I know that some atrocities happened on the Edsall .... but I hadn't seen a crew list before ( I don't think ! ) .... interesting site ! Early on March 1, 1942 Edsall had completed transfering rescued survivors from the Langley to the oiler "Pecos" near flying fish cove off of Christmas Island. She then was then ordered to deliver her thirty two passengers, (pilots and mechanics whose dissassembled aircraft were aboard the Langley and Seawitch originally bound for Indonesia), to Indonesia to join resistance to Japanese forces which had landed there. Lcdr. Nix, She steamed off north to execute these orders and was never heard from again. An hour later her orders were rescinded and along with the rest of the heavily damaged fleet she was ordered to retire to Australia. At the same time the Pecos was sending SOS's as she was under attack. Edsall was however was intercepted on her way back to Australia by Nogumo's fleet and her fate was not known until 1952, more details of her crew and passenger's fates did not emerge until 1980's. jjedsall
Edsall gave the IJN fits in her final engagement. Caught by Japanese battleships and cruisers, she was eventually done in by air attack. Gunnery began at almost 30,000 yards. The Japanese fired about 295 14in shells, 844 8in shells, 132 6in shells, and 63 5in shells. These achieved a single 6in hit and two or three 8-inchers. However, the eight 250kg and nine 500kg bombs scored many hits and near misses.
