Evening star., 1951-12-01
Storm Wrecks
Yacht, ki||sD.C
Trio, 5of Crew
Lone Survivor Tells
Of 4-Doy Ordeal; Boy
Dies After Rescue

A grim tale OF a yachting
tragedy which cost the lives of a
former Washington couple, their
young son and five crew members
was told in Charleston, S. c.,
to-day by sole survivor.
1t was story of suffering
Through four days and nights in a
Ilifeboat, without food or water,
latter a storm-tossed 96-foot yacht
Istruck reef and sank near
Charleston harbor Monday night.
With the Puerto Rican crew
members dying one by one. the
frenzied navigator jumped over
board two days after the lifeboat
Idrifted out to sea. Surviving crew
members buried their comrades as
they died.
Found Dead in Boat.
The Washington born skinner
Samuel Alfred Luttrell, and his
wife Kathleen. both 80, were found
dead in the lifeboat, sighted more
than 80 miles off the coast.
Their 13-year-old son, Samuel
III, died two hours after the
Imine-sweeper Token took him
aboard, along with the lone sur
vlvor, Gustave Emanuel Frazer, a
Negro creWman.
Mr.. Luttrell. a West Point grad
uate and retired Army officer. was
the son of Mrs. Samuel A. Lut-
trell of 2737 Devonshire place
NV. and the brother of Mrs
Russell Whyte of Alto Dover road
Brookdale, Md.
Suffering from exposure. his
mouth so parched he could not
lat first take water, Crewman
Frazer began sobbing out his
story shortly after receiving an
emergency blood TRANSMISSION on
the Token.
On Way to Virgin Islands.
1t began in Greenpoint, Long
Island. where Mr.. Lutterell re-
Gently bought the yacht, a Navy
submarine chaser during World
War II. and reconditioned it at
a cost Of $4,000.
The voyage was meant to carrv
the Luttrells to their nome at St
Thomas. Virgin Islands. where Mr.
Luttrell was in the shipping
business with an uncle.
The yacht. named the Amphi-
trite. developed engine trouble and
put in at Hampton Roads, Va,
and later tied up at Morehead
City, N. c.
Monday night it sprang a leak.
and MIR. Luttrell changed the
course toward Charleston Har-
Dor. Within sight of the harbor
lights, 40-mile-an-hour winds
tossed the craft onto a reef.
Try to Return for Food.
In their haste to abandon, the
nine crewmen and passengers
neglected to put food and. water
in the l4-foot lifeboat.
When they tried to return to
the sinking craft for provisions
heavy seas hurled them back. Then
the men tried desperately to row
shoreward but the wind swept
them to sea.
From then on it was an uneven
battle against the elements and
the raVages of thirst and hunger.
Five times, Crewman Frazer re-
membered, he shouted at passing
ships, and it seemed they were
close enough to hear, but none
acknowledged the cries.
Finally. sailor standing watch
on the minesweeper spotted the
tiny boat and put out whaleboat
to go to the rescue.
Administered Last Rites.
The Luttrell boy was in such
critical condition that the Token
.radioed Charleston for medical aid
and priest. Later, when the boy
died, the radio messaged that the
priest was not needed. But a
chaplain met the Token and
administered last rites to the
Luttrells.
It was the love for adventure
that prompted Mr.. Luttrell to buy
and recondition the yacht. He had
travelled extensively in South
America, at the time when he was
with the State Department at La
Paz, Bolivia, after resigning his
commission as Army first lieuten-
ant in 1889. At other times he
sailed in the Caribbean.
Mrs. Luttrell's mother said she
tSee YACHT, Page A-2)