Evening star., 1952-01-05
Skipper Stays
On Ship as Tug
Begins lowing
Will Toke Four Days
To Pull Crippled
Freiohter to Britain
BY the Associated Press

LONDON, Jan. 5.-The crippled
Flying Enterprise started under
tow toward Falmouth harbor at
a tedious 3 knots today. Her
skipper, Capt. Kurt Carlsen, who
refused stubbornly to abandon his
wallowing ship in the face of a
wild storm, was jubilant and con-
fident that he is going to win his
long fight against the sea.
The commander of the United
States destroyer Willard Keith,
which arrived to watch over the
stricken American freighter and
her captain, reported: "The tow
is riding smoothly"
Capt. Carlsen's nine-day ordeal
nearly seven of them alone in
a darkened and severely listing
ship-appeared over. unless the
barrel-thick towing hawser breaks
or the swelling seas tip the vessel
over.
For the first time since a hurri-
cane cracked the Flying Enter
prise across the middle and left
her helpless some 800 miles off
England's southern tip on Decem-
ber %, the weather was reported
calm and the visibility is good"
Towing to Take Four Days.
Shaking the helpless Enterprise
to port is the powerful sea-going
eug Turmoil, which managed after
30 hours of struggle to secure a
towline to the bow of the freighter.
On the deck of the Enterprise
fitting at a perilous 70 to 80 de-
grees-the stubborn, Danish-born
skipper still stands, joined now by
the Turmpil's first mate, Kenneth
IDancy, watching the groaning
hawser ease his ship along.
IF the weather continues" said
the Keith's captain, "it will take
about four days. to bring the
Flying Enterprise into Falmouth.
If this weather continues. the sit
uation, will be in hand. Both
Carlson and Capt. Dan Parker of
the tug (Turmoil) firmly believe
so. too"
The hearts of seamen the world
overland many a landlubber. too
also were on the Enterprise,
wishing the 37-year-old captain
we'll.
The destroyer Keith's skipper
Comdr. Leslie j.. OBrien, jr.. of
Jonesboro, Ark. said the Turmoil
is towing the Flying Enterprise
and her shifting million-dollar
cargo by one heavy hawser hooked
to the freighter's bow.
Began Vigil Week Ago,
"Carlsen wants to stay with his
ship and bring her into port. +"
said Comdr. O'Brien. "He and
the mate from the tug are stand
ing alternate watches in the En-
terprise's bow"
Capt. Carlsen began his lonely
vigil a week ago, defying the heay-
lest Atlantic storm in SO years.
He ordered his 40 crewmen and 10
passengers to Jump overheard in
pairs when the ships hull cracked
and the helpless Enterprise rolled
drunkenly in a vicious gale. One
seaman died in the plunge but his
body was recovered. All others
were picked up by nearby ships.
Capt. Carlson chose to stay
aboard his ship until am towed
or sunk" to avoid any possibility
that the vessel and its cargo might
become a derelict free prize" A
spokesman for q New York in
surance syndicate said the 8-year-
old, 396-foot ship is insured for
81 $50, 900.
The skipper of the Keith, which
relieved the United States de-
stroyer John w. Weeks in the
watch over the freighter, reported
that Capt. Carlson has gotten a
little rest now" The Weeks had
to head for port to refuel after
standing by the Enterprise for
three days.
Able to Get Sleep.
"He got some sleep between 10
and IL o'clock and now has had
his lunch." Comdr. O'Brien re-
ported. Hes getting along fine
and is in excellent spirits"
Comdr. O'Brien said coffee and
other supplies were being sent over
to the freighter's two-man crew
by messenger line, fired from
the destroyer.
Risks Life in Boarding.
Comdr. O'Brien of the Keith
told today the story of how the
27-year-old Dancy, first mate of
the Turmoil, made a life-or-death
snatch at rope and swung him.
self aboard the freighter last
night.
THE Turmoil had passed by
the Flying Enterprise several
times in her efforts to fire a line
on board" Comdr. O'Brien said.
tsee SKIPPER. Page A-6o
G~.eas:l., kI..