SURPRISE ATTACK ON ASTORIA

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 17, 15 October 1942, Page 5

SURPRISE ATTACK ON ASTORIA

Heavy Bombardment

SAN FRANCISCO, October 13.

Describing the Solomons naval battle on August 9, in which three American cruisers were lost, First Class Seaman Lynn Hager, who was on board llie Astoria, said that he heard the distant sound of aeroplanes and sent a hurried message to the captain. Later flares plunged down from the planes. Then out of the darkness came a blinding searchlight and almost simultaneously a thunderous mass of steel fire closed in-on the doomed ship. The Astoria shuddered under the impact of shell after shell. The first salvo struck while some men were still running to their stations and knocked out one of the Astoria’s gunturrets.

“When the Japanese searchlight picked us up we turned and started firing to port,” Hager said. “It seemed that ships were attacking us from both sides. Our commander cut loose at the searchlight which, after a few minutes, went up in one big puff. He commented: ‘That's one Jap who’ll never titrow another shell.’

“Shells and torpedoes from other Japanese warships continued hitting us till we were set afire. The Astoria burned all night and sank in the morn: ing.” Hager said (hat an American destroyer niacliiiiegunncd sharks in order (o save wounded men who were struggling in the water.

Seaman Williamson, who was on board the Quincy when she sank, said: “While we were in the water a man close to me who had been badly shot about said quietly: ‘I can’t last over 20 minutes. I’ve got 100 dollars in my pocket. If it will do you fellows any good.’ But nobody took it.”