Evening star., 1952-08-13
Navy Court BIames
Unexplained Turn
For Hobson Disaster
By John A. Giles

SVuH ~ 0ttSS
An unexplained left turn" Or
dered by the commander Of the
destroyer Hobson caused the mid
Atlantic collision of that vessel
and the Carrier Wasp.
A naval court Of inquiry an
nounced that finding late yester-
day. The collision took 176 lives.
The court reported to the Navy
Department that grave error Of
judgment" by 1t. Comdr. w. j.
Tierney caused the April 26 trag-
edy which sent the Hobson to the
bottom and the Wasp limping
back to New York, badly dam
aged.
All other officers were cleared.
Comdr. Tierney of Philadelphia
went down with his ship and q
spokesman said the findings prob
ably would end the case. The
commander came into the Navy
from the Merchant Marine He
held a naval reserve commission
and was called to active duty dur
ing the last war.
No Disciplinary Action.
The court said the reason for
Comdr. Tierney's actions will
never be known" No recommends
tions were made for disciplinary
or corrective action regarding per-
sonnel or equipment of either
vessel.
The court held Capt. Burnham
c. McCaffree of Canova, S. OAK,
skipper of the Wasp, handled his
ship properly and took quick and
proper action when he saw the
Hobson making a left turn.
The collision occurred just be-
fore midnight, April 26, while the
two warships were engaged in
night exercises about 700 miles
west of the Azores Islands.
Three Explanations.
The court, which was composed
of three admirals and which met
in New York when the Wasp and
the Hobson survivors arrived there.
gave three possible explanations
on the basis Of testimony:
l. Comdr Tierney became "com-
pletely confused" and mistakenly
continued to believe he still had
time to make the turn and reach !
a pre-arranged position. /
2. He actually decided against /
turning left but inadvertently or
dered left rudder" when he meant
to say right rudder." The ad-
mirals said the latter order would
have placed the Hobson near its
intended position.
8. He misjudged the Wasp's pos
ttion and thought he was on the |
carriers right bow when actually
he was off the 27,0O0-ton carriers
left bow. The court noted both |
ships were travelling with only
dim running lights.
Night Was Clear.
The night was dark but clear 4
when the Wasp was preparing to
make wide U-turn into the wind
to enable airplanes to come aboard. /
Capt. McCaffree testified that if Il
the Hobson had turned right all
would have been well.
1t. William A. Hoefer of Thom- /
aston. Ala, testified he tried to /
diSsuade Comdr. Tierney from
making a left turn but the COM
mander said it would work out
all right and save time. The lieu
tenant was deck officer of the
Hobson at the time.
The Navy lawyer who repre- |
senter Comdr. Tierney before the |
court offered the theory that a
last-minute order by Capt. Nc
Caffree to change the Wasp's
course had confused Comdr. /
Tierney. But the court fully alb
solved Capt. McCaffree and praised
him for handling the subsequent
rescue operations, which saved 81
creWmen.
Sank $4,000 Feet.
The Hoyson sank in $4,000 feet
of water, many of its crew trapped, t
The inquiry noted that loss of
all the Hobson's log books and
records and the death of it's COM
mander made inquiry difficult.
Capt. McCaffree commended
Comdr. Tierney for "quick and de-
cisive action" in trying to avoid
the collision once he saw the
danger. He gave all he had.
the captain told the court. "It is
a tragedy it wasn't enough"