Sinking of the Richard Arnold
Portsmouth Herald
Tuesday Evening

January 8, 1942Army Mine Planter Sinks
in Storm off the Shoals
Eight Crew Men Drowned

Ft. Constitution Boat is Lost While Assisting Sister Craft

Commander is Only Man Saved in Ocean Mishap

Eight men drowned during a heavy storm early this morning about 20 miles Southeast of the Isles of Shoals. (Note: Later amended to ten men lost.)

Only one man of the crew of nine on the 98-foot Army mine-planter General Richard Arnold was saved when the 33-year old ship suddenly sprang a leak and went to the bottom.

Saved was William H. Chasteen of Waterford, Conn., commanding the Arnold, who jumped from the bridge as the ship went under and was picked up by another disabled mine-planter the L-88.

Army officials at the Portsmouth Harbor Defenses said that names of the eight lost would not be given out until Master Chasteen arrived in New Castle on the L-88 to check the list and determine definitely who was on board, as the Arnold had two shifts of its crews.

The crew of the Arnold lost their lives whole attempting to rescue the nine man crew of the L-88 which was disabled and had been drifting in the storm for more than six hours.

Coast guard and army planes and boats today searched the area but only empty lifeboats and life-belts marked the spot where the Arnold had sunk. No bodies had been recovered after nine hours search.

Meanwhile the army mine-planter Absolom Baird which had rushed to the scene and was assisting in towing the disabled L-88 assisted in the search and then started back to its dock at New Castle with the L-88 in tow.

Army officials said this morning the Baird was 30 miles out at 10 am and making slow headway against heavy seas. It was not expected in until late this afternoon.

Story of the sinking, drownings and the rescue in the bitter cold of the storm tossed Atlantic revealed the heroism of the army afloat in an epic that would do credit to the navy.

Continue with MINE-PLANTER TRAGEDY