-
j THURSDAY, APRIL 11. 3
Signalman
riRE BRINGS HORROR - Everyone recalls
the 1941 tragedy at Pearl Harbor, but a few
remember the disaster that rocked the naval
bate two and a half year later. Here, seven
landing ship tanks were destroyed by fire.
(Editor's notai During
World War II, that ware two
disasters at Pearl Harbor,
Thirty months altar the Japa
nese bombs tell in 1941, seven
Tassels were destroyed in a
aeries of explosions and lirei
ot unknown origin. The fol
lowing account of this second,
Htlle-publiclsed disaster was
written by a UPI correspon
dent who witnessed It. He was
at the time a Navy signalman
aboard LCT 35S which was
damaged during the incident).
By NEAL CORBETT
United Press International
San Francisco -flJPH- Every
adult American remembers
the 1941 tragedy of Pearl
Portland Crash
Kills Two Men
Portland (UPD - Two men,
including a racing driver,
were killed and another rac
ing driver was injured when
a sports car struck a power
pole in north Portland
Wednesday night.
The dead were Wilbcrt T.
Hyde, 36, and Oran Caul, 22,
both of Portland. Hyde was a
racing car driver.
Injured was Robert Gregg.
42, Camas, Wash., who was
in fair condition at a hospital
with head injuries and facial
lacerations. Gregg was the
19til Northwest sprint car
champion and drove both
midget and regular type rac
ing cars here.
Witnesses said the small
car went out of control on a
curve and slammed into the
utility pole. Electric power in
the immediate area was
knocked out for a time.
Police said all three were
thrown from the car and it
was not known Immediately
who was driving.
Children Coddled,
Eisenhower Says
Indlo, Calif. -HOT- Former
President Dwigin d. Elsen
hower, recalling the days lie
sold milk door to - door for
five cents a quart, says par
ents coddle their children
with soil living."
"Todav's lender .,,1,1 n.,.. . I
papers and did other chores
to Help their parcnls. ' he said
Wednesday, but today's youths j
grow up "In apartments or i
fine homes and are not called
on 10 do even Siull minor
chores as mowing lawn.-.
Sneaking at a Bov f
Illtich, Eisenhower called lor
development of
ICaoersilip
qualities' and said the Bov
bcout.s gives the greatest
promi!.c of doing the job."
Medford Student Gets
On Seattle Honor List
Fredrich F Burich of Med
ford It among 303 students on
the winter quarter honor roll
at Seattle university.
Honor status is reserved to
students who achieve a 3 5 ,
grade point average or better,
They were jammed to the railings with com
bat troops and civilians. The fire on one of
the craft, pictured here, sends up black
smoke while a fireboat tires to extinguish
flames on another LST. (UPI)
Harbor, but how many recall
a disaster which rocked the
Pacific naval base 30 months
after the attack by Japanese
bombers?
Some remember - because
they were there when 127
young fighting men were kill
ed and 380 others Injured In
a single Incident 3,000 miles
from the battle lines of World
War 11.
A brief military news re.
lease, restricted by the so
curlty censorship of those crlfr
leal days, noted only that
seven landing craft were des
troyed by fire in one of the
watery fingers of Pearl Har
bor on May 21, 1944.
There was no mention that
Court Records
JUSTICE COURT
dolt Hill District
Donald Edward Kelly, violation
of bailc rule, 925.
Richard Merle Ware, violation of
bailc rule. 933.
David C.ayle Coinbi, violation of
basic rule. 910.
Wayne Ncal Green, diaoheyed
atop sign. 910.
Robert Theodore Van Slrkle
failure to dim hcHdtishta. 97. SO
suspended.
Alva Edtson Mansfield, violation
of basic rule. 913.
Lawrence Mllon Swaanngen. no
operator'a license, 9.V
Kenneth Wayne .arson viola
tion of basic rule. 910
Robert Moore, no signaling de
vice, 9)13.
Carson Henry Vebrs. violation of
basic rule. 923.
Joseph Anthony Schunk. viola
tion of basic rule, 923
Virginia Lucille Crulkshank. dis
obeyed stop sign. 913.
Edward Mack Perkins, no opera
tor's license. 93.
William Doyle Pennington, int.
proper muffler. 910.
rred James LaBarre Keith, ex
cessive notse. 110
Larry Douglas Ownhy. disobeyed
slop sign. 920.
Fred Hansen, failure to obtain
Oregon operator's license. 93
Linda Diane Thames, no opera
tor's license. 93.
Terry Ernest Conner in.i
ent roadway clearance. 910.
Douglas Norton Simmons, truck
speeding. 910
Paul Lew Harper, violation of
basic rule. 920
Tsmnra Kay Mars, four in dri
ver's seat. 913.
Anthony Ganinn. violation ol
basic rule. 910.
Kenneth Virgle Warner, truck
spredlng. 910
Martha Ester Smith, violation
of basic rule. 923.
John Willard Doyle Jr . violation
ol hai.u- rule. $10
Martin Crystle Periled, violation
of basic, rule, 923.
James Edwin Sharp, truck
spredlng. 9J3.
William Janssrn Harms, failure
lo operate on right side of high
way. 93
Jacqueline Leah (Itllospey. viola
tion of basic rule. 923
James Raymond llnderhlll. vto-
latlon of haalc nil ITS
'is" S""ub d"obt'"d
i-ienda Maxme wood, violation
'" coff:
Coffniau. disobeyed
traffic
, g
oc YlTJ.V fi,Jr',h"r(1- violation
Wealry John Mpndrnh.ll. viol.-
"i of hMMr rule 13. l
u. ,,.,.. ... I
ny rnn ny motNJ Griffith. di
nhi--l ..... a,n
m-herl rrtward McLean, viola-
tion of banc rule. $2.1
UHLAND MUNICIPAL COURT
Herhert nrnehoiw Roblruon 44
tWda. Calif. . driving while under
the influence of intoxicating li
quor. oo. 30-day j.)) sentence
uinended
Ronald Loren Whtllock. violation
of baaic rule tlV
Ken Lae toper, violation of b
atc rule w-
Doloret -Belle Soota
traffic alpal.
Linda uukt Lorton
diobe ed
duobeed
iranir Final
Mlc
ri
VanBroclt. iv g p,.
m itMay curfew.
'on oIUMq'u,r!',i3VJ,!,,n;,l:i.:
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OHEGHn
Describes Second Pearl Harbor Disaster
.. ., ...h ,h. iTir.fi l,.n.l down nn too of. Another marine, attempting , behind him on the ground. I phibious ducks" sped back, brought under control the Jol-
the vessels, (landing ship
tanks), were jammed to the
railing with combat troops
and a few civilians making
final preparations for an as
sault on the Marianna Islands.
No Report Given
There was no indication
that the fire was touched off
by a violent explosion - nor
that the flames were fed for
nearly 24 hours by shuttering
blasts of ammunition and high
octane gasoline.
And there was no report of
the grim toll, which included
men from all branches of the
service and some civilian
workmen.
The Initial explosion oc
curred on a humid mid-after-
pended, 20-day curfew.
John Shelley Rogers. Illegal pos
session of liquor. 923 fine suspend
ed,. 30-day curfew.
CIRCUIT COURT
Beryl Juanita Bowen va Robert
Moore Bowen. divorce decree .
Norma R. Pitman vs. Marlon G.
Pitman, divorce decree.
Mildred D. Parr vs. Rov B. Parr,
divorce complaint
Mary Elisabeth Fallon vs. Bucky
Francis Fallon, annulment decree.
MARKI.MiK LICENSE
APPLICATION
Arthur Georie Pech. box 343.
Lake Creek, and Bonnie Lee
Smith, box 134. Shady Cove.
3lEIIrOH.il MUNICIPAL COURT
James Evan Dorland. disobeyed
slop sign, 910
Miry Heih iiuusc, violation of
basic rule. 910.
Theodore Guneren Thompson,
improper lane usage. 910
Mary Pores. Jones, violation of
basic rule. 913.
Fay Harvey Unruh. violation of
basic rule. 923
Robert Calvin Windham, exces
sive noise. 913.
Charles Bryant Sanies, failure
to leave Information at the scene
of an accident. 923.
Robert Selhy. vlolalion of basic
rule, 910.
Myeue las Tvun
right turn. 310.
Improper
John Elmer Fraiee. dlsobeved
slop sign, j3
William Corcoran. disobeyed
traffic signal. 93
ieve uexter Root, violation of
bash rule. I in
James Gordon While
of basic Milt tin
violation
Michael rulton G add is
alto w'v on onewav
William Arthur Corhln
Hon of haHc rule. $10
viola.
Loretta Rose NeNon, violaluu
of bailc rule, sao
Lorraine Fdlth Learn. Viola II Ol
of batc rule, $10, dlioheved lrf
lie Mgnel $3.
Leonard Talma-lee Harrli. dis
Miaron Lyn Plcard. violation of1
MUdVed'sftn Widmer, diaobev- 1
ed traffic mkm.ii $io
William Hodney Speece, no on- ;
erator a llcenae. $3.
Georje Leslie Wataon. violation
of hasir rule. $0.
Clarence Walter Slr.Smn tit.
110
viiiuin excesMir
Wallace Emenen rru-kirn, vto.
w" V 5.!?'
i -7 "...
" vnw rme nil
Jean Nealt , . nt
ammv ruir. iu
Ford Mnrru Patteraon. violation
of banc rule. $10
Ralph Alexander McKay, futed
lo leave information at tcene of
accideni. $10. impended
Thonij. Leroy bchoonover vio
lation of baktc rule. $10
lXMicla Dean Harsriharier. fail
UP to obtain Oregon operator's
lifcnte, $0 MiMended. violation
ol basic rule.
Dellef Joseph Eiinann expired
operator a hcenae $2
Dennis Fred Troxel improper
left turn $10
Samsel Cibaon Walter, nnprop-
r
iop,"i,"r,,ior" LC" aitob,,'i i
Berrv Jean Mom vioi .:n: .w
basic rule $10
Leland Dentin Wiihima. disobc -
ed traffic Minai io
Jack Tvereit Dunlap. violation
f banc rule $10
noon. It shattered the LSI
353, which was moored with
a half dozen other vessels at
Pilings about 100 yards from
the beach at West Loch.
The force of the blast
knocked men from their feet
on adjoining ships and jarred
a group of other LSTs moored
about 300 yeards away in the
anchorage and ammunition
loading area. Some carried
LCTs (landing craft tanks)
loaded in preparation for the
4,000-mile voyage to the Japa
nese stronghold of Saipan.
View Flames
Off-duty navy men joined
the marines and soldiers who
crowded to vantage points
aboard the vessels to stare at
the smoke and flames billow
ing from the shattered "353."
I watched at first like you
would watch a neighbor's
house burning. Ships were
side by side at their moorings
and we could go from one to
another. I started getting as
close to shore as possible
About 100 yards from shore
I was among some non-swim
mers who jumped into the
water and grabbed a raft.
Some got aboard it. I hung
onto the side and we kicked
and paddled it about 100
yards to shore.
The troops were billeted on
cots almost shoulder to should
er aboard the landing ships,
and any distraction offered a
break in the monotony of
close quarters.
But their curiosity turned
to horror as the survivors of
the stricken vessel began
pouring across the decks of
the adjoining ships.
Bodies Scorched
Some, bleeding from jagged
wounds, staggered in their ef
forts to reach the ship nearest
to shore - and the safety of
sugar cane fields which lay
beyond the beach.
Others-many of whom had
been working in shorts or
swimming trunks - stalked
stiffly by, their bodies scorch
ed by the fierce heart of the
blast.
The marines and soldiers,
who had ndt as yet been as
signed emergency stations,
fled for the railings. Most of
the navy men were swept up
in the panic.
A handful of sailors aboard
the LST 225 remained cool in
the face of disaster - and
proved that much of the hor
ror that was yet to come might
have been avoided.
Free Ship
They ran to their stations
when the emergency alarm
sounded, cut their ship free
from the vessels on either side
and ran her hard aground
away from the danger area.
Flames swept the main decks,
but they were kept clear of
the gasoline barrels on her
bow and the ammunition in
her tank deck.
It's possible that similar
action on other ships might
have prevented further ex
plosions - but the vast ma
jority of men were concerned
only with self-preservation.
They fought their way to the
railings and plunged into the
water for the 100-yard swim
to shore.
Panic Grows
At this point, the second
LST was shattered by ex
ploding ammunition. The flee
ing men tumbled for cover as
pieces of jagged steel rained
over an area nearly 1,000
yards in diameter.
The panic increased, and
the surging crowd pushed
swimmers and non-swimmers
alike into the water. A marine
sergeant shoved his way
through the mass of men, toss
ing reluctant non-swimmers
bodily over the railing.
He knew their chances of
survival were better if they
reached the beach than if they
remained on the ship with
the threat of more blasts in
creasing. Some managed to
hold their own in the water,
but others panicked and
drowned.
1 saw one man in khaki
fatigues scramble to the top
ot a large life raft to pull the
pin which would topple it into
the water. A navy officer,
vainly attempting to restore
order, pushed his way through
Ilie crowd and warned that no
abandon ship order had been
' given.
! Kicks Officer
The young man in khaki
Riencn me omcer In the (ace,
P"I,ed thc Mn d plummeted
into the water The heavv
,
Petition Seeks to
Enlarge EP Board
Eagle Point - A petition
has been filed to increase the
school board membership in
tile Eagle Point district from
five to nine members.
The annual election at
w hich this proposal will be ;
considered and a board mcm
hcr elected to (ill the one va
cancy on the existing board,
will be May 6
Tour people have filed (or
the one position, which is for
a five-vear lerm Thev r-
Merlon" Bradsh.w. who was
unnninlr-l lit cArvn a . ..,.-.
... , ,
'unexpired term: Edmund S.
Armitagc, John E. Barton and
. L
jrrank P. Hopewell.
raft plunged down on top of
him - and he never came up.
His determined bid for sur-
vival had failed, but the raft
gave courage to many non
?...il" "Z
the Jater and climbed aboard,
The blast
through the
which tore
third vessel:
matched those which had
come before It, and added to
the terror. It sprayed nam
ing gasoline, which spread
swiftly across the water over
taking swimmers before they
could reach shore.
Men who had completed the
swim dived four or five deep
beneath a line of amphibious
tanks parked on the beach and
clung to each other in terror
as a wide area was again rip
ped by jagged pieces of metal.
The frightened men now
faced another moment of de
cision. The sleep path leading
upward from the beach to the
cane fields was just 20 yards
from the tanks. But chances
of survival were slim if a man
was caught by the next ex
plosion either in that 20 yards
or on the face of the embank
ment. Finally, a few sprinted
across the sand and scrambled
up the steep path - but there
was no certainty of safety
among the stumps of cane
which lay before them.
The field was dotted with
men who had been among the
first to reach the cane, but
had been cut down by the
flying metal of the explosions.
A marine lay on his back a
few yards Into the field gro
tesquely kicking the stumps of
his legs, which had been rip
ped away by the flying re
mains of a jeep engine.
. Another marine, attempting
I to struggie to hi, feet, couldn't
understand why he had fallen.
A sliver of metal about 18jfarmin2 villages in the area.
! inches long was protruding
from his back.
Two men half carried and
half dragged a third man
I through the cane stubbles. The
' entire calf of his leg flopped
Dennis the Menace
i m
WJW VWsT?
The newspaper advertiser bids for business from strength. Here are some of his trump cards.
Audience: 90 million adults read a newspaper on an average day-about 86.4 of all U.S.
households.
Attention: people like to read advertising in liie newspaper, feel lost without ft, overwhelm
ingly prefer a newspaper with advertising.
Confidence: people believe in newspaper advertising, consider it factual, accurate, and
trustworthy. Advertiseis agree, and last year had the contidence to invest $3.6 billion in
newspaper space.
If you're an advettiser, why not deal yourself a strong hand? Use newspapers.
MORE PEOPLE 00 MORE BUSINESS THROUGH NEWSPAPERS
, behind him on ine grouno
I By now, word o he di,
Harhor and the small
1 Sugar workers and their
1 families fanned out through
i " VK,C"'
oanaages.
Ambulances and huge am-
ICWT WWNA
YA ANYHOW.'
1 r
trump hand
MEDFORDfiWTRIBUNE
P"'"' "
the beach. Some went out of
I control and rolled down the
I steep banks
; Regardless of how desper
ately the men along the roads
needed medical care, tnere
was no chance of flagging
down the speeding emergency
vehicles. They were jammed
with casualties from t h e
beach, and any delay might
cost men their lives.
Fire Spreads
Meanwhile, the fire had
spread to the other group of
ships moored far behind those
shattered by the earlier blasts,
and fire boats from Pearl
Harbor had moved into the
holocaust.
The fire-fighting crews dis
played unbelievable courage.
One boat pushed its bow right
between two flaming vessels
and sprayed water on both -without
regard for the danger
that all three might be blown
to bits at any time. Another
crew put a line aboard a blaz
ing ship and towed it out of
the area.
But more than seven hours
after the original explosion,
there was little evidence of
the valiant efforts of the fire
crews.
Losses Listed
Shortly after 9 p.m., anoth
er ship erupted like a Ha
waiian volcano, lighting the
entire disaster area. Survivors
who had returned from the
farm communities to watch
the fiery night display fought
for cover amid the coral - al
though well out of range of
the blast.
The fires finally were
brought under control the fol
lowing day. But seven LSTs
were destroyed, two others
were burned, the merchant
ship Joseph B. Francis was
scarred by flames - and 407
men were dead or injured.
There were only rumors
and speculation among the
survivors as to what may have
: caused the tragedy
Some claimed the acetylene
torch of a civilian welder
came into contact with ex
plosives aboard the "353."
But, there were no civilians
among the dead, and it's un
likely that the welder would
have survived the original
blast in that case.
Others said Tokyo Rose, in
her propaganda broadcasts
from Tokyo, recently had
mentioned that an American
assault force was building up
in Hawaii - and warned that
it might never leave Pearl
Harbor.
Not Sabotage
Official Navy Department
reports describe the incident
as "an explosion of undeter
mined origin." However, they
add that the blast "was not
caused by sabotage."
But there is no doubt as to
the toll. The navy list shows:
Killed - 27 (8 army, 11
navy and 8 marine corps).
Missing and declared dead
- 100 (53 army, 21 navy and
26 marine corps).
Injured - 380 (56 army, 143
navy, 159 marine corps, 3
coast guard and 19 civilians).
And the men and ships
which survived?
They were hastily reorgan
ized, reamed and refitted -and
stormed ashore at Saipan
on schedule 23 days later.
hi.