LATEST

rift on Broken
jgs, Cutters
Converge on Scene
Two oil tankers were broken in half off Chatham yes-
:erday with a possible death toll of 15 and Coast Guards
continued valiant efforts today to rescue 33 other seamen
jelieved adrift on the storm-tossed stern of one of the
levered vessels. In Cape Cod’s
nost serious maritime disaster
;ince World War II, the tankers
3endleton and Fort Mercer were City Digs Out
;plit in two, leaving their com­
bined crews of 84 men adrift in
he heavy seas. By early after­
won, 36 of the men had been res­
From Blizzard
cued. Driving Conditions
Coast Guards saved 32 men in
a daring rescue from the Pendle- - Remain Hazardous
i njjUast night. One crewman was
known dead. Eight are reported
missing from the 10,000-ton ves­ New Bedford continued to dig
sel, which had a complement of itself out from under yesterday’s
11 men.
blinding blizzard which left 8¥a
Unable to Reach Lifeboats
inches of snow and crippled
The Fort Mercer had a crew transportation in the entire area.
)f 43 aboard and six of these re- Although public utilities re­
bortedly perished when they ported a return to normal, road
leaped from the tossing bow and conditions throughout the section
nissed the bouncing liferafts put continued to be hazardous and
Hit by the Coast Guard cutter State Police cautioned against
Yakatat.
Thirty-three survivors were unnecessary driving on the high­
No additional deaths or
<aid to be aboard the stern of ways.
serious accidents as a result of
the Fort Mercer and there were the storm were reported today.
reports an effort might be made Hundreds of autos remained
to tow that section to Boston.
In New York, the Moran Tow­ marooned in deep snow and
and highways were packed
ing and Transportation Company, drifts
Inc., reported two seagoing tugs, down with a hard coating of snow
and ice, making driving hazard­
i the Foundation Josephine owned ous. , Generally, highways and
by Foundation Maritime, Ltd., of secondary roads in the area have
Halifax, and Moran’s M. Moran, been plowed.
are enroute tq take the two sec­
tions of the Mercer in tow. More Snow Possible
The cutter Yakatat then re­ The threat of more snow to­
ported taking four survivors off morrow was imminent today as
the bow of the Mercer before it the Boston Weather Bureau fore­
overturned in heavy seas. The cast increasing cloudiness with
message said the Yakatat possible snow or rain tomorrow.
planned to sink the wreckage The forecast for Massachusetts,
with gun lire. Rhode Island and Connecticut
Captain Rescued calls for sunny weather with little
Among those rescued by the fairchange in temperature today and
cutter were the Pendleton’s cap­ tonight.weather, turning to cloudy,
tain, Frederick C. Paetzel of Driving conditions continued
Houston, Texas, and Purser Ed­
ward E. Turner Jr., of New York from fair to poor on State high­
City. ways and State Police were dis­
Weather still blocked attempts couraging all unnecessary travel.
roads generally have been
to rescue the 33 survivors report­ Main
ed on the tanker’s stern. Two cleared and sanded and many
Coast Guard cutters and the Mili­ (Continued on Page 2)
tary Sea Transport boat Short
Splice were standing by the aft
section. Two more cutters,, in­ Standa rd-Times
cluding the Acushnet, were en­
route to the scene. Earlier the Issued Friday
Yakatat had reported 10 men
were believed aboard the Fort
Mercer’s bow. A holiday edition of The
Standard-Times will be pub­
The Fort Mercer’s bow was last lished
reported 60 miles southeast of Birthday.Friday, Washington’s
Nantucket while her stern was ard-Times Your regular Stand­
55 miles southwest of the bow. deliver it tonewspaperboy will
your home by 8
The Mercer is drifting helplessly a. m.
off the island.
A 36-foot motor lifeboat from onThe holiday edition will be
sale at all regular news­
the Chatham Lifeboat Station dealers.
pulled 32 seamen from death Subscribers will confer a fa­
aboard the Pendleton, the last to if they will notify The
leave clambering aboard the res­ vor
cue boat just a scant minute be- Standard-Times
delay in delivery.
office of any
(Continued on Page 2)

New Bedford Man Reported

Aboard the Fort Mercer
A New Bedford man was reported aboard the Fort Mercer
adrift in two sections off Nantucket as tales of tragedy and hero­
ism were told of the brilliant night-time rescue of crewmen from
the battered Pendleton. The New Bedford man is Samuel Barboza,
38, of 28 Hillman Street, who has
followed the sea for 18 years and tos of 36 Acushnet Avenue. Mr.
has been a steward on the Mer­ Barboza’s mother, Mrs, Anna
cer for the last eight years.
His wife, Mrs. Palmira Bar­ Barboza, lives on Braley Road,
boza, left their home here sev­ Freetown.
eral days ago for Portland, Me., Frank Fauteux, 27, of Attle­
where she was to meet him. A boro was on watch on the Pen­
sister of Mr. Barboza. Mrs. Flora dleton with Vernon Collins of
Jones of 167 Cedar Street, said Brooklyn in the engine room
the Mercer was due in Portland when the mishap occurred.
yesterday. “I felt a sudden scraping and
Was Home on Vacation vibration and thought we’d run
aground,” Fauteux, a whiskered
“My brother was home on va­ veteran of nine years at sea, said.
cation all during December and “That was about 6 a. m.
returned to New York, the Mer­ “We completed our engine
cer’s home port, Jan. 9,” she said. room watch at 8, then went down
“He wrote his wife he was due again at 4 in the afternoon and
in Portland yesterday and she stayed until we were ordered to
went there to meet him. It was go topside when the lifeboat ar­
her custom to travel to various rived.
ports along the East Coast to “I went down again once more
meet him when his ship docked, about 5:45 to check the water in
and they would stay together un­ the boilers. We had enough
til his vessel sailed again. trouble without having the ship
“We have sent Mrs. Barboza blpw up.
word of the Mercer’s plight, but “At that time I saw the water
she is snowbound in Portland rising through the double bot­
and has not been able to get back toms. I was one of the last four
home.” Mrs. Jones said the Bar­ men off the ship.”
bozas have no children.
Steward Barboza has a brother, Douglas B. Potts, 31. of Pasa­
Joseph of this city, who has been dena, Texas, said the Pendleton
a seaman for years. There are “broke in half—all of a sudden—
also two other sisters, Mrs. Eve­ about 5:50 a. m.”
lyn Barboza of 4488 Acushnet “I looked out and saw the bow
Avenue, and Mrs. Dorothy San­ (Continued on Page 4)
 PAGE 2

15 Lost as 2
Tankers Split
(Continued from Page 1)
fore the stern hulk of the tanker
overturned and sank.
3 Sections Riding High
i
The three remaining sections
of the two tankers were reported
riding high in the heavy seas.
The stern of the Fort Mercer is
The stern of the Fort Mercei.’
was reported in good condition.
Another Chatham lifeboat late
last night was searching waters
•near the bow section of the
Pendleton after a lone man
aboard the hulk had jumped into
the sea. This morning, after an
18-hour vigil, the lifeboat was re­
turning to Chatham, listing no
survivors.'
The Pendleton, for which Coast
Guard authorities said they had
been asked to be on the alert
1 since she was reported overdue
at Boston out of Baton Rouge,
La., broke in two without warn­
ing at 6 a. m. yesterday, crew
t members said. For more than 12
hours, the two sections, the small­
er stern section and the bow.
floated off Chatham.
Names Captain
First Engineer Raymond F. Sy-
bert of Norfolk Va., said the cap­
tain was John F. Fitzgerald of
Boston. The radio operator’s
name, he believed, was Greer
and the chief mate’s name, Moe. the 33 men was in the hands oi
Others he was unable to identify. Captain O. A. Peterson, skippei
, Coast Guards said they first of the Eastwind.
sighted the stern section as it She replaced the cutter McCul
appeared ground off North Beach loch which was ordered back tc
not far from the old Coast Guard Boston. The McCulloch reported
station. Strong winds and waves no sign of life aboard the bow oi
carried the hulk farther along the Pendleton which was
I
and seaward until the rescue was aground 1,500 yards off Pollock
made at a point between Pollock Rip Lightship.
Rip lightship and Chatham Bar. The McCulloch earlier had ra
I Meanwhile, a second motor dioed it was abandoning its
I lifeboat, which had put out from watch of the .apparently life-less
i the Stage Harbor base, swung bow section of the Pendleton and
down around Monomoy Point to proceeding to the Fort Mercei
aid in the Fort Mercer search to lend a hand if needed in the
and came upon the bow section rescue operations. The Pollock
of the Pendleton. The Pendleton Rip Lightship was directed to
r is listed as 10,000 tons gross and maintain a watch over the Pen­
is out of Portsmouth, Del. dleton’s bow.
One tragedy marred the res­ The Coast Guard announced
cue. George Myers of West Vir­ that the cutter Yakatat was in
ginia, one of three to miss the charge of operations at the Fort
safety of the lifeboat as they Mercer and would decide on
leaped from the wrecked Pendle­ when and how such efforts would
ton hulk, vfas crushed between proceed.
the lifeboat and the Pendleton. Rescue of 32 men from the
Lifeboat men strove to extricate Pendleton provided one of the
his 320-pound body from the wa­
ter but he had slipped under be­
•I
fore he could be saved.
Not Reported
Missing Skipper
Until late yesterday, it was not
known that there were two tank­
ers in distress. Fate of the
Pendleton, which was not re­
ported until last night, might
have been unknown except for
a daring Coast Guard pilot who
was searching for the Fort Mer-
* cer.
The pilot flew so low through
swirling snow he could read the
Pendleton’s name on the sepa-
; rated bow and stern sections.
The Coast Guard said it was
deemed more practical to attempt
to tow the stern of the Mercer
into port than to try to remove
the men in the rough ocean.
hazardous task of rescuing
< —The -- 1------------------------ :----------

The Calendar
Weather
NEW BEDFORD AND CAPE
COD; Fair and seasonably
cold tonight. Mostly cloudy
'* tomorrow followed by a little
very light snow. Lowest to­
night in middle 20s. Small
craft warnings are displayed.
Northwest winds 20 to 25 miles
an hour tonight. Moderate to
fresh northwest winds tomor­
J row.
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode
Island: Fair and continued seasonably cold
’tonight. Increasing cloudiness late tonight.
Cloudy and rather cold tomor­
row followed by a little very
light- snow. Winds diminishing
slightly tonight.
Boston: Fair and continued
seasonably cold tonight. Low-
est temperature tonight in middle 20s.
Mostly cloudy tomorrow followed by a little
* light snow. Continued rather cold tomor­
row.
New Hampshire and Vermont: Fair and
-continued rather cold tonight. Increasing
cloudiness and continued cold tomorrow,
i Maine: Fair and continued cold with
. slowly diminishing northwest winds tonight.
4 Fair and continued rather cold tomorrow
but with increasing cloudiness in south-
. west portion.
Winds
Eastportj to Block Island: Small craft
warnings (displayed. Northwest winds 30 to
40 miles an hour with gusts in the 40s
diminishing only slightly tonight. Twenty
to 30 mile-an-hour northwest winds to­
morrow diminishing to moderate over
, south portion. Fair weather with good visi­
bility through tonight and over north por-
w tion tomorrow. Cloudy tomorrow followed
by very light snow and good to fair visi­
bility over the south portion.
Extended Forecast
<• Temperature in New England during the
y.c.-et nve days will average near the sea­
sonal normal. Continued seasonably cold
through the period. Some normals for the
period are Boston 30, Providence 30, Nan­
tucket 31. New Haven 30, Concord, N. H.,
. 24, Burlington 21, Portland 25, Eastport 23,
Greenville 16, and Presque Isle 15.
j Precipitation will total more than 7/10
, Inches melted occurring as snow in North-
„ ern New England and as snow or rain in
Southern New England tomorrow and again
* toward the end of the week.
* Marine Forecast
* Forecast for the waters east of New
■' England and south of Nova Scotia: Intense
■ storm centered just a little east of Sable
a! Island is expected to continue slowly east-
m ward. South of Nova Scotia: North to
H northwest winds 40 to 50 miles an hour
> diminishing slowly tonight and to.35 to 40
,! miles an hour by morning. Weather over-
< cast with rain and sleet south of Eastern
. Nova Scotia changing to snow. Snow south
of Yarmouth and Halifax area ending by
late tonight and south of Sidney tomorrow
morning. Visibility poor in precipitation
improving to good as snow ends. Gulf of
Maine and southward: Northwest winds 30
to 35 miles an hour diminishing slowly to­
night to 15 to 20 miles an hour by morning.
* Weather partly cloudy except a few snow
’’ squalls
crrTmllc wa IT cnrav
well from chnvfi
away frnvn shore. Visibility
good except lowering occasionally to fair
•I* to poor in squalls.
I have abandoned ship, or at­
■ Miniature Almanac
(For 24 hours to 8 a. m. today)
Barometer 8 a. m. 29.90.
Barometer maximum 29.90.
' Barometer minimum 29.37.
Temperature 8 a. m. 30.
1 Temperature maximum 30.
Temperature minimum 20.
Average temperature 25.
Direction of wind 8 a. m. Northwest.
Sky 8 a. m. Clear.
Rainfall 30/100 of an inch.
Wednesday, February 20, 1952
(Tides computed for New Bedford)
Sunrise 6:35 a. m., sunset 5:22 p. m.
Moon rises 3:05 a. m.
High water 2:57 a. m.,_3:28 p. m.
, Low water 8:43 a. m., 8:51 p. m.
, Day of year 51.
Length of day 10 hours, 48 minutes.
■ Auto lamps should be lighted at 5:52 p. m.
MOON PHASES
’ New moon, Feb. 25. 4:16 a. m.
First quarter, March 3, 8:43 a. m.
Full moon, March 11, 1:14 p. m.
. quarter, March 18, 9:40 p. m.
JOHN J. FITZGERALD
Captain Fitzgerald, 41, cap­
tain of the Pendleton, lost Wn
the vessel shattered by yester­
day’s storm off Chatham.
sea’s, most poignant stories of
heroism as Coast Guards braved
the wild storm to remove the
crew.
Two Disappear
At least two disappeared be­
fore rescuers’ eyes, one as daring
Coast Guards removed the 32
from the stern section of the
tanker. Another life-j a c k e t e d
figure leaped into the boiling sea
and disappeared as Coast Guard
craft approached the Pendleton’s
separately drifting bow.
Coast Guards said they de­
tected no other sign of life on
the derelict bow, reported by sur­
vivors to have been occupied by
the captain and three mates.
A minute after the 32 were
taken off, the Pendleton’s stern
rolled over and sank in breakers
that crashed 25 to 30 feet high
on nearby North Chatham beach.
There had been 33 men on the
stern, but one missed a jump for
the motor lifeboat and was
crushed between it and the steel
hulk.
Shipmates said his name was
George Myers, address unknown.
The Short Splice, which has
been standing by the stern of the
Fort Mercer since early yester­
day, wired the Coast Guard in
Boston:
“We have just contacted the
stern. Thirty-three survivors.
Seem to be okay. Stern riding
good.”
The Fort Mercer’s plight had
been known earlier yesterday J
when the tanker radioed frantic­
ally for assistance, reporting her c
plates were cracking and that r
she was down by the stern. In t
the search for the Fort Mercer, i
the Pendleton’s plight became I
known. Disaster had overtaken
the Pendleton so suddenly, that
no call for assistance came from
her.
When a Coast Guard plane
found the Fort Mercer, reports
said her boat davits were empty,
indicating some of her crew may
tempted to do so by lifeboats.
The Short Splice, was the first
surface craft to reach the Fort
Mercer and attempts to get lines
to her before she broke in two
were unsuccessful. The freighter
then stood by, between- the two
storm-driven sections, unable to
help because of rough seas.
Both tankers are of American
registry. The Pendleton was
loaded with domestic cargo and
was enroute from Baton Rouge
to Portland. It is owned by Na­
tional Bulk Carriers of 630 5th
Avenue, New York.
The Fort Mercer, owned by the
Trinidade Corporation of 100
West 110th Street,, Wilmington,
xxvtn kjlxuci ry Axuaingtvii, ®
was destined for Boston at the5
time of the tragedy. 2
 LATEST
CLOSING QUOTATIONS

FIVE CENTS

ue at Sea
I —‘
33 Taken From Drifting
Stern of Fort Mercer
By Guard Cutters
Two oil tankers were broken in half off Chatham yes­
terday with a death toll of 15 and 69 crew members were
rescued through valiant efforts of Coast Guards. Last of
the 33 men adrift on the stern of the tanker Fort Mercer
were taken to safety aboard the i
Coast Guard cutter Eastwind late I |\’ _ A..1
this afternoon
In Cape Cod’s most serious
I ||V 1/IOS UUl
J Iriyj VUI
maritime disaster sin
War IT, the tank
and Fort Mercer
two. leaving tbsir com bin ad
crews of 84t men adrift in the
heavy seas.
Soon after the 33 men were Driving Conditions
taken by liferafts from the stern
of the 10,000-ton tanker, the Remain Hazardous
storm-battered hulk began to
capsize.
Coast Guards saved 32 men in New Bedford continued to dig
a daring rescue from the Pendle­ itself out from under yesterday’s
ton last night. One crewman was blinding blizzard which left 8%
known dead. Eight are reported
missing from the 10,000-ton ves­ inches of snow and crippled
sel, which had a complement of transportation in the entire area.
41 men. Although public utilities re­
Unable to Reach Lifeboats ported a return to normal, road
The Fort Mercer had a crew conditions throughout the section
of 43 aboard and six of these re­ continued to be hazardous and
portedly perished when they State Police cautioned against
‘leaped from the tossing bow and unnecessary driving on the high­
missed the bouncing liferafts put ways. No additional deaths or
out by the Coast Guard cutter serious accidents as a result of
Yakatat. the storm were reported today.
Thirty-three survivors were Hundreds of autos remained
- said to be aboard the stern of jmarooned in deep snow and
. the Fort Mercer. , drifts and highways, were packed
'1 The cutter Eastwind radioed down with a hard coating of snow
she took survivors off the Fort and ice, making driving hazard­
‘Mercer’s stern by life rafts. Sev­ ous. ' Generally, highways and
eral of the crewmen jumped onto secondary roads in the area have
the rafts, then climbed up a Ja­ been plowed.
cob’s ladder to the cutter’s deck. More Snow Possible
All appeared in good condition
and walked about the deck spirit- The threat of more snow to­
I edly. morrow was imminent today as
Forward end of the stern the Boston Weather Bureau fore­
wreck was submerged. Waves cast increasing cloudiness with
; washed the windward port side possible snow or rain tomorrow.
. and raced across the deck. The forecast for Massachusetts,
_ “It is apparent all hands will Rhode Island and Connecticut
be removed safely,’’ the East­ calls for sunny weather with little
wind radioed to shore at 2:30 change in temperature today and
p. m., as the first of the men were fair weather, turning to cloudy,
removed to the cutter. tonight.
The Eastwind had taken a posi­ Driving conditions continued
tion to windward of the tanker from fair to poor on State high­
and began floating batches of life­ ways and State Police were dis­
rafts to the shattered hulk on couraging all unnecessary travel.
ropes. The cutters Yakutat and Main roads generally have been
Acushnet stood by in the event cleared and sanded and many
, of a new emergency. (Continued oil Page 2)
- In New York, the Moran Tow­
ing and Transportation Company,
Inc., reported two seagoing tugs,
the Foundation Josephine owned Standard-Times
, by Foundation Maritime, Ltd., of
I Halifax, and Moran’s M. Moran, Issued Friday
» are enroute to take the two sec-
j tions of the Mercer in tow. A holiday edition of The
, The cutter Yakutat then re- Standard-Times will fee pub­
j ported taking four survivors off lished Friday, Washington’s
the bow of the Mercer before it Birthday. Your regular Stand­
> overturned in heavy seas. The ard-Times newspaperboy will
j message said the Yakutat planned deliver it to your home by 8
. to sink the wreckage with gun 1 a. m.
, fire. . The holiday edition will be
Rescued by the cutter were the | on sale at all regular news­
. Fort Mercer's captain. F. C. C. dealers.
I Paetzel of Houston, Texas; sec- Subscribers will confer a fa­
3 ond mate Willard Fahrner of vor if they will notify The
>. I Winthrop, third mate Vincent A. delay in delivery.office of any
Standard-Times
(Continued on Page 2j -------------------------------------------
e
y
n
i-
New Bedford Man Reported
>t
Aboard the Fort Mercer
e
e A New Bedford man was reported aboard the Fort Mercer
r- adrift in two sections off Nantucket as tales of tragedy and hero­
e ism were told of the brilliant night-time rescue of crewmen from
the battered Pendleton. The New Bedford man is Samuel Barboza.
38, of 28 Hillman Street, who has
followed the sea for 18 years and
tos of 36 Acushnet Avenue. Mr.
i- has been a steward on the Mer­ Barboza
if cer for the last eight years. ’s mother, Mrs, Anna
I- His wife, Mrs. Palmira Bar­ Freetown. lives on Braley Road,
Barboza,
boza, left their home here sev­
i- eral days ago for Portland, Me., Frank Fauteux, 27, of Attle­
where she was to meet him. A boro was on watch on the Pen­
sister of Mr. Barboza, Mrs. Flora dleton with Vernon Collins of
Jones of 167 Cedar Street, said Brooklyn in the engine room
the Mercer was due in Portland when the mishap occurred.
yesterday. “I felt a sudden scraping and
Was Home on Vacation vibration and thought we’d run
aground,” Fauteux, a whiskered
“My brother was home on va­ veteran of nine years at sea, said.
cation all during December and “That was about 6 a. m.
returned to New York, the Mer­ “We completed our engine
cer’s home port, Jan. 9,” she said. room watch at 8, then went down
“He wrote his wife he was due again at 4 in the afternoon and
in Portland yesterday and she stayed until we were ordered to
went there to meet him. It was go topside when the lifeboat ar­
her custom to travel to various rived.
ports along the East Coast to “I went down again once more
meet him when his ship docked, about 5:45 to check the water in
and they would stay together un­ the boilers. We had enough
til his vessel sailed again. trouble without having the ship
“We have sent Mrs. Barboza blow up.
e word of the Mercer’s plight, but “At that time I saw the water
she is snowbound in Portland rising through the double bot­
and has not been able to get back toms. I was one of the last four
home.” Mrs. Jones said the Bar­ men off the ship.”
bozas have no children.
Steward Barboza has a brother, Douglas B. Potts, 31. of Pasa­
Joseph of this city, who has been dena, Texas, said the Pendleton
a seaman for years. There are “broke in half—all of a sudden—
also two other sisters, Mrs. Eve­ about 5:50 a. m.”
lyn Barboza of 4488 Acushnet “I looked out and saw the how
Avenue, and Mrs. Dorothy San­ of the boat floating to port,” he
said.
Ray Sybert of Norfolk, Va., the
Pendleton’s chief engineer, said
the noise of the vessel breaking
up sounded “like the roar of,
thunder.”
“The seas were breaking in
every direction,” he said. “The
tanker cracked right through No.
8 hold, just forward of midship.
Right up to that time we had no
warning anything was wrong.”
Sybert had great praise for the
Coast Guard rescue crew.
“Their work was nothing short
of miraculous,” he said. “Here
were four young men (of the
Coast Guard lifeboat crew) work­
ing in the dark against terrific
odds. We will be indebted for­
ever to the Coast Guard.”
Boatswains mate, 1st class, Ber­
nard C. Webber, who was in
charge of the 36-foot open life­
boat, said about the rescue:
“We lost our windshield on the
way out. The snow kept hitting
my face so hard I could hardly
keep my eyes open. I couldn’t see
much and had to steer mostly by
instinct.
“I was strapped to the wheel so
I Wouldn’t get tossed overboard.
The other men were knocked to
the deck time after time. I
thought several times I had lost
my whole crew. They looked like
goners, but they managed to hold
on.
“Some of the men from the
stern of the Pendleton were
half-handed down to us. The
others had to make clear jumps.
“The ver ylast was a big guy
they called “Tiny.” (He was later
identified as 350-pounder George
Myers).
“He got on our boat but fell
off. Just then a big wave caught
us and we banged against the
side of the tanker. He was
crushed.
“We had to let him go to save
anybody, but that guy died a
hero. He handed down probably
half the survivors we did get.”
Oliver Gendron, 47, of Chester,
Pa., one of 32 men rescued from
the tanker Pendleton, said he
owed his life to a poker game.
Gendron was saved because he
spent Sunday night in the aft
section of the ship instead of
forward in his regular quarters.
“I bunked with the engine
crew because the seas were so
rough the boys wouldn’t let me
go forward on the catwalk after
the game,” Gendron said. “I feel
like the luckiest guy in the
world.”
The eight men who were
trapped on the bow of the split
tanker were believed to have
perished.
 Missing Skipper
15 Lost as 2
Tankers Split
(Continued from Page 1)
Caldon of Bayonne, N. J., and
Edward E. Turner Jr., of Long
Island, N. Y.
This afternoon the Yakutat
asked the cutter Eastwind for
permission to put into Newport
to land the four survivors. The
message said one of the men
needed hospitalization.
The Fort Mercer’s bow was last
reported 60 miles southeast of
Nantucket while her stern was
55 miles southwest of the bow.
The Mercer is drifting helplessly
off the island.
In Boston, a Coast Guard board
of inquiry was being assembled
today to investigate the tragedy.
The Coast Guard said both tank-
, ers were of the type T-2 Sea I JOHN J. FITZGERALD
tanker turned out by the hun­ Captain Fitzgerald, 41, cap­
dreds during World War II. They tain of the Pendleton, lost on
are 502 feet long and carry 1450 the vessel shattered by yester­
• tons of oil, in addition to their day’s storm off Chatham.
own fuel requirements.
Coast Guard records indicate at a point between Pollock
• that 523 of these welded tankers made lightship and Chatham Bar.
• were built between 1943 and 1945, Rip Meanwhile, a second motor
, and that of those under Ameri­ lifeboat, which had put out from
can registry, eight were lost the Stage Harbor base, swung
through “shell fracture.” down around Monomoy Point to
Attempts have been made to ai j in Fort Mercer search
make the tankers safer by replac­ and came upon the bow section
ing certain welded sections with of the Pendleton. The Pendleton
’ riveted sections which will “give” is listed as 10,000 tons gross and
under stress. is out of Portsmouth, Del.
A 36-foot motor lifeboat from One tragedy marred the res­
‘ the Chatham Lifeboat Station cue. George Myers of West Vir­
pulled 32 seamen from death ginia, one of three to miss the
aboard the Pendleton, the last to safety of the lifeboat as they
leave clambering aboard the res- leaped from the wrecked Pendle-
cue boat just a scant minute be- n ™lk> was pushed between
. fore the stern hulk of the tanker ™ the lifeboat and the Pendleton.
overturned and sank. eboat men strove to extricate
3 Sections Riding High his 320-pound body from the wa­
The three remaining sections ter but he had slipped under be­
of the two tankers were reported fore he could be saved.
riding high in the heavy seas. Not Reported
The stern of the Fort Merce? Until late yesterday, it was not
was reported in good condition. known that there were two tank­
Another Chatham lifeboat late ers in distress. Fate of the
Pendleton, which was not re­
’ last night was searching waters ported until last night, might
' near the bow section of the nave been unknown except for
• Pendleton after a lone man was a daring Coast Guard pilot who
aboard the hulk had jumped into cer. searching for the Fort Mer­
’ the sea. This morning, after an The pilot flew so low through
18-hour vigil, the lifeboat was re- swirling snow he could read the
' turning to Chatham, listing no Pendleton ’s name on the sepa­
. survivors. bow and stern sections.
The Pendleton, for which Coast rated The Coast Guard said it was
Guard authorities said they had deemed more practical to attempt ‘
been asked to be on the alert to the stern of the Mercer -
since she was reported overdue intotow port than to try to remove
at Boston out of Baton Rouge, the men in the rough ocean.
| La., broke in two without warn­ ..The hazardous task of rescuing I
ing at 6 a. m. yesterday, crew the 33 men was in the hands of I
members said. For more than 12 >a?lairV.°- A- Peterson, skipper ,
hours, the two sections, the small­ of the Eastwind.
er stern section and the bow, She replaced the cutter McCul­
floated off Chatham. loch which was ordered back to
Names Captain Boston. The McCulloch reported
First Engineer Raymond F. Sy- R? of life aboard the bow of 1
bert of Norfolk Va., said the cap­ the aground
Pendleton which was i
1 500 yards off Pollock ,
tain was John F. Fitzgerald of
Boston. The radio operator’s Rip Lightship.
The McCulloch earlier had ra- '
c
name, he believed, was Greer dioed it was abandoning its *
and the chief mate’s name, Moe. watch of the apparently life-less
Others he was unable to identify. bow section of the Pendleton and
Coast Guards said they first proceeding to Fort Mercer
sighted the stern section as it to lend a hand the if needed in the
appeared ground off North Beach rescue operations.
not far from the old Coast Guard | Rip Lightship was The Pollock
directed to
station. Strong winds and waves, maintain a watch over the Pen­
carried the hulk farther along dleton’s bow.
and seaward until the rescue was Coast Guard announced
that the cutter Yakutat was in
charge of operations at the Fort
The Calendar. Mercer and would decide on
when and how such efforts would
Weather proceed.
NEW BEDFORD AND CAPE R*?c?e of 32 Ulen from the
COD: Fair and seasonably Pendleton provided one of the
■ cold tonight. Mostly cloudy seas most poignant stories of
tomorrow followed by a little heroism as Coast Guards braved
very light snow. Lowest to­ the wild storm to remove the
night in middle 20s. Small crew.
craft warnings are displayed. Two Disappear
Northwest winds 20 to 25 miles
an hour tonight. Moderate to At least two disappeared be­
fresh northwest winds tomor- fore rescuers’ eyes, one as daring
* row. coast Guards removed the 32
* Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode
from the stern section of the
■’-Island: Fair and continued seasonably cold tanker Another life-j a c k e t e d
* tonight. Increasing cloudiness late tonight. figure leaped into the boiling sea
Cloudy and rather cold tomor­ and disappeared as Coast Guard
row followed by a little very
light snow. Winds diminishing craft approached the Pendleton’s
slightly tonight.
Boston: Fair and continued
separately drifting bow.
. seasonably cold tonight. Low- Coast Guards said they de­
. est temperature tonight in middle 20s. tected no other sign of life on
Mostly cloudy tomorrow followed by a little the derelict bow, reported by sur­
light snow. Continued rather cold tomor-
‘ row. vivors to have been occupied by
New Hampshire and Vermont: Fair and the captain and three mates.
■ continued rather cold tonight. Increasing A minute after the 32 were
cloudiness and continued cold tomorrow.
Maine: Fair and continued cold with taken off, the Pendleton’s stern
slowly diminishing northwest winds tonight. rolled over and sank in breakers
* Fair and continued rather cold tomorrow that crashed 25 to 30 feet high
* but with increasing cloudiness in south-
- west portion. on ”earby North Chatham beach.
Winds The Short Splice, which has
* Eastport to Block Island: Small craft been standing by the stern of the
warnings displayed. Northwest winds 30 to *ort Mercer since early yester­
” 40 miles an hour with gusts in the 40s
' diminishing only slightly tonight. Twenty day, wired the Coast Guard in
* to 30 mile-an-hour northwest winds to- Boston:
' morrow diminishing to moderate over “We have just contacted the
* south portion. Fair weather with good visi­
bility through tonight and over north por- stern. Thirty-three survivors,
■• tion tomorrow. Cloudy tomorrow followed oeem to be okay. Stern riding
- by very light snow and good to fair visi- good.” 6
>■ foillty over the south portion.
Extended Forecast The Fort Mercer’s plight had '
Temperature in New England during the been known earlier yesterday *
next five days will average near the sea­ when the tanker radioed frantic- *
sonal normal. Continued seasonably cold ally for assistance, reporting her
through the period. Some normals for the
’ period are Boston 30, Providence 30, Nan- plates were cracking and that
” tucket 31, New Haven 30, Concord, N. H., she was down by the stern. In *
’ 24, Burlington 21. Portland 25. Eastport 23, the search for the Fort Mercer
* Greenville 16, and Presque Isle 15.
Precipitation will total more than 7/10 the Pendleton’s plight became
inches melted occurring as snow in North­ known. Disaster had overtaken
ern New England and as snow or rain in the Pendleton so suddenly, that
■ Southern New England tomorrow and again no call for assistance came from
. toward the end of the week.
Marine Forecast her.
Forecast for the waters east of New When a Coast Guard plane
“ England and south of Nova Scotia: Intense ^be Fort Mercer, reports
storm centered just a little east of Sable said her boat davits were empty
Island is expected to continue slowly east­ indicating some of her crew may
ward. South of Nova Scotia: North to
northwest winds 40 to 50 miles an hour have abandoned ship, or at-
diminishing slowly tonight and to 35 to 40
■ miles an hour by morning. Weather over­ teSPted t0 d0 so by bfeboats.
cast with rain and sleet south of Eastern I The Short Splice was the first
Nova Scotia changing to snow. Snow south surface craft to reach the Fort
of Yarmouth and Halifax area ending by Mercer and attempts to get lines
late tonight and south of Sidney tomorrow
morning. Visibility poor in precipitation to her before she broke in two
‘ improving to good as snow ends. Gulf of were unsuccessful. The freighter
■ Maine and southward: Northwest winds 30 then stood by, between the two
* to 35 miles an hour diminishing slowly to-
1 night to 15 to 20 miles an hour by morning. storm-driven sections, unable to
Weather partly cloudy except a few snow help because of rough seas.
squalls well away from shore. Visibility Both tankers are of American
good except lowering occasionally to fair
■ to poor in squalls. registry. The Pendleton was
loaded with domestic cargo and
Miniature Almanac was enroute from Baton Rouge
(For 24 hours to 8 a. m. today) to Portland. It is owned by Na-
Barometer 8 a. m. 29.90. tional Bulk Carriers of 630 5th I
Barometer maximum 29.90. Avenue, New York.
Barometer minimum 29.37.
Temperature 8 a. m. 30.
■ Temperature maximum 30.
Temperature minimum 20.
Average temperature 25.
Tanker in County
. Direction of wind 8 a. m. Northwest. The ill-fated tanker Fort
Sky 8 a. m. Clear. Mercer, which broke apart in
Rainfall 30/100 of an inch. heavy seas off Cape Cod, has
Wednesday, February 20, 1952 delivered cargo to Bristol
(Tides computed for New Bedford) County. The vessel docked at
Sunrise 6:35 a. m.. sunset 5:22 p. m.
Moon rises 3:05 a. m. the Shell Oil Company wharf
High water 2:57 a. m., 3:28 p. m. and again at the Montaup Elec­
Low water 8:43 a. m., 8:51 p. m. tric Company pier in Fall
Day of year 51.
Length of day 10 hours. 48 minutes. River. On both occasions it
Auto lamps should be lighted ^t 5:52 p. m. was visited by Milton F. Stew­
MOON PHASES art, in charge of the New Bed­
„ New moon, Feb. 25, 4:16 a. m. ford office of the U. S. Immi­
First quarter. March 3, 8:43 a. m. gration and Naturalization
: Full moon. March 11. 1:14 p. m.
. liast quarter, March 18, 9:40 p. m. Service. |3
 Crew Lists of Tankers
These are the complete crew lists of the tankers Mercer and
Pendleton. The lists were compiled by The Standard-Times from
facts made available through the Associated Press, United Press,
International News Service and The Standard-Times Cape Cod
Bureau and New Bedford editorial staff. / 9f
Fort Mercer Pendleton
F. C. C. Paetzel, master, Houston, Texas. Captain John J. Fitzgerald, 40, of 105
Jack T. Brewer, chief mate, Nixon Wellsmere Road, Roslindale,
Park. N. J. First Mate Moe, Jacksonville, Fla.
Willard F. Fahrner, 32, second mate, of
550 Pleasant Street, Winthrop. Second Mate Colgan, New Orleans.
Vincent A. Caldon, 3d mate, Bayonne, Third mate, name unknown, but known
N. J. to be a resident of Jacksonville Beach,
Gilbert J. Murphy, 48, fireman-water Fla., and making his second cruise.
tender, of RFD 2, Alton, N. H.
Samuel Barboza. 38, steward of 28 Hill­ Radioman Greer, Buffalo, N. Y.
man Street, New Bedford. Seaman Landry, New York City.
Thomas J. Gill, 31, 2d assistant engineer, Seaman Gatting, Jacksonville, Fla.
of 131 Nashua Street, Milford, N. H., for­
merly of Quincy. Seaman Billy Moran, Corpus Christi,
Byron L. Mathewson, 28, wiper, of 112 Texas.
Rumford Street, Concord, N. H. Elden Hannan, Arnett, Okla.
Wilfred J. Heroux, 57, boatswain, of 251 J. J. Hicks, Jacksonville, Fla.
Providence Street, Woonsocket, R. I. T. W. Southerland, Port Arthur, Texas.
Alanson S. Winn, 40, wiper, of 112 High­ Raymond J. Sybert, Norfolk, Va.
land Street, Marlboro. Gerald Russell, Columbiaville, Mich.
Thomas A. McCoy, 51, water tender of E. Rollo Kennison. Kalamazoo, Mich.
81 Burnside Street, Providence. M. Flores of 528 Phelip Street, New Or­
Lionel Dupuis, 28, of 96 Harbor Terrace, leans.
Fall River. Ray Steele of 1513 Barrone Street, New
John V. O’Reilly, radio operator, Staten Orleans.
Island, N. Y. C. W. Bridges, Baldwin, Fla.
Edward E. Turner Jr., purser, New J. E. Young of 1911 40th Street, Galves­
Gardens Hills, L. I. ton, Texas.
Teodoro Echeverria, Brooklyn, N.‘ Y. Edward C. Brown of Route 2, Vincent,
Julio Molina, New York City.
Luis D. Jomidad, quartermaster, Balti­ Ala.
more. A. B. Ponsell, Jacksonville, Fla.
Hurley W. Newman, quartermaster, E. A. Gallagher of 2602 Dickson Street,
Memphis. Orlando. Fla.
Louie Culver, quartermaster, Corpus Lorando Mailiho of 2731 Onnaga Street,
Christi, Texas. New Orleans.
Ralph W. Jago, New Orleans. Vernon Collins of 628 East 17th Street,
Luis G. Gilces. New York. Brooklyn, N. Y.
Robert Mackenzie, Houston, Texas. Frank Fauteux, 27, of Bishop Street,
Arthur J. Hendrichson, San Diego. Attleboro.
Ramon S. Rodriguez, New York. Albert L. Johnson, Long Beach, Miss.
Jerome C. Higgins, Manitowec, Wis. ' Douglas B. Potts of Box 367, Pasadena,
Jesse L. Bushnell, chief engineer, Pasa­ Texas.
dena, Texas. Fred R. Brown of 136 Cumberland Ave­
Howard S. Colby, 1st assistant engineer, nue, Portland, Me.
Houston, Texas. Domingo F. Garcia, 1213 Marguerite
Charles J. Duprey, 2d assistant engineer, Street, Corpus Christi, Texas.
Pontiac, Mich.
Joseph Fink Jr., 3d assistant engineer, Joseph W. Zesotarski of 126 Summer Ave­
Malakoff, Texas. nue, Central Falls, R. I.
Earl T. Smith, electrician, Philadelphia. Mike Falfua of 91 Drummer Street, San
Tony Rovlra, chief pump man, New Or­ Francisco, Cal.
leans. Oliver Gendron of 2725 Curran Street,
Chester M. Brodackl, 2d pump man, Chester, Pa.
Houston, Texas. D. A. Brown of 5514 Downing Street,
Jerald E. Rader, oiler, San Francisco. New York City.
Arthur M. Cunningham, oiler, Camas, Carroll Kilgore, 16, of 61 Deering Street,
Wash. Portland, Me.
Michael Chawley, Houston. Texas. A. Baltazar of 2725 George Street, Phila­
Massie Hunt, wiper, New Orleans. delphia.
Vincent Aguirre, chief cook, New Or­ Henry Anderson of 735 Wiltz Street, Al­
leans.
Vidal Lunod, second cook, New Orleans. giers, La.
Alphonse Chauvin, galleyman, New York. F. Onno of 528 Carlton Avenue, Brook­
Coit A. Howard, messman, of 429 North lyn, N. Y.
Main Street, Bristol, Conn. Arthur Schuster, Greeley, Pa.
Lawrence Whilley, messman, New Or­ Wallace B. Quirey, Millburn, Okla.
leans. Fred Baker of 45 West Baltimore Ave­
C. W. Hindsley, utilityman, Houston, nue, Clifton Heights, Pa.
Texas. Aguinol B. Oliveira, 5 Valentine Street,
John Braknls, utilityman, Philadelphia. Roxbury.

Rescued at Sea
This is the list of crewmen res­
cued by Coast Guards from the
broken tankers.
Pendleton
Elden Hanman.
J. J. Hicks.
T. W. Southerland.
Raymond J. Sybert.
Gerald Russell.
E. Rollo Kennison, hospitalized.
M. Flores.
Ray Steele.
James E. Young.
Edward C. Brown.
Aaron Ponsell, hospitalized.
E. A. Gallagher.
Lorando Mailho.
C. W. Bridges.
Vernon Collins.
Frank Fauteux.
Albert L. Johnson.
Douglas B. Potts.
Fred R. Brown.
Domingo F. Garcia.
Joseph W. Zesotarski.
Oliver Gendron.
Mike Faifau.
David A. Brown.
Carroll Kilgore.
A. Baltazar. ,
Henry Anderson.
F. Onno.
Arthur Schuster.
Wallace B. Quirey.
Fred Baker.
Aguinol B. Oliveira.
Mercer
F.C.C. Paetzel.
Edward E. Turner Jr.
 Crew Lists of Tankers
These are the complete crew lists of the tankers Mercer and
Pendleton. The lists were compiled by The Standard-Times from
facts made available through the Associated Press, United Press,
International News Service and The Standard-Times Cape Cod
Bureau and New Bedford editorial staff.
Fort Mercer -Hx - ^Pendleton^X
F. C. C. Paetzel, master, Houston, Texas.
Jack T. Brewer. chief mate, Nixon
Park. N. J.
Willard F. Fanrner, 32, second mate, of
550 Pleasant Street, Winthrop.
Vincent A. Caldon, 3d mate, Bayonne,
N. J.
Gilbert J. Murphy, 48. fireman-water
tender, of RFD 2, Alton, N. H.
Samuel Barboza, 38, steward of 28 Hill­
man Street, New Bedford.
Thomas J. Gill, 31, 2d assistant engineer,
of 131 Nashua Street, Milford, N. H., for­
merly of Quincy.
Byron L. Mathewson, 28, wiper, of 112
Rumford Street, Concord, N. H.
Wilfred J. Heroux, 57, boatswain, of 251
Providence Street, Woonsocket, R. I.
Alanson S. Winn,. 40, wiper, of 112 High­
land Street, Marlboro.
Thomas A. MeCoy, 51, water tender of
81 Burnside Street, Providence.
Lionel Dupuis, 28, of 96 Harbor Terrace,
Fall River.
John V. O’Reilly, radio operator, Staten
Island, N. Y.
Edward F. Turner Jr., purser, New
Gardens Hills, L. I.
Teodoro Echeverria, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Julio Molina, New York City.
Luis D. .Tomidad, quartermaster, Balti­
more.
Hurley W. Newman, quartermaster,
Memphis.
Louie Culver, quartermaster, Corpus
Christi. Texas.
Ralph W. .Iago. New Orleans.
Luis G. Gilces, New York.
Robert Mackenzie, Houston, Texas.
Arthur J. Hendrichson, San Diego.
Ramon S. Rodriguez, New York.
Jerome C. Higgins, Manitowec, Wis. '
Jesse L. Bushnell, chief engineer, Pasa­
dena, Texas,
Howard S. Colby, 1st assistant engineer,
Houston,. Texas.
Charles J. Duprey, 2d assistant engineer,
Pontiac, Mich.
Joseph Fink Jr., 3d assistant engineer,
Malakoff, Texas.
Earl T. Smith, electrician, Philadelphia.
Tony Rovira, chief pump man, New Or­
leans.
Chester M. Brodacki, 2d pump man,
Houston, Texas.
Jerald E. Rader, oiler, San Francisco.
Arthur M. Cunningham, oiler, Camas,
| Wash.
Michael Chawley, Houston. Texas.
Massie Hunt, wiper, New Orleans.
Vincent Aguirre, chief cook, New Or-
! leans.
Vidal Lunod, second cook. New Orleans.
Alphonse Chauvin, galleyman. New York.
Coit A. Howard, messman, of 429 North
Main Street, Bristol, Conn.
Lawrence Whllley, messman, New Or­
leans.
C. W. Hlndsley, utilitymsn, Houston,
Texas.
John Braknis, uiilityman, Philadelphia.
-------
Captain John J. Fitzgerald, 40, of 105
Wellsmere Road, Roslindale.
First Mate Moe, Jacksonville, Fla.
Second Mate Colgan, New Orleans.
Third mate, name unknown, but known
to be a resident of Jacksonville Beach,
Fla., and making his second cruise.
Radioman Greer, Buffalo, N. Y.
Seaman Landry, New York City.
Seaman Gatting, Jacksonville, Fla.
Seaman Billy Moran, Corpus Christi,
Texas.
Elden Hannan, Arnett, Okla.
J. J. Hicks, Jacksonville, Fla.
T. W. Southerland, Port Arthur, Texas.
Raymond J. Sybert, Norfolk, Va.
Gerald Russell, Columbiaville, Mich.
E. Rollo Kennison. Kalamazoo, Mich.
M. Flores of 528 Phelip Street, New Or­
leans,
Ray Steele of 1513 Barrone Street, New
Orleans.
C. W. Bridges, Baldwin, Fla.
J. E. Young of 191i 40th Street, Galves­
ton, Texas.
Edward C. Brown of Route 2, Vincent,
Ala.
A. B. Ponsell, Jacksonville, Fla.
E. A. Gallagher of 2602 Dickson Street-
Orlando. Fla.
Lorando Mailiho of 2731 Onnaga Street,
New Orleans.
Vernon Collins of 628 East 17th Street,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Frank Fauteux, 27, of Bishop Street,
Attleboro.
Albert L. Johnson, Long Beach, Miss.
Douglas B. Potts of Box 367, Pasadena,,
Texas.
Fred R. Brown of 136 Cumberland Ave­
nue, Portland, Me.
Domingo F. Garcia, 1213 Marguerite
Street, Corpus Christi, Texas.
Joseph W. Zesotarski of 126 Summer Ave­
nue, Central Falls, R. I.
Mike Faifua of 91 Drummer Street, San
Francisco, Cal.
Oliver Gendron of 2725 Curran Street,
Chester, Pa.
D. A. Brown of SSt-a Downing Street,
New York City.
Carroll Kilgore, 16, of 61 Deering Street,
Portland, Me.
A. Baltazar of 2725 George Street, Phila­
delphia.
Henry Anderson of 735 Wiltz Street, Al­
giers, La.
F. Onno of .528 Carlton Avenue, Brook­
lyn, N. Y.
Arthur Schuster, Greeley, Pa.
Wallace B. Quirey, Millburn, Okla.
Fred Baker of 45 West Baltimore Ave­
nue, Clifton Heights. Pa.
Aguinol B. Oliveira, 5 Valentine Street,
Roxbury.

Rescued at Sea
This is the list of crewmen res­
cued by Coast Guards from the
broken tankers.
Pendleton
Elden Hanman.
J. J. Hicks.
T. W. Southerland.
Raymond J. Sybert.
Gerald Russell.
E. Rollo Kennison, hospitalized.
M. Flores.
Ray Steele.
James E. Young.
Edward C. Brown.
Aaron Ponsell. hospitalized.
E. A. Gallagher.
Lorando Mailho.
C. W. Bridges.
Vernon Collins.
Frank Fauteux.
Albert L. Johnson.
Douglas B. Potts.
Fred R. Brown,
Domingo F. Garcia.
Joseph W. Zesotarski.
Oliver Gendron.
FAike Faifau.
David A. Brown.
Carroll Kilgore.
A. Baltazar.
Henry Anderson.
F. Onno.
Arthur Schuster.
W'allace B. Quirey.
Fred Baker.
Aguinol B. Oliveira.
Mercer
F.C.C. Paetzel.
Edward E. Turner Jr.
No Life Sighted
On Pendleton Bow
The Standa>d«Jrixaes Cod Bureau
CHATHAM, Feb. 20—Coast
Guards reported today, after an
inspection trip, that there was no
sign of life on the bow section of
the broken tanker Pendleton.
Thirty-two survivors were
taken from the stern section
Monday night.
“The incident is just about
closed,” Warrant Officer Daniel ■
W. Cluff, in charge at Chatham
Station, said. A continuing1
beach patrol will be run by the ,
station, he added, to retrieve any 1
bodies that might wash ashore.
co

5-
t.
7. Bow, Stern Sections
le
Of Pendleton Sold
,e Special to The Standard-Times
‘e NEW YORK, April 17 — Bow
and stern sections of the Pendle-
3 ton, the vessel which was wrecked
i off Chatham in a gale last month,
j have been sold to two separate
J purchasers, it was announced to-
) day in New York by National
J Bulk Carriers, Inc., prior owners
; of the ship.
5 The bow section has been pur-
’ chased by the Zenith Steamship
s Corporation of 17 Battery Place,
b New York, and the stern by H. B.
J Chait of 1607 Northern Parkway,
1 Baltimore.
2 Neither purchaser would com-
] ment on what disposition would
9 be made of its portion of the
3 wrecked boat. Attorneys for
J Zenith, however, Dow and Sym-
5 mers of this city, stated an an-
J nouncement would be made “in
2 a few days” as to the steamship
s firm’s plans for the bow.
J Only three valid bids were put
in for the two sections of the
Pendleton, according to a spokes­
man for National Bulk Carriers.
The bids had to be approved by
the U. S. Maritime Commission
and by underwriters. No mone­
tary value of the bids was di­
vulged. < •; . ;
Man Who Helped Raise Maine in Havana
Leads Salvage Work on Pendleton Bow

With its 72-ton deckhouse pushed out of position by constant action of the waves, the how
section of the tanker Pendleton is shown grounded 5 miles off the tip of Monomoy Point as
salvage operations began.
I------------------------------------ 1-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Standard-Times Cape Cod Bureau
CHATHAM, April 19—A cal- • \
culated gamble involving many
thousands of dollars is being con­
ducted 5 miles off Monomoy Point
where Captain George W. E. Mik-
kelsen of New York and an expert
salvage crew have been fighting
bad weather and constantly
mounting costs in an effort to
salvage the bow section of the
fractured tanker Pendleton.
The ship has been raised once,
but foundered soon after when
swift-running tides moved the
hulk against an under-water
ledge. Captain Mikkelsen has
little doubt that he can raise her
again successfully, but he may
wait until late Spring to make his
final bid to salvage the bow. Un­
settled weather conditions at this
time of year increase the hazards
of the operation, the captain said.
The Pendleton came to an un­
easy rest off Monomoy after split­
ting in two during a raging Feb­
ruary storm.
Early this month each section
was put up for sale by the tank-j
er’s owners, the National Bulk
Carriers.
• If Possible
The bow, after a preliminary
study, was bought, by a New York
steamship company. D. F. Mann,
port engineer for the company,
and Captain Mikklesen were told
to raise the Pendleton—if pos­
sible.
Getting the tanker up swiftly
was of utmost importance since
costs of maintaining a skilled
salvage crew, tugboats, together .
with much specialized equipment
rise with each day of operation.
A period of bad weather or un-
forseeable difficulties in bringing
the battered hulk up from its bed
of sand could leave the buyer
holding not only the hulk but the
proverbial bag.
In picking Captain “Mike”
Mikkelsen to head a crew of
divers, machinists and various
specialists, the steamship com­
pany was off to a promising start.
Captain “Mike” is a salty Dane
who chews 16 cigars a day. He’s
been in the salvage and boat­
building business ever since he
worked with his father in rais­
ing the battleship Maine sunk in
Havanna Harbor during the
Spanish-American War.
That famous ship was raised
about a decade later, towed out to
sea and was tendered a sea
burial. Captain Mikkelsen was
assistant to the president of a
shipbuilding company during the
war. He has done salvage work
on the Great Lakes, the East
Coast and in Europe and now has
a marine repairing and construc­
tion business in New York. He
didn’t expect, he said, that rais­
ing the Pendleton would be the
toughest job he ever tackled.
But whether it could be done
economically enough to pay the
steamship company was another
question.
Were Simple
In its elemental terms, the
problem and theoretical solution
were simple. Inspection showed
the bow section, comprising more
than half the ship, was aground,
its stern buried in the sand, its
bow afloat in about 19 feet of wa­
ter at low tide. It had a fore and
aft tilt of about 35 degrees.
To break the after end loose
from the And bar was the first
crucial problem. The captain
planned to make the compart­
ments water tight, then ballast
the ship to bring the bow down,
the stern up. Then, by maneu­
vering anchors and with the help
of the tugs Alert and Irene Mae,
he hoped to free the wreck.
After storing up pumps and
other equipment to compensate
for the 35-degree tilt, balast was
shifted early in the operations and
the bow brought down, the stern
up. The stern, however, still
remains under 4 feet of water.
The next move was to force air
into her six compartments to
make her buoyant, and to put
temporary patches around any
big holes.
Once freed and repaired, the
ship would await disposition by
its owners. Mr. Mann said the
company possibly may join a new
stern section to the bow, or sell
the bow to another company, or,
if necessary, scrap the remains.
Captain Mikkelsen estimated the
scrap value of the bow section
at about $60,000.
Besides Captain Mikkelsen’s
crew, Captain C. W. Fleming of
the New Bedford tug Alert and
Captain George C. Perry of Brook­
line, skipper of the Irene Mae
have been lending a hand in the
operation. Harold Hickey of 71
Elm Street, New Bedford, is cook
for the four-man crew of the
Boston salvage tug.
I Captain Joe Peters of Chatham
i is ferrying men and supplies fro’
the Fish Pier to the Pendie*-
22-mile round trip.
 Brookline Man Heads Effort nW?
to Salvage Bow of Pendleton
$18,000 G^Xle
With Time, Tide
May Pay a Million
By PAUL V. CRAIGUE
Half of a ship, resting in a
sandy underwater gully off
Chatham, is the scene of a sal­
vage operation equal to most in
history and fiction.
It’s a tremendous gamble—
about $18,000 against a possible
million.
The $18,000 was high bid
offered the National Bulk Car­
riers for the battered and
grounded bow section of the
tanker Pendleton, which was
smashed in halves by the north­
easter of Feb. 17-18.
If George C. Perry of Brook­
line can make the, hulk Ttuds
for towing to port jvithceit fur­
ther important dan age, its value
may climb close o $1,000,000.
The bow of the Pi idleton may
go to sea again. Under another
name. The rest of a new tanker
may be built onto it.
The Pendleton cost about
$3,500,000 when it was built by
Henry Kaiser in 1944. Replace­
ment of it today would cost be­
tween $4,500,000 and $5,000,000.
Of course, the after-half car­
ried most of the machinery, and
was worth more than the bow.
Nevertheless, the 300-foot bow
-------------------- ----- L_ .... .
SALVAGE OPERATIONS ON TANKER BOW — Tang ed tnass of pipe lines and
wrecked wheelhouse of tanker Pendleton, aboard which men .are working and living.
section will be worth plenty if
it’s usable as part of a ship.
Perry and his four crewmen
on the little salvage ship, “Irene
Mae,” almost accomplished the
near-miracle of getting the bow
off Pollock Rip Shoal in one
piece last week. They had one
big disappointment, but they’re
still on the job and confident.
Last Wednesday, the ninth
day of operation, the Pendleton
bow was resting lightly on a
sandy shelf eight miles south­
east of Chatham Light. The oil
and water in its holds had been
so transferred by pumps that
f.*'" half-ship had only a slight
list to starboard.
Perry »nd representatives of
the New v..’-?rk group which
bought the huh. -(greed that the
time was ripe for .the first at­
tempt to tow the bow- to port.
The tug Christine Moran was
ordered to the scene from- Port­
land. -
But the situation chang ed
overnight. The removal of
liquids and pumping of air into
some tanks must have shifted
the stresses so as to weaken the
bulkheads.
PENDLETON Page 44
PENDLETON
Continued, from the First Page
Water poured into the hulk, and
it settled back into the underwater
gully. The tug reached the scene
about 11 a. m. Thursday, after a fast
run. and had a towline on the Pen­
dleton bow in time for one of the
year’s peak tides. But it couldn't
budge the hulk.
Back to work went Perry. As soon
as it became apparent the first tow
attempt was a failure, he sent down
one of his divers, Richard M. Saun-'
ders of Goose Creek. Tex. for a new
analysis of the underwater situa­
tion.
Saunders made one very success­
ful dive in about 25 feet of chilly
water. Heavily weighted, he am­
bled through the sand for about
150 feet. He was able to make a
good report on the after half. Then
he started down again. By that
time the tide had started out.
The surge of the tide at Pollock
Rip is one of the swiftest and most
powerful anywhere.
Diver Whipped Away
Saunders must have weighed 500
pounds, with extra heavy weights
on his diving boots and in a sling
across his chest and back. But he
was whipped away as if he had
been a toothpick. Before Perry and
four other men got the descending,
air and communication lines under
control, the diver must have been
carried seaward 100 feet. When he
finally was hauled back aboard, he
and his rescuers were exhausted.
That’s the kind of peril Perry and
his four men have faced almost
constantly. Four of them are divers
—Perry, Saunders, Leonard Caldon
of 25 Farragut av.. Somerville, and
Herbert McLaughlin of Brighton.
Cook and hajifiv man about the
Irene MasztsHarNd Hickey of 171
Elm st., few Bedford.
Perry i\yrorking-the job on con­
tract. He wWSFcond highest bid­
der. When the Zenith Steamship
Company won the hulk, its en­
gineers asked to see Perry’s salvage
plans. They were so satisfied, they
put' the operation in his hands.
’ The basic plan was to level the
bow by shifting and removing its
' liquid cargo. Originally grounded
about four miles north of where it
1 is now, the bow was shunted south-
, ward by subsequent storms. It
1 came to rest four miles southwest
! of the Pollock Rip Lightship, with
1 the after end snagged on.the shoal
j and the peak of the ship jutting
, out of the water at an angle of
j about 45 degrees.
Much of Oil Usable
r The first job Was shifting the oil
eand water. This was accomplished,
2with about 1,680,000 gallons remain-
ring in the tanks. Engineers of the
-company went aboard Thursday
y and found that possibly 12.000 bar-
rels of Diesel oil appeared usable,
'•t
eThat’s 504.000 gallons.
s It had been hoped that this could
be brought into port and removed
■ at a dock. Now that mere shifting
of the cargo has proved insufficient,
| the next more is to attempt to re­
move the oil at sea. This is under­
way, with the fluid being pumped
into barges brought from Provi­
dence.
The water is too shallow for a
full-size tanker, as the plight of the
Pendleton’s bow illustrates sadly.
Law forbids disposal of the cargo
over the side that close to shore.
Too large a concentration of oil in
any one spot is a menace to navi­
gation and fish and bird life. Resi­
dents of Chatham say they have a
problem with the Pendleton already.
Gulls which rest in the water too
near the hulk have their feathers
smeared with oil. This coagulates
and hampers the birds’ flying.
Eventually, their wings become use­
less. They glide ashore and die of
starvation.
While seabirds have been trouble­
some to fishermen, destroying the
shellfish and forcing the men to go
elsewhere for bait, the gulls have
their value in that they are scaven­
gers and keep the water fairly clean.
Federal laws protect them for their
worth.
Victory May Be Near
Perry hopes that transfer of the
oil onto barges will so lighten the
hulk it can be towed into Provi­
dence. Once there, the bulkheads
can be strengthened to make it
seaworthy for a tow to New York
or wherever else a tanker would be
built around it.
The battle’s still going on, and this
week may see the Pendleton’s rust­
ing steel turned to gold for the sal­
vagers.
The ship is already part of an
epic. Thirty-two men were rescued
off the stern section in raging seas
near Chatham Bar on the night of
Feb. 18. Another man was lost, off
the stern and eight lost their lives
on or off the bow.
The stern is now hard aground
at the north tip of Bearse Shoal,
off the end of Monomoy Point, and
nov-haps six miles southwest of the
VtJ.
High bidder for the stern was a
Baltimore company. Perry, was
second bidder again, but history
may repeat itself, and he may wind
up with the job.
Some dozen poets, have worked
with variations of the truism, “Time
and tide wait for no man.”
The poets would have been given
an argument by George Perry.
Bow of Split Pendleton
Is Headed Here Under Tow
The bow section of the sea-torn Pendleton. 10,000-ton tanker
which split in two off Cape Cod early jn February with the loss of
nine crewmen, was being towed into this port this afternoon.
Docking of the huge section of the vessel, which had been partially
------------------------------------------ ; submerged off Monomoy Point
; since it sank, would successfully
. conclude a gamble that may earn
jits salvagers $50,000.
Recovered yesterday after ap­
proximately five hours of work,
the Pendleton’s bow was being
towed by the tugs Gorham H.
Whitney, the Alert III and the An­
ton Dohrn. all owned by Cutty­
hunk Boatlines, Inc., salvagers,
and a private tug. the Jack.
The operation to save the bow
began yesterday, following an
earlier attempt by other salvag­
ers to raise the bow.
The salvage operation, under
the direction of C. W. Fleming of
Fairhaven, was undertaken by;
nine men of the Cuttyhunk line,
who invested privately sufficient
funds to finance the project.
Waterfront sources today said ‘
the vessel was expected to be •
docked at State Pier about 3:45
p. m., coming in on the high tide.
Spokesmen here said the nine in­
vestors will return immediately
to Monomoy Point in an attempt
to raise the stern of the Pendle­
ton.
The first salvage crew tried to
pump water from the sunken
tanker after a cargo of oil had'
been taken off. The salvage at.-j
tempt failed. The employes i
of Cuttyhunk Boatlines, however, j
figured out how they could raise |
the section. The docking here
will be proof of their success. 1
Each one contributed money.
to get equipment for the venture. I
Then, instead of trying to pump:
out the vessel, they blew com­
pressed air into its undamaged
tanks. The Pendleton’s bow rose.
Refloated Section of Split Tanker Guided into Harbor

— —Standard-Times Staff Photo

Battered bow of the tanker Pendleton, severed amidships in a gale off Monomoy Point last February, is towed into
New Bedford harbor by salvage tugs.
----------------------- 1—r a juu 281357 ■— -------------------------------------

Keeper Boards Pendleton's

Salvaged Bow in Port Here
A keeper today was placed aboard the bow of the split-tanker
Pendleton after a libel was filed in the U. S. District Court at
Boston. The libel was brought by Crawford W. Fleming, the
Cuttyhunk Boftline, Inc., and Ernest J. Flood, New Bedford insur-
------------------------------------------ ance dealer. The three, repre­
sented by Attorney George P.
Ponte, claim title to the bow.
They also made an alternative
claim, the value of the salvage
which is placed at $250,000. A
deputy U. S. marshal libeled the
vessel.
Tugs of the Cuttyhunk Line
yesterday towed the battered bow
to State Pier here following the
successful salvaging feat in wa­
ters off Monomoy Point. The 225-
foot wave-wrenched section split
from the 10.000-ton vessel during
a severe February gale off Cape
Cod. Nine lives were lost.
3 Other Attempts Fail
The successful attempt of the
Cuttyhunk Boatline followed
three unsuccessful efforts on the
oil-laden bow by three other sal­
vaging concerns, one of them a
noted New York marine firm.
Mr. Flood, -one of the financial
backers in the enterprise, said
"considerable money” was in­
•r vested in the venture by Captain
Fleming, president of the boat­
?-
t- line, and four members of the boat
is line himself.
Captain Fleming, one of nine
te men who performed the difficul
:e task of raising the battered bow
d- ■knack of it, it once
said yesterday “we got the
was really quite
tx [easy. The difficult
at ■getting the sectionpart came in
es channel and bringing back intc
:e The company had been itworking here.”
approximately two weeks in pre­
te paring
d took us the salvage, but “it only
four hours to float her,”
Used Compressed Air
d The secret of their success,
n Captain Fleming and the crew
s stated, was the use of regulated
/ compressed air. Six air compres-
» sors were used to fill the sealed
) sections of the bow with air, he
i said. Pumping water out of sunk­
en hulls is the usual manner in
which they are raised. Captain
Fleming said, “This never would
have worked in this case.”
Mr. Fleming said the crew of
the tugs Gorham H. Whitney, Al­
bert III and the Anton Dohrn, all
used in refloating the 'section,
earlier agreed to “give financial
assistance” in buying equipment
for the job. Cost of the project
was estimated to be around
$5,000.
Mr. Fleming said he received
an early estimate the total value
of the Pendleton's bow was ap-
proxmately $100,000
Filled With Air
In describing the refloating
task, Mr. Fleming said three out
of Jour of the compartments in
the section wei. tailed -and then
filled with air. The actual opera­
tion took approximately 16 days,
though, he said, “it took no time
at all to raise her once the air
was in.
“The most difficult task was
finding deep enough water to get
her into the channel off Mono­
moy Point. The entire area is
shrouded with sandbars and
shoals and just about every exit
channel was blocked, being too
narrow to tug the bow through.
“We were working all the time
right out in the Atlantic Ocean
day and night. We had to take
the weather as it came. It came
calm and rough. There is no
breakwater to work behind and
there is no land near enough to
work from. (The Pendleton’s
bow and her stern section, still
off Monomoy Point, sank approx­
imately 1 mile from land).
“It took us three days, since
early Sunday, to jockey the bow
out of the shoaled-in-area. If we
missed a hightide, then we were
lost until the tide came up again
in 12 hours. This, of course, made
it difficult.
“With two-thirds of the sec­
tion filled with air and riding
fairly high, the wind and sea
threatened to ram her further in
shore or bang her up against
shoals and rocks. If we missed
getting her out we could do but
one thing—take the air out and
sink her again.
Resank 12 Times
“The bow section, with one of
her four compartments filled with
oil, was resank 12 different times.
Believe it or not I think—if I
have not miscounted—we got her
5 out of the cramped area on the
13th try,” Captain Fleming said.
The bow section finally was
5 moved out of the confined area
Wednesday noontime. With the
> aid of the tug Jack hired by the
1 local firm from a New York firm,
the ship’s section was taken un­
der tow and maneuvered to this
port, arriving at the south side
3 of State Pier at 4 p. m.
Mr. Fleming, skippering the
7 Anton Dohrn during the salvag­
ing job, said not a man of the
nine assisting in the operation
were hurt. “The tugs, however,
took quite a beating from the sea
and the shifting bow,” he added.
Extent of the damage caused
the Pendleton when she split in
two in February was evident
when she was refloated. The
t middle of the large ship, one of
two twin tankers sunk in the
same storm, was a twisted and
0 torn mass of steel. The ship’s
bridge and deck house literally
were hanging over the starboard «
7 side of the bow, being battered 1
out of shape by constant sea­ ir
i. pounding.

Waterfront observers doubt

the vessel can be refitted for serv­ 1
ice, though Mr. Fleming said 1
“there is still a good section of <
ship left.”
Whether the Cuttyhunk com­
pany will attempt now to raise
the stern section is undeter­
mined. Captain Fleming said “it
) could be done and it is there to
be done. It would cost more
S money, however.”
V
KS5., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1952 *
jthe section. “The court will de-1J
Salvagers of Pendleton Bow jcide that. U. S. marshal’s office ;
lhas the say now.”
A spokesman for the U. S.;
Continue Effort to Raise Stern i marshal ’s office in Boston told
The Standard-Times the bow sec­
tion would be removed if ob­
Despite litigations over title to the bow since ajuit was filed in jections were forthcoming. The
the bow section of the tanker, June in the U. S. District Court spokesman said persons express­
^gnSeltdn^now half subn^W^ed in Boston. The action was broughti ing sound objections could notify
by Captain Fleming and Mr J the w Federal
x- agency. Bert
---- West,,I
---------, said he
iH 'Tfl$ TVSushnet River Basin, ex­ Flood, claiming title to the sec-[city harb^master,
ecutive and employes of the Cut­ tion A dispute over ownership) see no objection not
XZdwould permit
to the the
section
now but would not permit the
tyhunk Boatline, Me., are at­ of the bow arose when other in- i salvaging company to pluCC
“aiyaging uuiupanj' place the
tempting to raise the stern of the terested parties claimed title. I stern section in this harbor.
Several objectors ^have said
vessel. Complain About Bow
The 10,000-ton tanker was one Additional complications haverstrong section
winds might cause the
to move, possibly'block*
of the two ships snapped in two 'developed over the twisted bowl
by a severe February gale off now just out of the channel on the mg the channel or striking near­
Chatham with the loss of nine by vessels.--------------------- . b
dves. Fairhaven side. Coast Guard and ★ CHOICE NIPS' ’’
Captain Crawford W. Fleming, U. S. Army Engineers stated sev­
lead of the Cuttyhunk line, was eral complaints have been re­
'eported off Monomoy Point with ceived against ‘‘dumping” the
L2 salvage workers attempting to
•aise the 250-foot stern section of bow in the channel. Authorities
he sea-torn hull. said, local boat owners, residents
Ernest J. Flood. New Bedford and waterfront personnel have
nsurance dealer and a financial complained the nearby - sub­
Dacker in the enterprise, said the
salvagers have been laboring merged section impedes naviga­
hree weeks in an effort to refloat tion and is an objectionable sight.
he stern, located approximately Flood-Fleming interests re­
lalf a mile off Monomoy Point. moved the section, at first a ob­
Shoals Impede Work ject of many sightseers, from the)
The shoal area off the point is south side of State Pier several ;
days after it was towed to this’
making salvage operation diffi­ port by Cuttyhunk tugs. The,
cult. Because of this hazard, in­ salvagers were billed $20 daily!
clement weather and occasional for dock rent at State Pier.
rough seas, Cuttyhunk workers, The bow was then towed across
whose novel salvaging efforts the channel to the Fairhaven
refloated the bow, indie iide, where it was partly sub-
?nt operations would rged. It remains there today.
time. . Flood said he has no juris-
aod said the Cut ction over the disposition of
oatlme^ ic., has
timore firm to scrap
on if and when it can be
nanuevered out of the treacher-
>us shoal area and raised. The
.ection will then be towed to
Baltimore, Mr. Flood said. Com-
)ressed air is being used to raise
he stern.
Meanwhile, Mr. Flood said, the
iow section is now under the
urisdiction of the U. S. marshal’s
>ffice, Boston, and will remain
inder its jurisdiction until dis­
pute over the title to the section
s settled by a Federal Court
/hen it convenes next month.
A keeper has been placed on
Return of Ship's
Bow Demanded
AUG 1 0 1952
Cuttyhunk Boat Lines
Sued Over Pendleton
BOSTON, Aug. 14 — Zenith
Steamship Corporation of New
York City filed a petition in Fed­
eral Court VfisLa.rday. seeking to
have the cotirt ordebtfiat the bow
of the Pendleton]* delivered
Originally the Cuttyhunk Boat
Lines, Inc., of New Bedford,
Crawford W. Fleming of Fairha­
ven and Ernest Flood of South
Middleboro had filed a salvage
claim against the Pendleton.
Zenith Steamship Corporation
also filed a cross-suit against
Cuttyhunk Boats Lines, Fleming
and Flood, charging that June 18
the defendants knowingly and
unlawfully boarded the Pendle­
ton and removed the bow section
of the vessel.
It was claimed by the New
| York corporation that it suffered
■ heavy damages due to expenses
for insurance and wharfage while
the vessel was in port at New
! Bedford.
Zenith asked permission of the
court to sell the bow of the
Pendleton, the proceds to be de­
posited in the registry of the
court, pending final adjudication
of the matters in dispute.
 5

^RD-TIMES, NEW BEDFORD, MASS., FRIDAY, AUGU

, owner of the vessel and cargo

ow and asked the court to so rule.
| He further asks the court to or­
der the sale of the Pendleton to
• satisfy his claim.

Claimant Files Esso Standard Oil Company, a

Delaware corporation filed a
claim for the cargo of Petroleum
products, valued at $50,000. The
asked permission of the
Gifford D. Warner Says company court to be a party to the suit to $
protect its interests. The bow of
He Took Possession the vessel is now in the custody
oPthe U. S. marshal at New Bed- (
Special to The Standard-Times iford.
ik ----------------------------
BOSTON. Aug. 15 — In connec-
tion with the civil suit-brought in |
Federal Court by the Cuttyhunk
Boat Lines. Inc., of New Bedford
against the SS Pendleton, Gifford
D. Warner filed a petition to in-'
tervene in the suit.
Warner stated in bis petition
that the Pendleton foundered off
the Monomy Point Coast Guard
Station on Feb. 18. 1952 and was
abandoned. On March 22. he said,
he took possession of the hull and
made preparation to raise it.
On June 10, Warner asserted,
the Cuttyhunk Boat Lines, Craw­
ford W. Fleming and Ernest
Flood took possession of the ves­
sel and towed it to New Bedford.
Warner stated he is the sole
Two Sue iof^hare
Of 'Pendletojy Bow
Special to
BOSTON, Aug. 16—Petition t
intervene in the civil suit of th
C-uttyhunk Boat Lines, Inc., o
New Bedford against the tanke
Pendleton was filed yesterday h
Federal Court by Max E. Chap
man of 252 Shaw Street, New Bed
ford and Raymond Davis of 8f
Cross Road, Dartmouth.
Chapman and Davis claim they
risked their lives with several
others to salvage the bow of the
Pendleton, which broke in two
off Chatham last February. They
asserted that Clarence Flores,
Cyrus Cormier and Crawford
Fleming joined with them in the
venture. Through their efforts,
the petitioners stated, the bow of
the. Pendleton was finally towed
to New Bedford on June 27.
The bow of the vessel is valued
at $125,000 and the cargo of pe
troleum products in the bow if
valued at $50,000, according to th<
petitioners. Chapman and Davi
ask the court to decree that the
be paid whatever sum the cour
determines for their part in th
salvage of the bow of the Pendl
ton.
PendletojyClaims
s Set
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Aug. 27—Judg.
George C. Sweeney in Federa
Court has ordered all claim:
| against the National Bulk Car
I tiers’ Inc., a Delaware corpo
; ration, as a result of the split-
I ting in two of the tanker Pendle­
ton off Chatham on Feb. 12, must
be filed in Federal Court by
Sept. 15.
One claim already has been
filed, that of Margarito L. Flores
of New Orleans. Flores seeks
$200,000. He claims he was
hurled into the water and suf­
fered a nervous shock. The
Pendleton sailed from New Or-
product11 3 10adAfil
National Bulk Carriers had
filed a petition for exoneration
from or limitation of liability.
 2 8 1952
-TIMES, NEW JEDFORD, i

PendletonJ
Salvagers*
File Reply
BOSTON, Aug. 29—Cuttyhunk
Boat Lines, Crawford W. Flem­
ing and Ernest Flood, who raised
the hull of the tanker Pendleton
off Chatham last Summer, filed
answer to the cross-suit brought
by the Zenith SS Corporation of
New York in Federal Court yes­
terday and asked the court to
dismiss the cross-suit.
It was averred by Cuttyhunk
Boat Lines, Fleming and Flood
they are the sole owners of the
hull and cargo of the tanker
which was split in two last Feb­
ruary.
They stated they went to con­
siderable expense to raise the
hull and salvage the cargo, utiV
izing salvage equipment. In view
of these asserted facts. Cutty­
hunk Boat Lines. Fleming and
Flood asked the court to dismiss
the cross-suit filed by Zenith.
Zenith had claimed it was sole
owner of the hull and cargo.
Pendleton Crewmen
Sue Tanker Owners
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Sept. 4 —Claims to­
taling $14,500 were filed yester-tp
day in Federal Court against the
owners of the tanker Pendleton, v
which split in two off Chatham on
Feb. 18. The claims were filed by
three members of the crew who
were injured when they were
plunged into the icy water.
Those filing claims are Fred
Brown, Portland, Me.. $5,000;
Henry Anderson. Algiers. La.,
$2,000. and Aguinal B. De Oli­
veira of Boston. $7,000.
A petition for exoneration from
or limitation of liability had been
filed by .the American Tankers
Corporation of Delaware, char­
terers of the Pendleton, and Na­
tional Bulk Carriers, Inc., New
York, owners of the tanker.
 ^GET RID OF IT
^dJbr twoVnonths, the bow of the
k 'Pendleton Jias been cluttering up New
“-Bedford's otherwise handsome harbor.
Tourists using the Fairhaven bridge have
been treated to a broadside of one of the
ugliest eyesores ever dumped into the
S? Acushnet River.
Up to now, its presence in the harbor
in has been nothing more than an offense
against the eyes. But with the coming of
the September storm season, the rusting,
unsightly hulk can become a danger to
the waterfront property and navigation.
A high wind could shift its location
and either drive it up against the
wharves on the Fairhaven shore or bring
it into the channel where it would men­
ace harbor traffic.
Ownership of the derelict is being
contested in a court action. While the
litigation is going on, the U. S. marshal's
office has supervision of the hulk, but
would be unable to move it without a
court order.
New Bedford's harbor master, who
gave the original authority for mooring
it in the harbor, could order the Pen­
dleton’s bow moved either out of or to
another location in the harbor. The
Coast Guard could step in if it became
or was adjudged a hazard to navigation.
But before either of these agencids need
act to rid the port of the hulk, there
is another course available to the city.
The simplest way to speed the day
when that eyesore is removed would be
a petition from the mayor or the city
solicitor asking an early decision by the
court which will determine ownership of
the hulk. Once ownership of the boat is
decided, it can be quickly moved out of
the harbor. The sooner it is removed the
safer the harbor will be.
£emth Firm,
Claims Bow
Of Pendleton
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Sept. 10—Zenith SS
Corporation of New Yorkucla|m-
ing to, be the rightfufzCwner ofS
the bow of the tanker jPendletony
filed an answer in Federal Cojwrf
yesterday to the rro^suit
brought against it by Cuttyhunk
Boat Lines, Inc., of New Bed­
ford.
Cuttyhunk Boat Lines, Inc.,
which towed the bow of the Pen­
dleton to New Bedford after the
tanker split in two off Chatham
last February, also claims to be
the legal owner of the bow. .
Zenith averred that it pur­
chased the bow from the National
Bulk Carriers, Inc., owner of the
Pendleton, and at no time aban­
doned the bow.
It was asserted by Zenith,
Cuttyhunk Boat Lines. Crawford
W. Fleming and Ernest Flood
were trespassers on the bow of
the Pendleton and had no right
to tow the bow to New Bedford,
Zenith asked the court to dis­
miss the cross-suit brought by
Cuttyhunk Boat Lines.
 SEP 1 2 1952

$5,060,000
Claim Frferi\
On l*endletoh
BOSTON^^-t3"(AP)_Dam­
age claims totaling $5,060,000
were filed in Federal Court to­
day, an aftermath of the sinking
of the tanker Pendleton which
broke in two off Cape Cod Feb.
18 with the loss of nine lives. I
Twenty-five crewmen ’of the'
tanker asked $4,310,000 in dam-i
ages claiming they were injured
in the disaster.
Administrators of the estates
of Herman Gatlin of Yazoo,
Mich., and Martin Koe of Jack­
sonville, Fla., who were lost in
• the breakup, asked $375,000 each
;for their survivors.
The claims were instituted
I shortly after National Bulk Car­
riers, Inc., owners of the vessel,
i filed a petition seeking exonera­
tion from liability.
Pendleton Owners
Sued for $85,000
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Sept. 16—Another
claim against the National Bulk
Carriers, Inc., owners of the
tanker Pendleton which split in
two off Chatham last February,
jwas filed yesterday in Federal
I Court by Ann Colgan of New
[York, administrator of the estate
, of Joseph Colgan, who was a
member of the crew.
Ann Colgan asks damages of
$85,000 in connection with the
I conscious suffering and death of
.Joseph Colgan.
Claims amounting to $5,060,000
were filed in court last Fridaj'.
MASS., TUESDAY, SEPTEMI

Pendleton Bow
Jo Be Shifted
Oil Will Be Removed
; At State Pier Site
» W3 0 J952
! Another journey is scheduled
’ for the bow section of the wave­
split tanker Pendleton, now half­
submerged off the Fairhaven
side of the Acushnet River. The
rusty section will be shifted!
' some time today or tomorrow
I from its present site to the State
I Pier, where it will be emptied of
-i approximately 2,000 barrels of
‘ heavy oil.
J Ernest J. Flood, local insur­
ance agent who helped finance
the salvaging operation of the
section, said the Stanley Oil
Company of New Bedford will
pump the oil.
Agreement was reached be­
tween the New Bedford firm and
the Esso Standard Oil of New
Jersey, original owners of the oil,
enabling the local firm to dispose
of the ship’s contents. The
agreement was sanctioned by the
U. S. marshal’s office in Boston. I
Actual disposition of the tank­
er, estimated to be worth in!/
scrap metal approximately $100.-
000, will bo decided in Federal
Court in Boston next Monday.
Mr. Flood and other claimants of
; the section said. The title to the
section has been in legal ques­
tion since it was salvaged by the
jCuttyhunk Boatlines, Inc., New
Bedford, several months ago off
: Chatham. The vessel section
has since been under the juris­
diction of the marshal’s office
pending court disposition.
Mr. Flood said the Pendleton’s
bow would be returned from
State Pier to its present position
after the oil has been emptied.
Local waterfront interests
have long objected to the posi-
, tion of the section in the Acush­
net River, arguing it is a threat
to navigation.
BEDFORD; MASS., OCTOBER
Oil Company Asks
Ruling onj Pendiet
Special to The St
BOSTON, Oct. 4—Esso Stand­
ard Oil Company, claimant to
the $50,000 cargo of petroleum
products aboard the tanker
Pendleton, which split in two off
Provincetown last February, has
asked the Federal Court yester­
day to rule that Gifford D. War­
5, 1952
ner of New Bedford has no right
to the cargo.
Esso denied it abandoned the
cargo at any time or that the
cargo was abandoned by the
original owner.
Pending before the court is
the suit of Cuttyhunk Boatlines,
Inc., of New Bedford, Crawford
W. Fleming and Ernest Flood
against the Pendleton for sal­
vage.
 9 More Enter Sui{
Against Pendleton
Special to The^t&'ffdard-Times
BOSTON, Oct. 9 — Judge
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. in Fed­
eral Court yesterday allowed
nine more men to appear as
plaintiffs with Cuttyhunk Boat­
«o lines, Inc., Crawford W. Flem­
ing and Ernest Flood in the civil
suit versus the tanker Pendle­
R LOO

ton. At stake is the ownership

of ’the $50,000 cargo.
The nine additional plaintiffs,
all from New Bedford, are Clar­
ence Flores, Fred Krol, Cyrus
Cormier, Roger H. Nadeau, Nor­
man J. Houle, Sam Dexter, Wal­
ter Key, Ernest P. Cormier and
Lloyd H. Davis.
 Sports I (the StmifrimVilimcs |_ Pages 15-26 |

NEW BEDFORD, MASS., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1952 *

Trial in Pendleton Flood against the tanker Pendle­ $50,000 cargo of petroleum prod­
ton, which split in two off Prov-( ucts. Cuttyhunk Boatlines, Inc.,
Suit to Resume Dec. 1 incetown last February, will be' and the two individual plaintiffs
resumed in Federal Court Dec. 1
Special to The Standard-Times before Judge Charles E. Wyzan- said they are entitled to the car­
BOSTON, Oct. 8—The trial of ski Jr. go, inasmuch as they towed the
Cuttyhunk Boatlines, Inc., Craw­ Judge Wyzanski is called upon bow of the vessel to New Bed­
ford W. Fleming and Ernest to decide who is entitled to the ford last June.
TANDARD-TIMES, NEW BEDFORD, MASS., OCTOBER 12, 1952
j----------- —---------------
bow should result in 40 percent Lines. Inc., and several individu­

Claimant Cool to the Zenith Steamship Corpora­ als had filed suit against the
tion which bought the bow and Pendleton for salvage. Attorney
the remaining 60 percent to be P. Ponte of New Bedford told the
distributed among those who court all parties were agreed on
claim to have participated in the distribution except Warner..
To Settlement salvage.
As to the cargo it was agreed Ponte appeared for Cuttyhunk.
The Pendleton split in two off'.
that 50 percent of the sale price Chatham
should go to the Esso Standard Originally, last February. ■
Refuse Oil Company which owned the Judge Wyzanski |
cargo and the remaining 50 per­ : had decided to hear the case Dec.
0 endleton cent to those who claim to have 11 but he took it up yesterday
taken part in the salvage. upon being informed there was
Special Warner insisted he would be an excellent chance of settling
entitled to perhaps 70 or 80 per I the dispute.
BOSTON; Gifford cent of the money to be obtained

I
Warner of Saybrook. Conn., who Judge Wyzanski said if the par
claims he spent $10,000 in salvag­ ties failed to agree on distribu­
ing the bow of the tanker Pendle­ tion he would hear evidence and
ton, refused to agree in Federal order distribution himself.
Court yesterday to share in any The judge did not order the J
salvage distribution with other sale of the bow which is valued.!
claimants. at about $70,000 but did appoint. .
Judge Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. Thomas I). Barrie to appraise it.
had suggested that the various Originally. Cuttyhunk Boat
parties stipulate how money oh-_ ---------------------------------- —.— |
tainod from the sale of the bow
and the cargo should be distrib-'
luted.
I Other parties in the suit, how- I
'ever, agreed that any sale of the
 ive Date
For'Pendleton Sale
Specia rd-Times“
BOSTON, Oct. 13—Judge
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. in Fed­
eral Court has ordered proceeds
from the sale of the hull of the
tanker Pendleton, when the sale
occurs, be placed in the registry
of the court, pending ultimate
distribution.
No date has been set for the
sale but Judge Wyzanski said
that it might possibly take place
about Nov. 15.
Judge Wyzanski ordered the
Stanley Oil Company of New
Bedford to remove the oil from
the hull of the vessel by Nov. 15.
The hhll was towed to New
Bedford from a point off Chat­
ham last June.
Mother of Pendleton^
Victim See]tt-450;000
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Oct. 16—A $50,000
claim against Bulk Carriers, Inc.,
and American Tankers Corpora­
tion of Delaware, former owners
of the tanker Pendleton, was
filed in Federal Court yesterday
by Mrs. Lydia Short of Corpus
Christi, Texas, whose son Billy
Ray Morgan, was killed when the
talker split in two.
The tanker broke up last Feb­
ruary off Provincetown. Mrs.
Short seeks the money for the.
death and conscious suffering of
her son.
Pendleton Salvage
Closure Is Spv.ght
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Oct. 24—Esso Stand-!
ard Oil Company, claimant of the ,
cargo of petroleum products in i
the bow of the tanker Pendleton,
which split in two off Chatham •
last February, has filed a motion
in Federal Court asking that all
claimants for salvage who have
not yet filed claims, be defaulted.
Originally Cuttyhunk Boat
Lines, Inc., of New Bedford,
Crawford W. Fleming and Ernest
Flood had filed a civil suit against
the Pendleton, claiming salvage
for towing the bow to New Bed­
ford.
MtS Pages 7-12

BER 25, 1952 *

Sues Pendleton Owners

Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Oct. 25—A $100,000
claim against the National Bulk
Carriers and American Tankers
Corporation, owners of the tank­
er Pendleton, which split in two
off Chatham last February, was
filed yesterday in Federal Court
by Mrs. Margaret M. Bankus, ad­
ministrator of the estate of her
husband, Harold Bankus of Quin­
cy. Bankus was a member of the
crew of the Pendleton. He per­
ished after the tanker broke in
the middle.
 OCT'2 8 1952
:R 28, 1952 ♦

Salvage Effort I
I
j Off for Winter
i Company to Resume
Pendleton Try in z53
Attempts to salvage the stern
section of the 10,000-ton tanker
Pendleton, split in two by heavy
ii winds and sea last February off
Chatham, have been discontinued
until next Spring.
i Ernest J. Flood, marine insur­
) ance agent and financial backer
along with the salvaging concern,
Cuttyhunk Boat Lines, Inc., of
i- this city, said, “Due to the bad
weather in the vicinity of the
>- stern we have had to halt salvage
e operations.”
i- He said the company will “defi­
nitely resume operations” around
is May 1, “when the weather is less
i- severe and the cost is less.”
r, Cuttyhunk Boat Lines, he add­
i, ed, had been attempting against
n unfavorable weather for 17 weeks
1- to refloat the battered section
t- and maneuver it from the shoals.
t- “Only one day out of every eight
has the (salvaging) crew been
y able to work on the stern. It is
i costing us f-ar too much to con­
f tinue operations against such
weather.
“Coast Guard authorities have
been notified (of the discontinu­
ing of salvage operations) and a
buoy will be placed near the
i stern. The section has been post­
ed by us. As soon as weather
permits, we’ll be back on the job,”
Mr. Flood said.
Pendleton Skipper's
Widow Seeks $400,000
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Nov. 4—A claim for
$400,000 against the owners of the
tanker Pendleton, which split in
two off Chatham last February,
was filed in Federal Court yester­
day by Mrs. Marion R. Fitzgerald
of Boston, widow of the master of
the vessel.
The claim is filed against Na­
tional Bulk Carriers, Inc., and
American Tankers Corporation,
listed as owners of the Pendle­
ton.
 Report Issued
On Split Tankers
Coast Guard Tells
Of 'Sagging Effect'
•*
Special to The Stkhirard-Tifiies
QUO
’
BOSTON, Nov. 6—Splitting of
the tankers Pendleton and Fort
Mercer off Monomoy Point Feb
18 was attributed by the Marine
Board of Investigation todav to
methods of construction of tank­
ers, gale weather conditions and
. loading.
In announcing reports of the
I investigating panel, the com-
mander of the 1st Coast Guard
’District said the board took ex­
tensive testimony from survivors.
Nine lives were lost in the
tragedy.
While both vessels were of all-
welded construction and equipped
i with crack arrestors, the arrest­
ors would not prevent other
cracks from forming, the Coast
Guard said.
‘Sagging Effect’
“The condition of loading,
which was found to be not con­
trary to the usual practice in the
tanker trade, found the vessel
with considerable buoyance in
the bow and stern and ’heavy
weight in the middle section,
causing a sagging effect which at
times was badly aggravated by the
extremely heavy seas,” the Coast
Guard reported.
The gale and high seas would
have left the forward and after
sections of the ships supported
on crests of waves with little
or no support amidships, the in­
quiry board said. Low water
and air temperatures also were
believed to have increased the
brittleness of steel plating, aid­
ing in forming a crack, it added.
“The board found that both
vessels were properly manned
and in full compliance with
Coast Guard regulations govern­
ing the inspection of tank ves-j
seis,” the report said. “There!
was no incompetence, miscon-j
duct, unskillfullness or willful i
violation of the law or any rules'
or regulations on the part of.
any of the ships personnel or any I
inspector or officer of the Coasti
Guard which contributed to the!
cause of the casualties.”
Coast Guard officials cited the |
history of T-2 type tankers, list­
ing corrective measures ordered
since the two tankers split. Such
tankers now are required to be
fitted with the equivalent of four
additional crack arrestors and
the bilge keel attachment to the
shell will be changed to a riveted
connection.
Manual Prepared
“The addition of longtitudinal
frames will be required which
will provide additional strength [
in the vessel,” the Coast Guard’
said. “A manual of loading is be- i
ing prepared by the tanker in­
dustry as a guide to the proper
loading of tank vessels.”
Copies of the full report of
findings, conclusions and recom­
mendations are available for in­
spection through application to
the Commander, 1st Coast Guard
District, 1400 Custom House, Bos­
ton.
Answer Filed to Plea
In Pendleton Action
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Nov. 8 — Ann Col­
gan, administrator of the estate
of her brother, Joseph Colgan,
who was a member of the crew
of the tanker Pendleton filed an
answer in Federal Court yester­
day to the petition of National
’Bulk Carriers, Inc., owner of the
tinker.
National Bulk Carriers filed a
petition for exoneration from or
limitation of liability because of
the Pendleton splitting in two
off Chatham last February.
Colgan lost his life in the
tragedy. Miss Colgan asserted
negligence on the part of Nation­
al Bulk Carriers was responsible
for the breaking up of the vessel.
* *

Cuttyhunk Line Asks

Pendleton Bow Be Sold
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Dec. 12—Cuttyhunk _
Boat Lines, Inc., of New Bedford -
has filed a petition in Federal “
Court for one sale of the bow
section of the tanker Pendleton
at 11 a. m. Dec. 22 at the office ”
of Ernest J. Flood, 10-14 Security _
Building, New Bedford.
Flood requests that he not be ~
barred from bidding at the sale. _
He stipulated he would not seek l
a commission for conducting the
sale. The sale will be subject to ~
confirmation of the court. Judge
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. will rule a
on the petition next Monday. h
 MASS., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1952

from a position off Chatham to

Hull of Pendleton New Bedford last Summer.
Judge Wyzanski said he will
To Be Sold Here take up the question of confirma­
1 tion of the sale Jan. 15. The bow
Special to The Standard-Times of the Pendleton has been ap­
BOSTON, Dec. 18 — Judge praised at $50,000.
Charles S. Wyzanski Jr. of Fed­
eral Court has ordered the hull RaRi':‘ •
of the tanker Pendleton be sold
Jan .12 at New Bedford by the
U. S. marshal.
The sale will be held at the
office of Ernest Flood in New
Bedford. Flood is one of the
claimants for salvage in that he
helped to tow the tanker’s bow
Pendleton Section
Sold for $40,000
Half of the tanked PSndle’f'o'n,
resting in New Bedford Harbor
since last Summer, was pur­
chased at auction this morning
for $40,000 by Ernest J. Flood,
one of the claimants for salvage
in the auction case.
Mr. Flood said the vessel will
be dismantled and sold as scrap.
Included in the transaction were
2,200 tons of the bow section of,
the Pendleton, its appurtenances,
and cargo. An estimated 20,000
gallons of fuel were included
in the sale. About 25 persons
were present at the bidding.
 GET RID OF IT
The sale at auction of the bow section
of the tanker Pendleton gives hope that
New Bedford’s Harbor will soon be rid
of the ugly eyesore. It has lain in the
harbor since last Summer after. a sal­
vage operation redeemed it from the
ocean floor off Chatham.
A court contest over ownership pre­
vented its early disposal and the sal­
vagers were given permission to park it
in the middle of the harbor until some­
thing could be done with it. Now that
the sale has been completed, there is
hope that it will soon be moved. r,,
Resale of Pendleton's Bow
Ordered as Bidder Backs Out
jan Ir
Special to The Standard-Times
f'-
sale. He said that this was a viola­
BOSTON, Jan. 16—A resale of tion of the court’s order.
the bow section of the tanker Flood insisted he acted in good
Pendleton was ordered yesterday
in Federal Court by Judge faith.
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. The Judge Wyzanski said he would
judge ordered the sale to be held not hold Flood in contempt of
at 11 a. m. Feb. 3 in the marshal’s court, being convinced Flood
office at the Federal Building. acted in good faith although he •
Question before Judge Wyzan­ disobeyed the court order to get *
ski was confirmation of the sale 10 percent of the purchase price. J
of the Pendleton.
A group headed by Ernest J.
Flood of Security Building, New
Bedford, had been high bidder at
the sale held Monday in Flood’s
office.
Attorney George P. Ponte, act­
ing for FJood, reported to the
court one of the group, Peter
Belovitch of Locust Street, Fall
River, had backed down on the
proposal.
Other two members of the
foursome were Edward O. San­
chez and Captain Crawford W.
Fleming of New Bedford.
Flood acknowledged on the
stand that he had told The New
Bedford Standard-Times that he
had been the high bidder.
Judge Wyzanski expressed
amazement the bidders had not
put down $4,000, or 10 percent, of
the purchase price at the auction
Motion to Collect
For>Med
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Jan. 20—A motion in
behalf of Max Chapman and Ray­
mond Davis to compel Peter Belo-
vitch of Fall River to pay $4,000
to the registry of the Federal!
Court, representing 10 percent of
the ptfrcha^e price of the tanker1
F^ndleton^Avas filed yesterday
wrH*«J*«fge Charles E. Wyzanski
Jr. in Federal Court.
It is alleged that Belovitch
made a bid of $40,000 for the
Pendleton in a sale conducted in
New Bedford Jan. 12, acting in
behalf of Crawford W. Fleming
of Fairhaven, Edward O. Sanchez
of New Bedford and Ernest J.
Flood of Middleboro.
Judge Wyzanski had ordered
that 10 percent of the purchase
price be collected at the time of >
the sale. Flood, who conducted'
the sale, was obliged to collect!
the $4,000, according to the mo-;
tion. Only $1,000 had been col-|
lected by Flood from Belovitch.
* *

Pendleton Bow
Section Sold
$30,100 Bid Subject
To Court Approval
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Feb. 3—Bow section i
of the tanker Pendleton was sold'
today to Emil J. Malchodi of 1
Spring Street, Steep River,
Conn., for $30,100. The sale was
conducted in the Federal Build­
ing by Chief Deputy U. S. Mar­
shal Ralph W. Gray.
The sale is subject to confirma­
tion by the Federal Court as the
bid was below the appraised
value of $50,000. The question of
confirmation will come up Fri­
day before Judge Charles E. Wy-
zanski Jr. Included with the bow
section is a cargo of 20,000 gal­
lons of fuel oil.
The bow section has been half­
submerged in the New Bedford!
Harbor since it was salvaged|
from off Cape Cod last Summer. ■
It was not learned what the dis-i
position of the section would be,
if and when the court confirms!
the sale.
Today’s sale was ordered when
the court Jan. 16 invalidated a
previous sale because a high bid­
der had not put down 10 percent'
of the purchase price at the auc­
tion sale. Previous high bidder
was Ernest J. Flood of Security!
Building, New Bedford, who
offered $40,000 for the section.
Mr. Flood told Judge Wyzan-
ski in Boston during the Jan. 16
confirmation hearing he had in­
formed The Standard-Times that
he had been high bidder. Judge
Wyzanski at that time said he
would not hold Mr. Flood in con­
tempt of court, being convinced
he acted in good faith although
he had disobeyed the court order
to put down the required 10 per­
cent of the bid.
Arguments Heard
In Pendleton Case
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Feb. 3—Commis­
sioner Jack Brown heard final
arguments in Federal Court yes­
terday in regard to the ownership
of the bow section of the tanker
Pendleton and the disposition of
salvage money.
Evidence was completed a
week ago. Commissioner Brown,
who had been appointed by Fed­
eral Judge Charles E. Wyzanski
Jr., expects to submit his report
to the judge within 10 days.
The Pendleton had been towed
to New Bedford from a position
off Chatham by a New Bedford
group last June.
k J
 New Pendleton
Sale Ordered
Court Rejects Bid
Of $30,100
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Feb. 7 — Judge
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. in Fed­
eral Court yesterday refused to
confirm the sale of the bow sec­
tion of the tanker Pendleton and
ordered that a third sale be held
at 2:30 p. m. April 30 in the Fed­
eral Building, Boston.
Emil J. Malchodi of Deep
River, Conn., had bid $30,100 at
£2 the auction sale conducted last
c > Tuesday at the Federal Building.
The first sale was held in mid­
January in New Bedford.
„„ Judge Wyzanski indicated he
might confirm a sale if the price
OQ was around $38,000. The bow sec-
I tion had been appraised at $50,-
u, 000.
The court took no definite ac­
tion on the motion to require
Crawford W. Fleming of Fair­
haven, Edward O. Sanchez of
New Bedford, Ernest J. Flood of
Middleboro and Peter Belovitch
of Fall River to pay $1,000 each
into the registry of the court.
This motion was made because
the sum of $4,000 had not been
posted when $40,000 was bid for
the vessel by the quartet at the
New Bedford auction. Judge Wyz­
anski at the time had ordered
that 10 percent of the bid be paid
in cash at the time of the sale.
5-TIMES, NEW' BEDFORD, /

Coast Guard ,
To Get Medal
i Falmouth Man Honored
For Pendleton Heroism
BALTIMORE, Md., March 18 j
!(UP)—A Falmouth, Mass., Coast]
Guard mate will receive the '
American Legion’s Medal of
Valor for heroism in piloting a
lifeboat in which 32 seamen were
rescued from the broken tanker •
Pendleton off Cape Cod February <
1952.
Bernard C. Webber, 24, boat- ’
swain’s mate 1st class stationed ]
at Woods Hole, is a son of the
Rev. Alonzo B. Webber of Milton,
■director of the New England
Evangelical Association of the ;
Baptist Church.
Young Webber was named by
the Coast Guard Board of Awards
to receive the honor conferred
annually by Legion Post 27 of
Baltimore. • The title “Coast
Guardsman of the year” goes
with the medal.
Webber lashed himself to the
wheel of a 36-foot motor lifeboat
and twice navigated the craft
through huge waves to the stern
end of the tanker which had
broken in half in a storm off
Chatham.
He previously was awarded the
Treasury Department’s gold life­
saving medal.
Webber, his wife, and their
son, Bernard C. Webber Jr., make
their home in Eastham. He was
born in Boston. He attended
Greenfield School, Mt. Hermon
Preparatory School and Milton
. High School. He joined the Mer­
chant Marine at 16 and served in
the South Pacific during World
War II, before enlisting in the
Coast Guard.
, Varied experience of Webber
; as a Coast Guardsman includes
service at Curtis Bay., Md., Coast
Guard Training Station; light-
’ keeper at Highland Light, North
‘ Truro; 16 months on North At­
lantic weather patrol aboard the
■ cutter Dexter, and service at
1 Chatham Coast Guard Station.
Mr. Webber’s father was pas-
’ tor of Mattapan Baptist Church
’ 20 years and assistant pastor of
’ Tremont Temple, Boston, seven
’ years.
Pendleton £
Bow Begins -«
Last Journey &
The sea-torn bow of the 10.000’
ton tanker Pendleton, half-sub­
merged in this harbor since June
28, 1952, today is on its last jour­
ney. It was removed from in
front of the Hathaway-Braley
Wharf, Fairhaven, this morning
by a tug of Neptune Towing
Company and is being towed to
Bordentown, N. J., where it will
be scrapped.
Ernest J. Flood of Flood Insur­
ance Company, recently awarded
ownership of the section by a
Boston Federal Court, said the
bow will be sold “when deliv­
ered" to the North American
Smelting Company of Wilming­
ton, Del.
The Pendleton was one of two
10,000-ton tankers split in two by
a fierce gale off Cape Cod in Feb­
ruary 1952, Her bow section was
later floated by the Cuttyhunk
Boatlines, Inc., of New Bedford,
and brought to this port pending
complicated litigation.
Mr. Flood, who helped finance
floating of the bow and who did
not say the amount involved in
the sale to the smelting firm, said
the section is being towed by the
tug Peter C. Gallagher. The bow
is manned by a crew of the Cutty­
hunk Boatlines.
Assisting the Peter C. Galla­
gher today in refloating the sec­
tion — by employing four large
compression machines—was the
tug Anton Dohrn of this city, a
vessel of the Cuttyhunk concern.
The bow is expected to reach
Bordentown sometime this, week­
end.
The Pendleton broke up off
Monomoy Point with the loss of
a number of her crew. The
tanker Fort Mercer was split by.
the same gale.
Sale of Pendleton
Bow Is Confirmed
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, May 4—Sale of the
bow section of the tanker Pen­
dleton to Gifford D. Warner of
Essex, Conn., and Ernest J.
Flood of South Street, South!
Middleboro, for $38,000, was con­
firmed today in Federal Court by'
Judge Charles E. Wyzanski Jr.
The court, however, ordered
the high bidders at the first sale
lin January to pay $500 each to
equal the $40,000 bid made in
January in New Bedford. Four
men jointly bid $40,000 and now
are required to make up the
difference.
The four paying $500 each are
Mr. Flood, Crawford W, Flem­
ming of Fairhaven: Edward O.
iSanchez of New Bedford and
Peter Belovitch of Fall River.
 Pendleton Bidder

, BOSTON. May 6—Chief Deputy 1

11 Marshal Ralph W. Gray told the, g
j Federal Court yesterday that1
’i Gifford D. Warner of Essex, j
'Conn., has declined to pay ,
*$19,000, representing his share of i
I the purchase price of the bow a
!section of the tanker Pendleton, n
Warner and Ernest J. Flood of v
South Middleboro made a joint t
bid of $38,000 for the tanker’s i
bow April 30. Judge Wyzanski
confirmed the sale Monday.
Chief Gray said Flood had paid
his $19,000 to the registry of the
court but Warner balked.
The chief deputy asked the
court for further instructions.
Pendleton 2 "53
Awards Made
To 6 Claimants
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, May 12—Six claim­
ants for salvage in connection
with towing in the bow section of
the tanker Pendleton from* a
pomt off Chatham to New Bed­
ford were awarded $20,764.16 by
Commissioner Jack E. Brown.
Commissioner Brown submitted
his report today to Judge Charles
E. Wyzanski Jr. h
Awards are as follows:
Cuttyhunk Boatlines, Inc., i
$1,000: Captain Crawford W. j
Fleming, $5,048.87; Ernest J. 1
Flood. $7,294.95; Max Chapman
and Raymond Davis, both $1,- .
575.17,-and Gifford D. Warner,!
$4,270.
Commissioner Brown ruled '
that Warner, who was first on the
!scene of the wreck, was not en-'
titled to the entire salvage award.
(Legally, he said, the Zenith
(Corporation of New York, owner,
never abandoned the vessel, but
that those who did go aboard had
a right to do so because the
tanker had the outward appear-
ance of a derelict.
 PAGE 15

Forfeiture Due
On Pendleton
«
Connecticut Man
To Lose $1,900
Special to The Standard-Timei
BOSTON, May 19—Gifford
Warner of Essex, Conn., a marine
engineer, agreed in Federal Court
yesterday to forfeit $1,900, rep­
resenting a down payment on the
bow section of the tanker Pendle­
ton.
Ernest J. Flood of Main Street,
South Middleboro, thereupon
agreed to pay $17,100 In addition
to the $19,000 he had already
paid, giving him full title to the
bow section.
At the auction in the Federal
Building April 30, Warner and
I Flood had each agreed to pay
$19,000 but Warner later changed
his mind.
Judge Charles E. Wyzanski Jr.
warned Warner that he faced
both criminal and civil contempt
if he failed to sign the agree­
ment, forfeiting the $1,900. War­
ner at first agreed to forfeit the
money, then changed his mind
and said he would take the con­
sequences.
The judge declared a five-min­
ute recess so Warner could con­
sult his two attorneys. After this
conference, Warner came back in
the courtroom and agreed to sign
the order of forfeiture.
Flood intends to have the bow
of the Pendleton towed to Balti-
|more to be sold.
 x
I /
I
k
Payments Ordered <
t
)
In Pendleton Case
Special to The SlanAard-TImea ir53 t
t
BOSTON, • May 20—Judge (
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. of Fed­ V
I eral Court yesterday entered an (
interlocutory decree in the sal­ V
J t
vage suit brought by Cuttyhunk
Boat Line, Inc. of New Bedford,
t against the tanker Pendleton.
He ordered that the sum of r
$2,000 be paid by Peter Bele- i
vitch, Edward O. Sanchez, Ernest s
J. Flood and Crawford W. Flem­ i
ing, representing the difference
between the $40,000 bid by the
quartet at the first sale of the
I Pendleton j
last January in New f
» Bedford, and the sale price of i
t
$38,000 which was confirmed i
May 4. n
In addition, Judge Wyzanski
ordered that one or all of the
i four pay $880.40, representing
1 expenses of the third sale. The
money is to be deposited in the
registry of the court.
 V- •<-* . W
Objections Filed
In Pendleton Case
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, June 2—Cuttyhunk
Boat Lines, Inc., Crawford W.
Fleming of New Bedford and Er­
nest J. Flood of South Middle-
boro filed an objection in Federal j
Court yesterday to the report of
Commissioner Jack Brown in re­
gard to the bow section of the
tanker Pendleton.
Fleming and Flood said the
salvage money awarded to the
Cuttyhunk Boat Lines, Inc., and
to them personally was inade­
quate.
The two men also objected to
I the commissioner’s finding of
misconduct on their part and the
consequent lessening of the
award.
 Pendleton
Bow Aground
In New Jersey
BORDENTOWN, N. J., June 3
Ap) — The bow half of an oil
Ranker wrecked last year in a
jNorth Atlantic storm with a loss
of nine lives went aground today
on a Delaware River sand bar
within sight of the scrapyard
where it was bound.
The partial hulk of the tanker
Pendleton left New Bedford.
Mass., eight days ago in tow of
the tug Peter C. Gallagher of the
Neptune Line, Inc.
It had nearly completed the
450-mile trip from Massachusetts
around Cape May and up the
, Delaware when it hit a sand bar
opposite the Fairless Works of
’ the U. S. Steel Company near
II here.
a Men aboard the tug, which did
g not go aground, said a diver
would be dispatched to see if
more patching would provide ad-
0 ditional air space to float the
s wreck.
n Compressed air has been used
n to keep water out of the hulk's
tanks and keep it afloat. The
Pendleton broke in two in a
III storm off Cape Cod, Feb. 19,
D

1952. The stern half was not sal­

<

vaged.
s

Harry Doan, owner of the Doan

■ Salvage Company where the hulk
was bound, said it had been
[bought by the North American
d.

Smelting Company of Wilming-

iton. Del., for the 2,500 tons of
machinery, steel plate and piping
3o

it contains.
Doan’s job is to retrieve this
material for scrap.
A

After the vessel broke in half,

v << 7

the bow section was towed to

New Bedford where prolonged
litigation among ship owners,
<3

cargo owners, the Maritime Com­

mission and prospective buyers
delayed moving it.
 ;3 THE STANDARD-TIMES, NEW BEDFORD,

Objections Filed
Pendleton Bow Aground in Delaware River
In Pendleton Case
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, June 4—Gifford D.
Warner of Essex, Conn., has filed
objections in Federal Court to
the report made by Commission,
Jack Brown in regard to the bow I
section of the tanker Pendleton. I
He maintains Cuttyhunk Boat I
Lines, Inc., of New Bedford, Cap-1
tain Crawford W. Fleming, Er-1
nest J. Flood, Max Chapman and;
Raymond Davis are not entitled
to any salvage award. Warner
further states the award to him
was inadequate.
Judge Charles E. Wyzanski Jr.
of the Federal Court will hear all
objections on June 22.

-A —Associated Press Wirephoto

d Bow of the Pendleton, which was under tow small boat is testing for buoyancy to deter­
® from New Bedford to salvage company in Bor­ mine if wreckage can be floated clear. Pendle­
dentown, N. J., lies grounded in the Delaware ton was split during storm off the Cape with a
River within sight of the scrap firm. Crew of loss of nine lives.
 Judge Considers
Pendleton Moves
I Special to The Standard-Times
J BOSTON, June 23 — Judge
J Charles E. Wyzanski Jr., in Fed-,
I eral Court, yesterday took under ■
-'advisement seven objections to
’ the report of Commissioner Jack
5 E., Brown in regard to the bow
’ section of the tanker Pendleton.
; The judge intimated he was
; not entirely satisfied with several
phases of the commissioner’s re-
I port. Principal objections were
voiced by Gifford D. Werner of
. Essex, Conn.; Ernest J. Flood of
South Middleboro and Captain
Crawford W. Fleming of New!
Bedford.
All objectors stated they were
entitled to additional compensa-
1 tion for their part in the salvage. |

JUN 2 3
 JUri 2 4 ,U>3
MASS., WEDNESDAY, JUNE

t
New Pendleton
; Hearing Is Set
* U. S. Judge to Review
; Entire Case in Fall
4
, Special to The Standard-Tipies
’ BOSTON, June 24—Commis-
I sioner Jack E. Brown’s report on
; awards in connection with sal-
! vaging of the bow section of the
, tanker Pendleton was set aside
yesterday by Judge Charles E.
1 Wyzanski Jr. in Federal Court.
Judge Wyzanski announced he
would hear the evidence, him­
self, Oct. 19 in Federal Court. He
therefore restored the case to
the docket.
The case had been referred to
Commissioner Brown Dec. 29.
The commissioner held hearings,
over a two-week period in a Fed­
eral courtroom.
Judge Wyzanski said, “After
studying the exhibits, the report
and hearing arguments, this
court regretfully has decided
that even starting from the sub­
sidiary facts found by the com­
missioner, this court cannot ac­
cept his conclusions (1) that Na­
tional Bulk Carriers ever aban­
doned the Pendleton, (2) that
Gifford D. Warner is entitled to
the award the commissioner pro­
posed: (3) that Captain Crawford
W. Fleming lacked continuous
plenary authority to act for the
joint venturers; (4) that Captain
Fleming was guilty of miscon­
duct in rejecting Zenith’s offer;
(5) that Ernest J. Flood is dis­
abled from sharing in the award:
| (6) that Cormier’s assignment'
falls within U. S. Code 40 and |
(7) that the awards the commis-i
sioner proposed for the joint
venturers and others are, in the
light of the commissioner’s sub­
sidiary findings, adequate.”
Judge Wyzanski commented
that “the court, though it clear­
ly has the right to disapprove of
the magnitude of the award to
Warner, and inadequacy of the
awards to others, feels that be­
fore fixing appropriate awards it
ought to have more guidance
from the record.”
The judge made it clear he did
not pass on each of the excep­
tions to the commissoner’s re­
port but to promote economy
and dispatch, will hear the entire
matter later.
i
DARD-TIMES, NEW BEDFOR

Judge Changes
His Ruling
On Pendleton
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, June 25—The order
of Judge Charles E. Wyzanski Jr.
of the Federal Court, revoking the •
report of Commissioner Jack E.
Brown in regard to the awards in
the tanker Pendleton case, was,
itself, revoked yesterday by the
judge.
Judge Wyzanski learned yester­
day that a full transcript of the
| evidence taken before Commis­
sioner Brown is available.
I He accordingly announced he
'will study the record, himself, |
jand make his own findings and
I conclusions of law unless objec- «
tions to this plan are filed within
20 days.
“Failure to object seasonably'
will be construed as an assent,” I $
Judge Wyzanski said.
Previously, Judge Wyzanski -
had scheduled a hearing for Oct.
19 but this hearing is now cancel­
ed.
 $1,983 Is Awarded
For Pendleton Oil
6861 s Z 3

Special to The Standard-Times

BOSTON, July 25 — Judge
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. in Fed­
eral Court yesterday ordered
$1,983.17 be awarded to the Esso
Standard Oil Company for oil
taken from the bow section of the
tanker Pendleton.
nr

The court had ordered the

Stanley Oil Company, Inc., to
remove the oil after the tanker
split in two off Chatham.
Judge Wyzanski also ordered
an additional $1,983.17 be held in
the registry of the court, pending
final decision as to which of the
salvors are entitled to it.
Mew Trial Denied
n Pendleton Case
pecial to The 1 ^54
BOSTON, Jan. 20 — Judge
Charles E. Wyzanski Jr. in Fed-
;ral Court yesterday denied mo-1
ions for a new trial in connec-i
,ion with the salvaging of the!
)ow section of the tanker Pendle-1
on.
A new trial was sought by
’uttyhunk Boat Lines, Inc., Max
Chapman, Raymond Davis and
Jifford D. Warner, who had been
Ienied salvage awards by Judge
Vyzanski.
The judge said that if he had
>rred in his decision, an appeal
zould take care of it. “I don’t
mow why anyone should suppose
hat I would grant a new trial,”
fudge Wyzanski said in denying
he motions. Judge Wyzanski de­
eded the case on the record
aken in a hearing before a mas­
er, Jack Brown.
Connecticut Man
Asks Exoneration
Asserts Name Sullied
In Pendleton Ruling
Special to The Standarcl-Times
BOSTON, April 15—Gifford D.
Warner of Essex, Conn., filed" a
petition*in Federal Court asking
that he be exonerated from a
charge he was “officious and a
gratuitous intermeddler” in con­
nection with the salvage of the
bow section of the tanker Pendle­
ton.
Judge Charles E. Wyzanski Jr.
had so referred to Warner and
others when he ruled on the
Pendleton case several months
ago. Warner asserted that his I
reputation had been damaged.
Owners of two New ’Bedford
fishing vessels were named de­
fendants in damage suits filed in
Federal Court.
Sues for $15,000
Amund Hiksdal of New Bed­
ford filed a $15,000 civil suit
against Michael Smith, owner of
the dragger New Bedford, as a
result of injuries claimed while
aboard the vessel Feb. 5, 1953 as
a seaman. Plaintiff seeks $10,000
for injuries and $5,000 for medi­
cal care. A jury trial is sought.
A $56,000 suit was filed against
Mishaum Fisheries, Inc., owner
of the vessel Mishaum, by Mrs.,
Josephine M. Foley, widow -of I
Peter Foley. The husband was
a member of the crew of the i
Mishaum when the vessel sank!
in March of last year. Mrs. Foley!
asserted the boat was not sea­
worthy when it left Newport,,
R. I., on its last voyage. An addi-i
tional $50,000 claim was filed by
a daughter. Bridget, who averred
she was a dependent of the de-
ce ased
Wendell E. Stanley of Acush­
net filed a $15,000 civil suit in
Federal Court against Elmer
Jacobsen of Dania. Fla., owner
of Eleanor and Elsie.
Claims Injuries
Plaintiff said he was injured
Nov. 11. 1953 while aboard the
Eleanor and Elsie as a fisherman.
Negligence on the part of the
defendant is alleged.
Stanley asks $10,000 for his in­
juries and $5,000 for medical
care.
In a final decree entered in
Federal Court, Judge Charles E.
Wyzanski Jr. ordered that the
sum of $4,352 be awarded to the
Springfield Finance Company,
Springfield, as a result of the
sale of the fishing vessel Char­
lotte.
Judge Wyzanski further
ordered that $65 be paid to At­
torney Jack B. Weitzman of New
Bedford; $295 to the Stanley Oil
Company. New Bedford, and
$105 to Bolton’s Market, New
Bedford.
Warner Asks
New Ruling
On Pendleton
Special to The Standard-Times
BOSTON, Dec. 11—Gifford D.
Warner of Saybrook, Conn., filed
a petition in Federal Court yes-,
terday to set aside a decision:
made by Judge Charles E. Wyzan-^
ski Jr. in a civil suit brought by ■
the Cuttyhunk Boat Lines, Inc.,;
of New Bedford, against the tank-1
er Pendleton.
He asked that Judge Wyzanski
order a new hearing. As a basis
for his petition, Warner asserted
that new evidence has come to
light.
Warner was one of six claim­
ants in the suit brought by the
New Bedford firm for salvage in
connection with towing the bow
section of the tanker to New Bed­
ford from Chatham.
He originally was awarded
$4,270, which was then set aside!
by the judge.
It was ruled that Warner was!
not entitled to a salvage award.
A new trial was sought by i
Warner, the New Bedford boat-!
line and Raymond Davis last
January, denied salvage awards
I by the judge. The new trial was
' not granted.
The court had ruled that War-
ner, who was first on the scene
of the wreck, and who claimed
he spent $10,000 in his salvage at­
tempts, was not entitled to the
salvage award. Legally, the
judge said, the Zenith Corpora-
> tion of New York, owner, never
I abandoned the vessel.
Warner now claims his salvage
I work was justified because the
Pendleton bow was a menace to
I navigation after the tanker split
i in two off Chatham and her crew
I was rescued.
Final Decree Made
In Pendleton Case
Speetol to Ths Standard-Tlmsi
BOSTON, May 11 — In a final
decree entered yesterday in Fed­
eral Court, Judge George C.
Sweeney ruled that the fracture
of the SS Pendleton off Cape Cod
on Feb. 18, 1952 occurred without
fault or liability on the part of
National Bulk Carriers, Inc., char­
terers of the vessel.
National Bulk Carriers had
filed a petition for exoneration
from or limitation or liability in
connection with the splitting in
two of the Pendleton. It was
noted that all claims for damges
had been separately withdrawn
or dismissed by order of the
court.
Judge Sweeney ordered that all
persons claiming Iom or injury
be perpetually enjoined from in­
itiating proceedings in any court.
—
 1956

Salvage Work
Starts on Ship
Off Chatham
CHATHAM. July 25 (AP)—Sal­
vage operations began today on
the 30-foot' steqi section of the
tanker gendletor^ whieh split in
two durin^mwffheaster Feb. 18,
1952, with a loss of nine lives.
The 510-foot vessel, then owned
by the Zenith Steamship Com­
pany of New York, lodged on a
standbar on Bearse Shoals, in
about 23 feet of water at low tide.
The bow section was towed
away years ago and welded to the
tanker Mercer, which also split in
the same storm.
Warren B. LeGeyt of South
Yarmouth, whose company is sal­
vaging the Pendleton stern, said
45,000 gallons of crude oil still
aboard the vessel is being pumped
out today. Removal of the ship’s
engines and salvageable interior
is scheduled to get under way
Aug. 1.
The final operation will be to
raze the outer iron and steel hull
with two tons of dynamite, Le­
Geyt said.
Pendleton Hulk
Near Chatham
Is Examined
ii.xn •) f 4 OCT
The Standard-Times Cape Cod Bureau
CHATHAM, March 23—An in­
spection by three men of the
stranded hulk of the SS Pendle­
ton, which broke in Half SflT"be-
taWrttranded on Bearse’s Shoal
off Monomoy Point near Chatham
during a storm in February 1952,
was conducted today.
Harry Mitchell, Fall River
scrap dealer, who is reportedly
planning to salvage the ship; Har­
old E. Claflin, Chatham harbor­
master, and Warren B. LeGeyt,
who said he is expected to be in
charge of possible plans to sal­
vage the wreck, made the inspec­
tion.
Mr. LeGeyt said the two-hour
inspection of the 213-foot hulk
was conducted today and tenta­
tive salvage plans discussed. The
Pendleton, which was reported to
have cost $5,500,000 when buijf,
was a 512-foot oil tanker.
Reports of oil floating onto
neighboring beaches from the
hulk were declared false by Mr.
LeGeyt,, who said the 20,000 gal­
lons of oil aboard the wreck was
in a bunker tank. He noted that
;he oil was used for ship’s fuel
and was “thick as machine oil and
could not possibly have floated
ashore.”