Evening star., 1952-04-30
vinson Favors Inquiry
BYNaW, House,
In Sinking Of Hobson

III OssANasI VI bIVUSVu
Chairman Vinson of the House
Armed Services Committee today
appeared cool toward the idea of
a congressional investigation of
the mid-Atlantic sinking of the
destroyer minesweeper Hobson
with a loss of ITS of her crew.
The Hobson was cut in half by
the aircraft carrier Wasp after
a collision Saturday night. The
HobSon sank in four minutes.
The two ships were part of task
force en- route to the Mediter-
ranean.
Representative Lane, Democrat,
OF Massachusetts, yesterday sug-
geSted that q Seven-man commit
tee conduct an inquiry and report
to the House. However, Mr.. Vim
son said his committee planned to
leave the matter to a Naval Board
of Inquiry.
Mr.. Vinson pointed out that the
Navy already had instituted an
inquiry. The Navy said a court
Of inquiry. to be held either in
New York or Norfolk, will be open
to the public.
Meanwhile. two Navy tugs have
been sent to meet the damaged
Wasp and escort her to New York.
Both the Wasp and the destroyer
mlneSWeeper Rodman, which are
carrying the 81 survivors, are ex-
pected to reach Brooklyn Navy
Yard early next week.
The Navy said the carrier was
"riding easily"
Although bound for New York,
the Wasp apparently began a
course to the south to avoid a
storm. She was moving at seven
knots. At that speed she is not
expected to reach New York until
Tuesday.
The Wasp received a 75-foot
cash on her right side just above
the water line near the bow. No
Wasp casualties were reported.
The Navy said it was believed
that section of the Hobson's S mast
or shaft "a propeller Shaft is in
the crushed portion of the Wasp.
The Hobson rolled over as the
carrier struck her amidships on
the starboard side-which would
mean that the boiler room section
was hit.
Bow Section Destroyed.
A 25-foot bow section of the
Wasp was destroyed. In this area
were chain lockers, water tanks
and supply storerooms.
After the collision, the Wasp
managed to recover 10 of her
planes which were in the air at
the time. The planes landed with
out incident.
Under present plans, the car
rier TaraWa, which was to have
been relieved by the Wasp, will
remain in the Mediterranean until
the Wasp is repaired.
Parents Demand Probe.
Demands for an investigation
OF the seaworthineSs of the
Sunken Hobson came from a
number Of parents of lost seamen.
Charges by one parent that the
ship was not fit to go to sea
brought immediate denials from
Rear Admiral w. v. O'Reagan at
the Norfolk Navy Yard.
A. E. Lamison of 5064 Temple
Hills road, Temple Hills, Md, said
his son Jack. 26, had been very
critical Of the condition of the
ship. The son is among those
missing in the collision.
Il think if it were checked" said
Mr.. Lamison, "it would be found
that the Hobson has spent half
the time in yards undergoing re-
pairs"
Admiral O'Reagan said the ship
was inspected April 2. He re-
ported that $4,000 was spent at
that time to bring the Hobson up
to the high standards demanded
by the Bureau of Inspection and
Safety"
Victims Were Asleep.
A radio dispatch from the Wasp
to Atlantic Fleet Headquarters
yesterday gave some idea of the
rescue OF some of the men who
were aboard the Hobson.
The dispatch disclosed that most
of the survivors were asleep in the
Hobson's aft berthing compart-
ment when the vessel was struck
Walls Of water and oil surged
through the lower decks. Many
OF the men reached the Hobson's
deck from the sleeping compart-
ments via escape matches.