TAKEN UNAWARES

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 242, 14 October 1942, Page 2

TAKEN UNAWARES

DOOMED U.S. CRUISER DISASTER CFF SOLOMONS. "THUNDEROUS MASS OF STEEL."

P.A. Cable.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 13.

Describing the Solomons battle in which three American cruisers were lost, First Class Seaman Lynn Hager, who was aboard the Astoria, says 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 sliell after shell. The first salvo struck wliile some of the men were still running to their stations and knocked out one of the Astoria's gun turrets. "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 and after a few minutes it went up in one big puff. He commented: 'T'hat's one Jap. who'll never throw another shell!' Shells and torpedoes from the other Japanese warships continued hitting us until we were set on fire. The Astoria burned all night and sank in the morning." Hager said that an American de- - stroyer machine-gunned sharks in order to save wounded men who were struggl'ing in the water. Seaman Williamson, who wsts aboard 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 a hundred dollars in my pocket if it will do you fellows any good.' But nobody took it."