They started throwing everything overboard, including gasoline. To fire up the generator to send out an S.O.S. signal, they collected fluid from cigarette lighters.
He remembers that the crew would play music to pass the time and he put his Sons of the Pioneers songbooks into a waterproof plastic bag and went topside where he had some cocktails. Upon jumping into the freezing water, he swam to a lifeboat, where once aboard, he sang "Cool Water" (by the Sons of the Pioneers) to entertain the other shivering sailors.
"The cocktails helped a lot but was wearing off fast."
Some of the sailors were hanging onto the outside of the lifeboat and gradually began slipping under the water. The bow of the Borie crashed into his lifeboat, tossing Mr. Kent into that cold water again.
Eventually he was brought out of the sea by another boat where a doctor restimulated blood circulation in his legs.
Quite the Ordeal. Like I Said, "The Greatest Generation." --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
Showing posts with label USS Borie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Borie. Show all posts
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Lester Kent, 88, Died in 2012-- Part 1: Survived USS Borie Sinking in Arctic
From the October 2, 2012, Press Democrat "Les Kent" by Cathy Bussewitz.
Lester Kent, 88, from Sebastopol who was one of the 129 who survived (27 died) the sinking of the USS Borie which was sunk in October 1943 in Arctic waters after a fight with a U-boat, died September 23, 2012.
He was born in Texas but grew up in Colorado. Mr. Kent joined the Navy after Pearl Harbor and served on the USS Thrush, USS J. Fred Talbot and finally the USS Borie, which was sunk October 31, 1943, just south of the Arctic Circle.
"Our searchlights were on the sub, which was good for our gun crews, but also gave the sub something to shoot at." The ship's bow got hung up on the U-boat and, "We had to use handguns, flare pistols and just about everything imaginable to fling at the Germans, even a nice coffee mug from Brazil and cans of condensed milk."
The Borie broke free but had been badly damaged and began flooding.
More to Come. --GreGen
Lester Kent, 88, from Sebastopol who was one of the 129 who survived (27 died) the sinking of the USS Borie which was sunk in October 1943 in Arctic waters after a fight with a U-boat, died September 23, 2012.
He was born in Texas but grew up in Colorado. Mr. Kent joined the Navy after Pearl Harbor and served on the USS Thrush, USS J. Fred Talbot and finally the USS Borie, which was sunk October 31, 1943, just south of the Arctic Circle.
"Our searchlights were on the sub, which was good for our gun crews, but also gave the sub something to shoot at." The ship's bow got hung up on the U-boat and, "We had to use handguns, flare pistols and just about everything imaginable to fling at the Germans, even a nice coffee mug from Brazil and cans of condensed milk."
The Borie broke free but had been badly damaged and began flooding.
More to Come. --GreGen
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