LOSS OF U.S. CARRIER

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXV, Issue 254, 28 October 1942, Page 5

LOSS OF U.S. CARRIER

SUNK IN SOUTH PACIFIC.

P.A. Cable.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26.

A Navy communique from the South Pacific Command states: "The aircraft-carrier Wasp was sunk in the South Pacific on September 15 as a result of a submarine attack. Wasp floated for five hours. The ship sank when there wero no enemy forces in the Pacific; therefore the announcement of the loss was delayed. as long as the pbssibility remained that the enemy was not aware of the sinking. "Wasp was operating with a task foree covering the movement of reinforcements and supplies in the Guadalcanar area when at 2.50 p.m. three torpedces struck in the vicinity of the magazines and gasoline tanks, resulting in many explcsions and serious fires througliout the ship. "Fifteen minutes later a heavy explosion rocked Wasip and other s followed in the vicinity of the hangar decks. The fires could not be con-trolle-d and the ship was abandcned three hours after the attack. "A United States destroyer torpedoed Wasp at 8 p.m. when all hope had been abandoned. Ninety per cent. of the personnel were rescued." HIT WATER SINGING. How sailors hit the water singing and laughing when ordered to abandon the Wasp, is related by a survivor, James Turner, who is visiting his family at Atlanta, Georgia. Turner was a shipfitter, second class. He was sitting in the bow when the first torpedo struck, hurling him to the deck and bruising his hands and knees. The ship listed heavily, but righted again before the second and third torpedoes struck. When the sailors abandoned the Wasp, planes from the carrier circled overhead dropping inflated life-rafts. Destroyers pausecl in their depthbombing operations to shoot a shark that was approaching the swimmers. W. C. Chapman, a fireman, declared in Miami, that it felt like an earthquake when the torpedoes shook the ship from stem to stern. Men in the forward part of the ship were thrown around like ninepins. He added that everyone aboard was cairn. It seemed just like boat drill. [Wasp, a vessel of 14,700 tons, was completed in 1940 and cost about £5,000,000. She had a speed of 30 knots and carried about 77 planes. Her listed complement, including air personnel, was 1800. Wasp played a gallant part in taking fighter plane reinforcements to beleaguered Malta some months ago, and Mr Churchill paid a tribute to her in one of his speeches.]