|
0827
|
Forward
engine room secured. Slowed to 11 knots, dropping astern
and out of formation.
|
|
0837
|
Lost
steering control forward, probably as result of ruptured
liquid lines by shell fragments from hits in or near the
island structure.
|
|
0840
|
Radars
went out of commission.
|
|
0840
|
After
engine room hit -8" shell entered skin of ship, pierced
No.3 boiler and probably lodged in the lower part of generating
tubes.
|
|
0842
|
Water
poured rapidly into after engine room from the sea. Bilge
pump suction taken in after engine room.
|
|
0843
|
All
boilers secured on order of the Engineering Officer.
|
|
0845
|
Ship
dead in the water. Ordered all classified material jettisoned.
|
|
0850
|
Gave
order to "abandon ship" .(The ship was in a sinking
condition surrounded by three enemy cruisers firing at point
blank range).
|
|
0855
|
The
Navigator, who, as Officer of the Deck, had remained with
the Captain on the open bridge until then, was directed
to abandon ship and did so via the starboard bridge life
lines just as another salvo pierced the island structure.
|
|
0858
|
The
Captain attempted to reach the interior of the ship via
interior island structure ladders but was driven onto the
flight deck then aft over the starboard side by hot black
toxic smoke .
|
|
0907
|
Ship
capsized to port.
|
|
0911
|
Last
sign of ship disappeared from surface of the water.
|
|
0930--1230
|
During
this period, the majority of the survivors assembled into
seven or eight separate groups. They lashed life rafts and
floater nets together and collected sections of flight deck
planking and any other floating debris with sufficient positive
buoyancy to support those for whom there was no room on
or around the rafts .
|
|
|
At
least three attacks before noon by groups of four to six
TBM's each with escorting FM"s were observed on enemy ships
to the Northeast, East and Southeast. Inaccurate bursts
of anti-aircraft fire were seen as these attacks were being
made.
|
