |
Weiderhold, %, of Bonham, Texas,
arrived on the scene, but night had /
fallen and he was prevented from
delivering an attack. Flares were
dropped by the Navy planes, but |
the boat could not be located in
the darkness. Then came another
Mariner, piloted by 1t. Comdr Ross
R. Jester, 81. of Santa Monica,
Calf, who relieved 1t. Crockett,
who had been guiding the mission
for more than four hours.
Survivors Picked Up.
For the next three hours, 1t.
Comdr. Jester and 1t Wiederhold
searched the area, both planes
dropping flares. At about IL pm
the U-boat was finally located dead
in the water, and 1t. Wiederhold
attacked. In the meantime, United
States destroyer steamed into the
scene of action. and as dawn broke
it found a number of German sur
vivors in the water. More than 40
of them were rescued and now are
prisoners of war, according to the
Navy.
These survivors stated that the
first attack, by 1t. Matuski. had SO
damaged their boat that it was un-
able to submerge. Subsequent at
tacks had opened various leaks, and
for hours the enemy had been fight
ing with their heavy antiaircraft
equipment, knowing that escape was
impossible, that their sub was out of "
control and gradually flooding i
About midnight. they said, the bat
tered U-boat had flooded completely