Evening star., 1950-10-03
Seven Hurt in Blast
AS Second Destroyer
Hits Mine Off Korea

A second American destroyer
has been damaged by a mine ex-
plosion off the North Korean coast.
The Navy announced late yes
terday that the destroyer Mans
field struck a mine last Saturday
and that seven men were injured.
Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, Chief
of Naval Operations only a few
hours earlier had said that United
States warships had picked up or
sighted numerous free and float
ing mines of Russian Mark XVI
type in Korean waters.
The admiral did not charge that
the Russians had laid or released
the mines. He observed, however,
that they were quite new and ap-
parently not long out of store
houses. 1t was suggested that the
mines might have been set adrift
in Korean rivers and allowed to
take their own courses to open
water where they will be menace
to shipping long after the Korean
war.
The Navy had said earlier that
the destroyer Brush hit mine in
the area last Wednesday. The
toll of that explosion, revised yes
terday, was IL dead, 10 injured
and three missing.
Admiral Sherman, after allud-
ing to the Brush, said that there
had been mine damage to an
other vessel with some fatali-
ties" He testified before the
Mansfield announcement, and the
Navy did not explain whether he
referred to that ship or whether a
third had been hit. The Mans
field, after emergency repairs at
sea, made port at Sasebo, Japan.
as the Brush had done.
Chairman Vinson OF the House
Armed Services Committee, before
whom Admiral Sherman testified.
brought out that the Hague Con-
vention prohibits floating mines
and requires that mines of the
moored type be constructed so
that they become ineffective with
IN an hour if they happen to
break loose.
A spokesman, meanwhile, said
that no evidence is in hand that
any submarine or submersible was
sunk or damaged by United Ma
tlons' forces" in reply to a Con-
gresSman's questions about re-
ports that such sinking had
taken place in Korean waters.
81 Ships Activated.
Since the start of the Korean
fighting June 25, Admiral Sher-
man also said, the Navy has acti-
vated 81 ships for combat service
including 2 Essex-type carriers
3 escort carriers. destroyer es-
corts, Is mine control craft. 80
amphibious craft and IL auxil-
iaries.
Orders are out to put another
296 ships into service by June 30.
This group includes the battle
ship New Jersey, an Essex-type
carrier. 2 escort f1attops, 2 cruis-
ers. 80 destroyers, 5 submarines
and other smaller craft. And if
there is money enough the ad-
mlral wants to put another bat
tleship into operation in 1852. At
present, the Missouri is the only
battleship in operation.
Admiral Sherman also disclosed
that the Navy will ask the next
Congress to authorize construc-
tion OF a hush-deck carrier so
that larger planes can be handled
However, it was felt at the Pen
tagon that such ship, if sought,
would be slightly smaller than
the planned United States. For
mer Defense Secretary johnson
abruptly Cancelled construction
of that 65,000-ton carrier, causing
an upheaval in the Navy and
bringing about the resignation of
Navy Secretary John L. Sullivan
in angry protest. The keel of the
United States still lies bare at
Newport News, Va.