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USS Hobson destroyer sinks... USS Wasp aircraft carrier collision...
USS Hobson destroyer sinks... USS Wasp aircraft carrier collision...
Item # 560562
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April 29, 1952
THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Massachusetts, April 29, 1952
* USS Hobson destroyer sinks with huge loss
* USS Wasp aircraft carrier collision
This 34 page newspaper has one column headlines on the front page: "NAVY PLANNING FULL PROBE OF HOBSON SINKING" and "Court of Inquiry to Be Convened; No Trace of 176 Missing".
Other news of the day throughout. Light browning, otherwise in good condition.
wikipedia notes: With the outbreak of the Korean Conflict in June 1950, Hobson's schedule of training intensified. She took part in amphibious exercises off North Carolina and in Puerto Rico in 1950–51, and took part in carrier operations as a plane guard and screening ship.
During one such operation, with carrier Wasp (CV-18), Hobson was steaming in formation 700 miles west of the Azores on the night of 26 April 1952. Wasp needed to turn to recover aircraft, so the surrounding ships had two options, slow down and let Wasp turn, or cross in front of the carrier. The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander W.J. Tierney and the Lieutenant, LT William Hoefer, argued over which option was to be carried out. Of course, the Commanding Officer won, and decided to cross the bow. LT Hoefer announced on the deck "Prepare for collision!, Prepare for collision!" The Hobson crossed the carrier's bow and was struck amidships. The force of the collision rolled the destroyer-minesweeper over, breaking her in two. Rodman (DD-456) and Wasp rescued many survivors, but the ship and 176 of her crew were lost, including Tierney. Some survivors were forced to tread water in the Atlantic Ocean for up to four hours.
Hobson received six battle stars for World War II service, and shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the ships in the Bogue antisubmarine task group in the Atlantic.
Category: The 20th Century
No Longer Available
