The Evening Star - Washington, D.C.

The Evening Star
With Sunday Morning Edition
Washington, D.C.
Saturday, February 20, 1943
Twenty-Four Pages

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Cruiser Chicago Lost 6 Officers, 56 Men out of 1,100 Aboard
by Charles McMurtry
Associated Press War Correspondent

This is the first detailed story of the sinking of the cruiser Chicago since her loss was announced by the Navy Department February 16. The Navy said 17 Jap ships were sunk or damaged in the concluding phase of this engagement in the Solomon Islands. American losses were given as the Chicago and an unnamed destroyer.

AN ADVANCED BASE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, Feb 10 (Delayed)

The United States cruiser Chicago, already powerless from two torpedo hits the night before and being towed slowly, never had a chance as Japanese torpedo planes attacked again the afternoon of January 30.

Eleven torpedo planes concentrated on the cruiser.

"Five torpedoes headed right for us. We sat there knowing at least three or four would hit us," said Lt. Edward B. Jarman, 25, of Staunton, Va, the Chicago's air defense officer.

"It was still a minute or more before they hit - four of them," he added then.

"One torpedo hit the forward magazine which already was flooded. Three struck aft where we had been hit the day before."

Sunk In 19 Minutes

"She laid over on her starboard side and went down fast but smooth -- in 19 minutes."

"She fired a 5-inch salute to herself as she went down-shells exploding from the heat of the torpedo-set fires -- and with her colors flying."

Despite the concentrated attack one of the most intense yet hurled at any United States ship, The Chicago lost only six officers and 56 men of more than 1,100 personnel.

"We got off every survivor on rafts." Lt. Jarman declared. "We had nearly 300 recruits but all were orderly and waited orders. There was no panic."

The Chicago was a member of a task force patrolling south of Gaudalcanal when 24 Japanese torpedo planes attacked in two waves an hour after sunset January 29. The escorting fighters had left the task for just 15 minutes earlier.

Mistaken For Battleships

Lt. Jarman said "there was just enough light to silhouette our ships. We opened fire at 7:25 p.m. One torpedo just missed us. The first wave of Japs dropped float lights to light us up and marked flares to designate our position."

"We shot down at least three Jap planes and other ships in the task force got at least three more. We filled one torpedo plane so full of steel that it almost exploded on the Chicago. It missed our boat 10-feet. It burned three or four minutes, silhouetting us for the second wave."

"Two torpedoes hit us. They all concentrated on the Chicago, apparently mistaking her for a battleship because of her construction. No other ship was hit. Fire broke out in our engine rooms and we lost all power."

Believes No Japs Escaped

"The fires were not serious and we had them out in 25 to 30 minutes. We were taken under tow and headed for port while the task force resumed it's patrol."

"The next morning we were taking more water than the books said we could and keep afloat, but we kept her up."

"At 4:25 p.m. we sighted more planes on our beam. We were making four knots under tow. The Japs dropped their torpedoes well out because were a cold shot, and then came straight in to strafe."

"I don't believe any Jap escaped. Our ships got six Japs and our fighters got another five. The Chicago got at least three and downed a fourth jointly with a destroyer which fired at the same time. One PBY on patrol tried to break up the attack but failed. He flew around between those Japs alone, before our fighters could get them, but................................guts. It's a wonder he wasn't shot down."

16 Wounded Are Trapped

Sixteen of the Chicago's casualties were men who had been wounded in the first attack and were trapped and drowned in the sick bay during the second-day attack. Lt. Jarman said Lt. Comdr. E.N. Jones of Boise, Idaho, senior medical officer and hospital corpsmen tried vainly to rescue all of the patients.

"Dr. Jones carried out a spinal meningitis case and then tried to rescue another patient but he couldn't go back down because of the in-rushing water," Lt. Jarman declared. "Two kids carried down several wounded from the main mast."

Marine Platoon Sergt. Anthony C. Anderson, 30, of St. Louis, praised Marine Pvts. William L. Stander, 22, of Promontory, Utah; Verona Brown, 27 of Kansas City, Mo. and Harold M. Dixon, 18, of Warren, Ariz. He said they continued their anti-aircraft despite serious injuries to each.

Marine Fights Till He Drops

"Stander continued firing despite two bullets in his back until I took him out of his harness and got in myself and kept his gun firing." Sergt. Anderson related.

"Brown had a shrapnel wound in the right leg." Sergt. Anderson continued, "But he got down on one knee and kept loading. Dixon stayed at his post until he collapsed. His leg and pelvis were fractured and he had other shrapnel wounds."

There was heroism below decks too. The after engine room door was jammed open, permitting water to flood into a mess compartment so rapidly. Lt. Jarman said that "we were settling fast and it looked touch and go whether we would sink."

Then the ship's carpenter, Albert A. Bartholomew, 27, of Long Beach, Calif., and formerly of Philadelphia went deep into the ship. He shut valves, closed hatches and prevented the ship from sinking.

Gives Life For Shipmate

Bartholomew, in charge of damage control, had to swim through oil and water to reach a heavy door. He made several efforts before he could close and fasten it against the force of incoming water.

Bartholomew said his damage control party "worked like dogs to keep........................................................

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The above picture accompanied the article