AMERICAN CRUISER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 124, 21 November 1942, Page 7

AMERICAN CRUISER

HEROIC DEED IN OCTOBER

WASHINGTON, November 19,

BatteYed and torn by many Japanese shells and once given up for lost, the American light cruiser Boise has arrived from the Solo-

mons with an extraordinary re-

cord. The Boise was chiefly instrumental in sinking six Japanese warships in a single engagement.

The Navy Department announced that Admiral E, J. King, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Fleets, made a special trip to Philadelphia from Washington to welcome Captain Moran and the crew of the heroic vessel. The Boise lost three officers and 104 men killed in a violent night battle off Cape . Esperance, Guadalcanal, on October 11 and 12, when a cruiser and destroyer task force intercepted a Japanese, force bearing troops to the Solomons.

The Boise bore the brunt of the fighting in • whicrr; the Japanese lost two heavy and one light cruisers, and three destroyers. - Well put in front, the Boise took brutal punishment from the Bin armament of enemy, heavy cruisers. Flames leapt mast high and enveloped the vessel. Other American ships gave up the Boise for lost and continued on their course. Two hours later, however, the Boise steam,ed towards them from the darkness.

The navy said the Boise was saved by the swift, skilful^ and heroic actions of Captain Moran and the crew, who flooded the exploded magazine, extinguished fires, shored up wavering bulkheads, and plugged shell-holes with bedding.