LOSS OF U.S. CARRIER

Grey River Argus, 15 December 1943, Page 2

LOSS OF U.S. CARRIER

In Gilberts Battle MANY MEN TRAPPED. SYDNEY, Dec. 14. In the recent American invasion of the Gilbert Islands, the only Allied ship lost was the United States aircraft carrier “Liscombe Bay,” which was torpedoed by a submarine near Makin Island in darkness early on the morning of November 24. She sank within 20 minutes and many of the survivor s were badly injured, while many officers and men were trapped and burned to death. / The ship rolled over and went down by the stern 15 to 20 minutes after being struck bv the torpedo. Survivors gathered debris together to form improvised rafts. They were picked up by’destroyers, after 90 minutes. Graphic stories of the sinking are told bv these survivors, who have reached an American base. The “Liscombe Bay’s” flight deck was crowded with ’planes, all loaded with bombs, torpedoes, and depth charges, when ithe torpedo struck amidships. Heavy explosions followed as the ship’s fuel tanks or magazines blew up. The flight deck was torn apart and oil poured everywhere spreading the fire to the planes and stacks of bombs and torpedoes, which exploded on deck. The whole ship was quickly in flames from stem to stern and water around the ship was covered with burning oil. When the torpedo hit all but a few emergency lights went out, and the fire-fighting water supplv was cut on. Explosion followed explosion, and below decks bulkheads buckled, ladders became smashed, and gangways ano ‘exits became choked with dead and and rafts were smashed by explosions, and the men had. to leap into the oil-covered sea. Many were drowned. The casualties were increased when depth charges from the “Liscombe Bay” exploded in tne water, causing, internal injuries to some of the men. The “Liscombe Bay” was designed and built bv the Henry Kaiser Shipbuilding Corporation.