Evening star., 1952-02-20
IS Tanker Survivors
Arrive in Boston as
Brennan on Hulk
BY the Associated Press

CHATHAM. Mass. Feb. 90
Thirteen weary seamen, true to
the tradition Of the seas, stuck it
out today on the derelict stern of
a broken tanker, hoping to sal
wage the hulk.
Crewmen Of the tanker Fort
Mercer-torn in half by the win
ter's worst storm two days ago
passed up rescue last night.
Twenty-Five of their mates were
taken of the wreck by Coast
Guards.
Eighteen of them reached Bos-
ton this morning aboard the cut
ter Acushnet, while tugs and other
cutters lowered around the bob
bing wreckage mapping out SAL
wage plans.
1t was hoped the stern section
could be towed to port, but the
vessels owners in New York, the
Trinidad Corp, said a decision
might be made today to sink it
by gunf1re. The Coast Guard had
said the wreckage is a menace to
navigation.
Two Tankers Broken Up.
The Fort Mercer, loaded with
fuel oil for New England ports,
was one of two 10,O00-ton tankers
torn in half in the vicious north
eastern storm off the Cape Cod
fishing community. e.
Both halves of the other tanker
the Pendleton, washed aground
yesterday. The bow section of the
Fort Mercer still foated in the
seas about 80 miles from the stern.
All crewmen had been rescued
from the sections.
One of the survivors of the
MERGERS breakup said on reaching
Boston that the strength of the
ships bulkheads saved their lives.
Coast Guard Praised.
"The bulkheadS didn't collapse"
Quartermaster H. w. Newman of
Memphis, Tenn, said. eff a couple
went we would have more likely
foundered."
Another member of the crew,
Thomas A. Mccoy of Providence.
r. T., fireman and water tender
of 20 years service on the seas,
said the rescue by the Coast Guard
was "the greatest demonstration
of courageous seamanship have
ever SEEN"
The other tanker was the Pen
dleton. Both her halves have
gone aground.
81 Are Rescued.
The latest batch of survivors
brought to 81 the number rescued
from the four drifting sections.
Six are listed as dead and eight
are missing and presumed dead. |
Three others, also rescued from
the Fort Mercer's stern. were on
board the cutter Eastwind stand
ing by at the scene.
The other four were taken off
the bow section of the Fort Mer-
Ger and put on board the cutter
Yakutat, expected to reach Port
land, Me-, sometime tonight. ., =.
Cutters Team Up.
Two of the four taken off the
bow were hauled aboard the va
kutat from life RATS foated by the
tossing derelict. The other two
were saved by the breeches buoy
method.
The Acushnet and the Eastwind
teamed up to rescue the 81 men
from the stern half of the Fort
Mercer.
The two rescue vessels hoated
life RATS to the Fort Mercer
through IS to Is foot waves-and
then pulled the men to the East
wind. w.,
When that operation proved
too SLOW" the Acushnet made two
dangerous passes alongside the
Fort Mercer. She took five men
off the stricken craft on the first
pass and 13 on the second pass.
The rescue operation was carried
on SO miles south southeast of
Nantucket. The bow of the Fort
Mercer capsized after the men
were rescued from it some 80 miles
from the stern.
Six Lose Lives.
Five men lost their lives from
the forward section of the Fort
NRa~nau ~ naxIia,s NAna,,a -