INSTRUCTIONS:deniinHfoitt ihouhl be uud in tho "TO"Undeceaehine ihould be drawn mews sheet and each comment numbered lo correspond wilh the number in tha "TO" column. Eacholltcer ihould initial (check mailt IniuHioient) before further routing. Routine and Record Sheet ihould be rc-.urred lo Refiiiur.
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RELEASE AS SANITIZED
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II.
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Security Information
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CAL RESUME OF THE HECOKKA13SAMCB OF THE ICFAHQLED CCeWEWCJHU
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Th* LCFAJCIZD took departure et the Colon tm levator Ocifi on the The course van act due north toward Identity t- Seven engines wore in operation and with the aidavorable wind an average speed9 tnote was nade for the first day's run. During tho morning one engine failedesultroken spline shaft. This failure of one engine did not have any drastic effect upon the speed, or greater significance, however, was the fact that both bilge pumps became inoperative. Tho veanel was equipped with two gasoline auxiliary pumps but only one wasize that could contend with the leakage into the engine room bilges. Except for thc above-mentioned nechanical trouble, thc first day passed uneventfullyood day's run towardac clocked up.
2nd6 July
O the second engine gave out due to overbcating. This slowed the vessel down to an average speed7 knots. Only five engines were now functional. trong HE wind and sea caused the vessel to pitch and roll heavily and sea sickness became prevalent.
3rd7 July
Boon sights onh found the vesselllcs to tbe west of Zdentlty J, The course was changed accordingly and the vessel beat up into the weather until Identitywas reached The anchor was droppedecon party consisting of three men well equipped withut unhorc. ood recon was made of the island and the men returned to the vessel The anchor was weighed0 and the course was set for Identity 2. This run should huvo been accomplished without any trouble for it wasistance of Wyrs.s. running. On thc followingegan to realize that the engine failures affected greatly the navigability of the vessel.
0 July
I had hoped to pick uphc morning ofh. Overcast made coming stars impossible for navigation, but noniing sun sights found the ship well to the west oi* the island. It could not be found how fur the ship was to thc north or south until noon so thc course waa corrected to the eastward and held there until noon. O onh, thed) engine went cut. This preventeri us free, holding to our desired course. !ioon positions showed that the
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vesool badoodiles to the westward duo to wind and sea, evenive mile leeway wan allowed in Betting thc course. The sun position also put us aboutlles to the north of Identity 2. osmwtneed to realize about this tine that the vessel was beccrsing dangerous and in tbe face of increasing seas and winds it was best to look to the safety of tbe ship and crew. onsulted with C. and Mac andreferred to bold to the south and seek outhich was wellinally agreed to proceed north in an uttenipt to find Identity 3- This wan approximatelyies further to the northward. It was felt thatould offer sufficient shelter so that tbe engine rooc could be repaired sufficiently to corsplete tho return leg. It was intended thate vinltod southbound.
>th9 July
i
h day was spent in an attempt to beat to the eastward to reach Identity 3. However, in the face of increasing winds and seas tho vessel did not have thc power. At this time four engines were runningifth was kepttand-by basis. ltOon sights found the vessel still to the left so she was allowed to beat into the weather for another four hour*ain attempt to reach the island. 0 the folly of this action was realized so, in tbe face of the falling engine rooo, it was decided to beat to the southerly in hopes of findingefore the vessel became unmanageable. ourse to the southward was consequently
6th0 July
Curing the night the vessel madeiles to the southerly and was blown Uo miles to the westerly. The winds were now blowing gale force and the waves were up toeet high. ourth engine vent out0 and the vessel was no longer under control. Faced with untenablethe only alternative was to radio for assistance. eared at the time that the vessel would, if existing conditions prevailed, be blown into the Coast of Nicaragua. ealized that thin could not be permitted for reasons of socurity and since it appeared doubtful at that timeould even get it back to Colon, the only place she could go, having in Bind the illegality of both vessel andequested authority to scuttle the vessel and to have the crew removedBM seaplane. The discretion to scuttle the vessel was given me and the crew stood by awaiting thc arrival of thc Naval plane. ater cable informed me that the plane was not en route, due to its inability to lund in the rough seas. able also statedug was to befrom the Canal Zoneas asked to stand by. That night was one of violent rolling and pitching. The only thing left to do was to hold the vesselhe ueather and hope that she had enough steerage to prevent her from floating broadside in the seas. Little sleep was hadeeling of desperation prevailed. Thaterchant
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vessel heeded our call, for assistance hut C. for security reasons thought it best to refuse ascictanceommercial vessel since we were awaiting Havy aid.
7th1 July
The followingeversed this decision, feeling that since tbe crew of the dceraercial vessel could not come aboard they could not learn much. hereforeead reckoning position to tbe merchant vessel but because the LCFAM3LED had been out of control for more thanours it was impossible to say bow accurate tbe dead reckoning position was. The cotanercial vessel did arrive at. ave and oearched the area but urifortunately we were tof the. The twilight came in clearas able toery accurate position using stare. ad this position radioed but the merchant vessel did not follow it up. ater learned she herself had broken down or had seme mechanical0 we were advisedavy destroyer had picked up our signal and was proceeding to our position. 0 theervis was alongside and the Executive Officer come aboard. Reeries of questions, none ofould answer. 1aid to return the vessel to Colon and that any information he wished could be gotten by contacting the CO. at Coco Solo Navalas asked to go aboard the Pervisave tbe CO. the same story. His name vaa Cndr. Ely Vinock. Cndr. Vlnock passed my story on tbe the took commander aboard theho in turn sought to verify myby contacting Coco Solo. By this time the weather had moderated somewhat, so tbe LCFAKGLSD was putoutherly course. She ranpeednots ahead but of course it van not apparent to tbe Havy just what her drift was due to wind and sea. The Pervis attempted to contact cceraercial vessels in the area in order to get us tow, but none showed up. eftnd returned to the LCFAKGLSD. Shortly aftereft the scene andGainard) stood by. The Exec ofame aboard and he was given tbe same story given He had with him some engineers but when Mac explained thein the engine room, they acknowledged that repairs could not be made without lifting the engines bodily and this was impossibleolling sea. 0 the boarding party left and5tood by to take us in tow. 0 sheine aboard and commenced towing The towing line had been made fast to the LCFAHGLED's anchor chain and approximatelyeet of the chain had been slacked out. The moment, however, that some pressure was put on theink snapped and the tow was parted. n disgust prepared to leave. Our situation was cabled to the Canal and it was asked thate made to stand by. All that came through was indecisive, so rather than risk another night on the LCFAJiGUilD with the Strong possibility that the engines might go all together, we as!;edf she would take the crew aboard if the LCTAICLET was scuttled. greed to this so
SECRET
-it-plans were made to scuttle. Also considered was the cost that would have to be borne to put the vessel in running order should she be returned to port. It was felt by all concerned the best place security-wise and otherwise for tbe LCFAHGIEDiles down. Perhaps never beforehip come so close to being sunk. The engine room was prepared and two bolts had only to be removed from the eea suction to admit the ocean. Sinceefused to permit the use of their lifeboat, tbe LCFAJCLED's lifeboat was prepared for launching. I* was swung out but the moment the davits felt the weight they gave and the forward one tore from the deck and fell into the ocean along with the lifeboat. The lifeboat was cut free and it coiamenced to drift to tbe southwest. Before the attempted launching some men had thrown their suitcases into the lifeboat. Hot wanting this tell-tale information floating up on some beach and not knowing whether their names appeared anywhere in thout the ship about in an attempt to retrieve the boat. ould see that wc did not have tbe power to work up to itrdered that it be filled with holes and sunk. Two guns and twenty-five bullets accomplished this. About this tineas becoming impatient. It vas my guess that with all the midshipmen aboard she va6 trying to make the Canal Zoneaturday night in port. She radioed and gave us thirty minutes. Finally from the Canal woessage stating thatad been ordered to stand by and we were told not to scuttle. We realized it wouldhile for the orders to reach, so when she turned to depart we knew she would be back; 5eft us but she was back. She radioed she had received orders to stand by us through the night, which she did.
Stbugust
5 on the 6th day the auxiliary pumps went out. Mater was soon flooding tbe engine room via the steering engine room. It was necessary toucket brigade into tho engine room to bail it out. Theas lnforoed of this situation and they brought over an ejector pump, one we couldn't use anyway since we had no pressure in the fire mains. Theyiece of Our pump for repair purposes but they never did return It. The, having stood by throughout the night,elieve, how much we were lolling of" to the right and they no longer had any doubt as to'our navigability. At lol+o,, having received orders to take us under tow, prepared to cocac alongside andine aboard. She Tailed, however, und It was not untilwith the third attenpt that she finally succeeded inine aboard. Meanwhile the bucket brigade was continually in use to keep the engine room dry. By this tine, only two engines were operative so the engine room was next to useless. To prevent the engine rooiii from flooding the last two engines uerfi cut out and the steering engine roon sealed off.akeshift, system was set up to pump the engine room bilges thus eliminating the fear of sinhing. How under tow by, the Zj&'AHSIXD proceeded toward Colonpeedoots. This speed
continued throughout the night. 9thugust
. At OobO the salvage tug Recovery ARSree- Panama uas alongside.0et go and5 thowas under tow by thc The tow continued throughout the day and nightpeed ofnots. With tho oxccptlon of tho steering engine the engine room had been secured. The 9th day passed without mishap.
10thugust
The LCFABjLBD continued under tow throughout the day and the Canal Zone was raisedhcook us through the breakwater and arrival was made anal pilcd^ and Kavy tug smaller than the
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}' 6 tbe entire crev be commendedob well donr* in
or the^rvScb
T?' ^thankcd for cooperation extended. Thoueh
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this case we surely would have lost*ney had in
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LAURENCE STlLaiiCB *
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Original document.
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