Evening star., 1948-06-01
.22DieinS Sinking
OF Navy Launch
Near Norfolk
Boat Carrying go
Back to Carrier
Swomps in Storm
By the Associofsd Press

A@sA SIAA, va, oullC 4.-AU
lease % men-9 Marines and IS
Navy men-perished in Hamp-
ton Roads last night when a
Navy launch swamped in chop
py waters while returning 30
men to their ship after Memo
rial Day liberty.
Rear Admiral C. A. F. Sprague,
commander of a 12-ship task force
whose sailing for the Mediterranean
was delayed by the tragedy. issued
this statement to newsmen today
from his flagship, the aircraft car
Tier Kearsarge:
preliminary report of loss of life
or missing personnel may be placed
at y, 9 Marines and l3 Navy.
Report considered accurate and
includes best estimate of possible
stragglers" (men absent over leave).
Further checking now in pro-
gress."
Launch Swamped in Storm.
The 50-foot open launch was
swamped in a wind and rain storm
at 8:45 pm. as it was returning a
liberty party to the Kearsarge, an
chored 2 miles off the Norfolk Naval
Station. The launch, which was at
tached to the carrier, was swamped
when only 200 yards off the Kear-
sarge's port beam.
The launch, almost awash, was
towed to the naval station piers by
a tug and pumped out. There were
dozens of life jackets visible under
the seats and in a forward COM
partment
Tugs, Small Craft Comb Area.
Naval tugs and small craft were
ordered to search the waters and
they were withdrawn early today to
leave two Coast Guard vessels to
complete the search.
Departure of the force, consisting
Of the carrier, three cruisers. seven
destroyers and at attack cargo ship.
was delayed indefinitely after the
accident and the force was placed
on four-hour sailing notice.
The force was scheduled to sail
at S am. today for the Mediter-
ranean to relieve a similar force
which has been on duty since last
winter.
Eight Lost February 16.
A motor launch returning liberty
party from Hyeres, France, to the
carrier Midway on February l6 was
swamped. In that accident an
officer, a Marine and six seamen
we're lost; SO survived.
To expedite the task Of account
ing for the men in the launch last
night, Fifth Naval District head
quarters asked all radio stations in
the Hampton Roads area to broad
cast message requesting personnel
attached to the Kearsarge to report
in Immediately by telephone to the
operations Office at the Norfolk Air
Base.
Capt. c. S. Smiley is skipper of
the Kearsarge Admiral Sprague Is
commander of Carrier Division
and of the task force.
1000 Marines on Carrier.
The swamped launch's passengers
included some of the 1000 members
Of the I'd Marine Division who
boarded the carrier here Saturday
for duty in the Mediterranean.
A man who swan ashore from the
launch to the naval station was
Thomas A. Rowe, boa tsmain 3/class.
He is attached TO the transport
Randall, which is not a part of the
task force. Naval officers said he got
aboard the Kearsage launch by mis-
take. He was taken aboard the hos
pital ship Consolation.
Small Boats Pick up Men.
Naval spokesmen said survivors
were picked up by small boats at
tached to ships Of the task force.
None Of them was rescued by VESSELS
attached to the naval station or by
Coast Guard vessels.
AS soon as word Of the accident
was received at the naval station.
naval tugs and patrol craft were
dispatched to the scene
: The Kearsarge has a complement
of 200 officers and 2,100 enlisted
men, exclusive of the 1000 Marines.
Other ships in the task force are
the cruisers Fargo, Huntington,
Juneau; the destroyers Putnam,
Henley, w. Keith, j. c. owens,
Zellers, Massey and Stormes, and
the attack cargo ship Marquette.