Evening star., 1944-09-19
D. {. Pilot Helps Save
81 Rescued From Two
Coast Guard Cutters
Survivors Tell Story
Of Storm Bottle; District
SoiIor Among Group
Special Dispatch tc The Star.


NORFOLK, Va, Sept. ia dra-
matte story of shipwreck and rescue
was unfolded by 81 survivors of two
Coast Guard cutters lost in last
weeks hurricane as, weak from
more than so hours adrift in shark
infested waters off the Virginia
coast, they were recuperating today
in hospital near here.
The search for 40 officers and men
still missing from the cutters was
being continued.
Among the officers and men of
the two cutters-the Jackson and
Bedloe-who were rescued after
being spotted by a Coast Guard
plane was Fireman CFirst Class
Robert N Zimmerman, %, son OF
Mrs. Floyd Zimmerman, 6217 Forest
road. Cheverly. Md. Plotting one OF
the pl1hes that took survivors from
a life raft was Chief Aviation Pilot
Carl F.. Krogman, 1921 Kearney
street NE.
AS they received treatment in the
hospital, survivors told how 10 OF
the crew of the Jackson and IL from
the Bedloe. were. rescued by Coas'
Guard air and sea units after sur.
vivors Of each had laid hopes or
being rescued by the other cutter. '
d. c. Sailor Among Missing.
Meanwhile. an undisclosed mum.
ber Of officers and men who survived
the sinking of the destroyer War
rington in the Atlantic hurricane
have been landed here, the fifth
naval district headquarters an
nounced, adding that no details
could be released at this time.
Among those still missing in the
Coast Guard disaster was Motor
Mechanics Mate third class Rob-
ert w. Clements. son of Clarence F.
Clements, 1923 Rosedale street NE,
a member of the crew of the Bedloe
Seaman (second class Charles w
Farrell, 1343 F street NE, also a
member of the Bedloe crew, was on
leave when the hurricane struck.
Survivors told how 10 officers and
men from the jackson spent So
hours hanging to a life raft on
which 81 men had climbed after
huge sea swells sank their 125-foot
vessel. Seventeen died during the
second night adrift and another
badly injured in the disaster, died
a few minutes before the rescue ship
reached shore.
Waves Overturn Cutter.
The IL Bedloe survivors, who were
picked up after 81 hours on their
RATS. said that waves that seemed
to tower 100 feet in the air swamped
their cutter, fitting it until the masts
tipped the water. They said al
crew members safely abandoned the
ship and at least 80 managed to
hang on to the life RATS.
Survivors said the strain of fight,
ing the hurricane was too much fol
many of the men, who had beer
harassed by sharks and Portuguese,
men-of-war. The heavy seas tool
their toll of men, and one coast
guardsman slipped under the watel
just before the rescue ship arrived
The men were spotted Saturday
morning by three Coast Guard King.
fisher planes from the Elizabeth City
IN. c. Air Station, which landed
in the swells after radioing for aid
The planes were drawn up to the
RATS and the men hauled on to the
wings, where first aid was given.
Death Comes After Rescue.
Meanwhile, a 36-foot rescue launch
had put out from the Coast Guard
Oregon Inet Station Is miles away
and guided by PBM planes ano
Navy blimps, made contact with the
rescue planes. Later the men were
transferred aboard Navy ship neal
shore where medical attention was
given them.
One member of the rescue party
said the first thing he saw was q
man doubled up on one of the RATS
his eyes looking like a couple of blue
dots on beefsteak.
He smiled, and felt that hac
seen something a man sees once ir
a lifetime" the crewman said
Then he slumped into the water
He was pulled from the sea, ane
on the way to shore he reached up
stroked a petty ofilcer's face. anc
said, We made it.
Those were his last words. He
slumped back, dead"