Anchorage Daily Times
Anchorage Alaska
Monday, December 21, 1942

Page 3 or 8 ?

WOMAN AND CHILD DROWN IN KODIAK BOAT WRECK

Phyllis S. Cut In Two During Christmas Run

Thirteen Saved After Clinging to Wreckage In Icy Water

(Special To the Times)

KODIAK, Dec. 21 -- A tragedy of northern seas was revealed with the 
arrival here yesterday of 13 survivors of the motor vessel Phyllis 
S. which was struck from the rear by a larger vessel about 3 a. m. 
last Thursday in the vicinity of Kodiak, cutting the boat in two 
and resulting in the loss of two lives.

The dead were: Mrs. Mary Paskanen, 48; and her granddaughter, 
Ellen, 11.

Three women and five children were among the 15 on board from 
Larson (sic.) Bay and all were thrown into the icy waters of the 
North Pacific Ocean.  They clung to wreckage of the bow portion for 
many minutes before being picked up by the lifeboats.

The two dead were apparently trapped in the cabin.  The bodies have 
not yet been recovered.

The 55-foot Phyllis (sic) was laden with mail and gifts and was 
making a holiday trip around the island.  It was a former cannery 
tender owned by the Grimes Packing Company of Ouzinkie and was 
under charter as a mail boat to Capt. Robert Vonscheele of Ouzinkie 
who lost his own boat, the Charlotte B. in a storm two months ago.

No explanation of the accident was offered by the survivors.

The crew other than the captain, consisted of Monroe Rongved, 
engineer; Tom Vonscheele, brother of the captain and Pete Heitman, 
deckhands, all of Kodiak.

The women and children were given medical attention aboard the 
larger vessel and suffered no ill effects.  All the survivors were 
put off at Port Bailey and a boat was sent from here for them.  
They arrived yesterday afternoon.

A part of the wreckage floated for some time and some of the mail 
pouches were picked off the surface of the sea which was 
fortunately smooth at the time.