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Washington, August 9 -- Two men were killed and three injured in a boiler explosion on the U.S.S. Nopatin, in foreign waters, announced today by the Navy Department.
The dead are: Thomas W. Benham, fireman, Freeport, L.I.; Roger Hackett, fireman, 28 Academy Street, New Haven, Conn.
The injured -- Ernest F. Adams, fireman, Westbrook, Mass.; Goettfried Ahrendt, Bayou Labart, Ala.; Percy Cranford, water tender, Annapolis, Md.
(The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 9 August 1918, Page 1)
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Informed by Government of Injury - No Word of Death.
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(Special to the Eagle.)
Freeport, L.I., Thomas W. Benham, first-class fireman in the U.S. Navy, is reported in the casualty list as having been killed in a boiler explosion on board the U.S. Nopatin, in foreign waters. At he home of the boy's parents, at 91 Eliot place, hopes were held out that a mistake had been made, as no official word had been received by them from the War Department at Washington. Recently Mrs. Benham received a telegram from Washington informing her that Thomas was in an American hospital in England. A letter received by the parents, on July 9, from Thomas, stated that he was getting along well and was receiving good treatment.
Thomas is one of three brothers in the U.S. Navy. He is 33 years old and enlisted December 13, 1917. Previous to his enlistment he served eight years in the Army. A small service flag at the Benham home has three tiny stars, Mrs. Benham said the stars were smaller than generally seen on service flags, but that they represented three bug and strong American boys.
(The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 10 August 1918, page 3)
Above: Record from "Naval Burial Records, Box 2, Navy Forces in Europe, 30 Jun 1917 - 28 Jul 1919