Harry Lincoln Killed, Haskell Fields Scalded In Submarine Accident, July 1, 1923

Local Boy Injured When Water Floods Room of Destroyer. . . Haskell B. Fields, Fireman on Destroyer Williamson, Not Expected to Live. . . Four Others Dead. . . New Bern Boy, Also a Member of the Submarine Crew, Was Killed When Hot Water Flooded Room

Haskell B. Fields, who was badly scaled Saturday on a destroyer while at sea off from Newport, R.I., is the son of Sam Fields, of West Durham, who lives on Elm street. It is stated that the young man has been away from Durham several years, in the Naval service. The family moved to this city about three years from Selma.

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Newport, R.I., June 30—Five lives were lost aboard the destroyed “Williamson” today through the flooding of the fire room with steam and hot water. Three other members of the fire room crew were seriously injured and it is feared three of them cannot recover. The dead, Doc Abernathy Millican, fireman, third class, Fairfield, Ala.; Harry C. Lincoln, fireman, third class, New Bern N.C., Clifford Latchfield, fireman, third class, Lebanon, Ohio; Joseph A., Giaqauinto, water tender, second class, Lockport, N.Y.; Louis Be. Blanchard, fireman, first class, Springfield, ??.

The injured ??:

Harry Richardson, water tender, first class, Bemidji, Minn.; Haskell B. Fields, fireman, first class, Durham, N.C.; Tony Rock, fireman first class, Astabula, Ohio.

The Williamson went out from this port early today to test torpedoes on the long range outside Narragansette Bay. Preparations were being made to fire the first torpedo when the accidental closing of a ventilator cover turned back the heated air escaping from the fire room, the pressure caused the ventilator blower to fly to pieces and the steam and hot water pipes were broken. The eight men in the fire room had no chance to escape. For were scaled to death almost instantly and the others dropped to the floor overcome by the rush of steam and hot water.

At great personal risk, Lieutenant Commander H.E. Knauss in command of the Williamson, and other officers and members of the crew rushed into the fire room and took out the injured men and the bodies. The injured were given first aid and the destroyer, which was not seriously damaged, speeded back to Newport.

At the naval hospital it was said that only Amundson appeared to have a chance of recovery.

A board of inquiry was appointed shortly after the destroyer had returned and immediately began investigation. The board is headed by Commander F.H. Sadler.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, July 1, 1923