U.S. DESTROYER HIT BY NAZI TORPEDO

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 247, 18 October 1941, Page 7

U.S. DESTROYER HIT BY NAZI TORPEDO

BERLIN'S EXCUSE Damage But No Casualties In Encounter United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 1 p.m. WASHINGTON, Oct. 17. The Navy Department has announced that the destroyer Kearny was torpedoed this morning while on patrol duty 350 miles south-west of Iceland. There were no casualties.

It is indicated that despite damage the destroyer was able to proceed under its own power. The Kearny is one of the United States newest destroyers, being completed last year.

Of 1630 tons, the Kearny was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander A. L. Danis. It was attacked in the same general area as the Greer.

President Roosevelt said the area where the Kearny was torpedoed was clearly in the American defence zone. He declined otherwise to discuss the incident, and said he would leave that to the Navy Department. A Berlin spokesman, referring to the Kearny, said a German submarine, which was in no position to establish the nationality of the destroyer, was attacked by the latter with depth-charges and it fired torpedoes in self-defence. He accused President Roosevelt of "attempting to provoke an incident in order to incite the American nation to war against Germany."