Of course, neither event was really drastic. Both could have been avoided but for the actions of her commanding officer.

Here is the way I remember them:

The grounding incident took place alongside pier 2 at Newport. A small crack had been found in the forward bulkhead of one of the forward fuel tanks. In order to weld it shut the ship was ballasted aft. The objective was to provide a clear, dry, space for the welders to work.

Then someone got the bright idea of taking a local civilian official, I think it was the Newport Chief of Police, on a VIP cruise for a day. This was supposed to happen the day after the tank was repaired. When I delivered the morning draft report to the skipper I pointed out that we were pretty deep aft and shallow forward. I was dismissed with a typical, gruff, "Very well". When the pilot came aboard he also noticed the problem, remarking that at the current state of the tide, the stern might be resting on the bottom. He, too, called it to the attention of the Captain. "I know", was all the answer he got.

One of the harbor tugs came up and took a line from the fantail. The idea was to pull our stern clear, and then to back out into the channel. The stern lines were cast off from the pier. The tug pulled, but the NAN didn't move. The Captain had the VIP guest on the bridge. He was impatient and short tempered. "Cast off that damned tug." he ordered. "I'll take her out without their help."

"Starboard back 1/3, Port ahead 1/3" bellowed the skipper. He intended to twist the ship away from the pier while keeping the bow lines attached. Mud churned up around the screws, but the ship did not move. Increasing power didn't help, either. In the end, we put over the stern lines again and settle down for a couple of hours wait while the engineers shifted ballast. We had to have divers examine the screws and check that we hadn't bent the shafts. Aside from the inconvenience, this incident passed without any serious consequences.

The collision was another matter altogether. We were in the Caribbean, supporting some exercise with South American navies.

There was another oiler involved, I think it was the MARIAS. We were en route to Guantanamo when we got word that the other oiler had busted a span wire while fueling. The end of the wire got wrapped round her screw. She went limping into San Juan, where she could be docked, and the wire removed. But she still had a nearly full cargo load.

She couldn't enter the dock in that condition so she anchored in the middle of the harbor. We were diverted to San Juan. The NAN came alongside the anchored oiler. We put over lines, and then hoses. Her cargo began flowing into our empty tanks. Her deck rose while ours went down.

When we finished, it was time to cast off and go back out. I was navigator, and senior watch officer. When the Special Sea Detail was set I came to the bridge and looked around for the officer I had assigned as OOD. He wasn't there. I asked my quartermaster of the watch "Where's Mister Munnis?"

"Oh, The Captain sent him down to the engine room" he replied. I was surprised, and it obviously showed. "The Captain has the deck and con", my QM continued, "and I've logged it".

I went out to the starboard bridge wing to confirm this, but just then the tug that was to assist came up. The skipper waved her off. The Captain of the other oiler asked why. "I don't need him." our Captain replied, "Don't worry, Charlie, I won't crunch you."

The skipper backed on the starboard, inboard, engine. If we had been alongside a pier, this would have been a simple and correct maneuver. But we weren't alongside a pier. There was nothing holding the stern of the other ship. As we began to back away suction developed between the two oilers. Her stern was being pushed towards us as our bow moved aft.

By the time the bow of the NANTAHALA reached the after superstructure of the other ship the overhang was clearly over the deck. The hoses of the other ship's after fueling station were cut apart. Then the overhang sliced into their crew's head and tore a gash all the way back to the Chief's quarters. Fortunately, there were no injuries to personnel on either ship. (In case you hadn't guessed, the skipper was RLB on both occasions)

Submitted by Lee Wetherhorn