The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-01-03
Capt. Carlson
May Not Last
Night At Sea
L. ;. Navy Destroyer
Is Standing BY As
Guardian For Carlson
And Flying Enterprise

NO A'oAAl AlldhtN
raised doubts today that Capt. Kurt
Carlsen-and his wallowing ghost
ship-could stay afloat until a sal
wage tug beats its way to the
scene.
The fearless skipper, hailed by
the British press as Captain En-
terprise," appeared more concern
ed about the suffering of his would
be rescures tan his own fate.
Carlson, 81, who refuses to aban-
don the American ireighter Flying
Enterprise, is existing on a slim
diet of tea and bits of dried food"
he informed the commander of the
u. S. destroyer John w. Weeks,
which is standing by.
You fellows are taking a worse
beating and are suffering more
than ] am" said the youthful
skipper whose faithfulness to the
tradition of the sea has stirred
the imagination of millions.
The destroyer radiOes that prep
arati0ns have been made with
Capt Carlson for rescue if requir-
ed" 1t was the first indication
that the captain may not be able
to stick out his lone, iron-man at
tempt to stay with the crewless
ship. It's 10 passengers, one of them
dead, and crew of 40 were taken
off last Friday and Saturday.
w. l.. Thompson of Mckinney,
Tex, commander of the Weeks,
radioed this description of the he
role Onerman battle: III, ..j.,
Gale winds are sweeping the
area, about 800 miles off the south
ern coast of England. The seas
are kicking up ferociously. Carlson
stays on the starboard quarter of
the Flying Enterprise, the only part
of the deck he can safely reach.
For five nights the skipper has
kept this perilous vigil, rejecting
all offers to remove him.. At times
the Enterprise lay at an angle of
80 degrees to the .water-almost
flat on her side.
Carlson keeps in constant touch
with the destroyer by radiO-tele-
phone. His one request was for hot
coffee, meat sandwiches and maya
zines. Three attempts to deliver
these items by messenger line
failed. When a line is shot to him
from the destroyer, his precarious
position and the surging of the
destroyer in the heavy sea prevent
him from hauling the line.
AT one time he had only three
feet of line to 60 when it parted, "
the destroyer reported. Finally he
returned to his radio in the deck
house and said:
Suggest we wait until weather
abates, | don't need those items
that badly. You fellows are taking
a worse beating and suffering than
| am"
The destroyer said the Flying
Enterprise was rolling heavily in
squalls driven before winds rang
ing up to 63 miles an hour.
Al times, the Weeks reported,
the ship was heeled over so de-
greeS-almost flat on its side.
Carlson survived another stormy
dawn after five defiant and fright.
ening nights alone on the Flying
Enterprise, 6.7ll-ton freighter
built during the war for Pacific
coastal trade.
Help was on the way. The Tur-
mol, one of the biggest deep sea
tugs in Britain, battled through
high seas and hail squalls, expect.
ing TO complete her 3O0-mile dash
from Falmouth to the laundering
ship sometime tonight.
Scattering Britons. proud of any
man who stands up to the anger
of the seas. named Carlson Cap.
tain Enterprise" and avidly read
the front-page accounts describing
his defiant battle against the
stormy North Atlantic.
Carlson, a Danish born seaman
from Woodbridge, N. j.. apparent.
ly secured himself to the bridge
of the tossing vessel. Its port rail
was smashed and heavy seas
washed against the deck.
Although its batteries were
weakening, Carlsen's radio tele.
graph equipment enabled him to
keep in touch with the destroyer,
ASSURING his guardian he still was
WITH his ship and its cargo TO keep
It's value from falling into the
hands of anyone able to take il
in tow.
Whether the Flying Enterprise
could be lowed TO port was an
open question.
Frederick Parker. captain of the
Turmoil and veteran of As years
at sea, made no promises. Sizing
up his chore, Parker said:
1T will be a massive job. a
tlckliSh job,
1t means first getting about u
men aboard 10 handle tow ropes. >
Those from the tugs 27mar
crew picked to go aboard the Fly
ing Enterprise will need some OF
the qualities of human flies tC
stick TO deck tilted so degrees
of horizontal. and pitching like a
chip.
Parker had little idea when he
could bring the ship in. if he sue.