U.S.S. YANCEY AKA-93

Ken Grooms's Navy

A story for the USS Yancey

The Yancey Encounters Chi Chi Mountain

If you don't see the Index to the Left, click here

It was a nice day in the summer of '51 at Sasebo, Japan . The Yancey had been anchored at buoy 22 (again) and we had just gone thru a change of command about two weeks earlier.

The bay in Sasebo is surrounded by hills and mountains. One mountain, Chi Chi, in particular rises from the bay at a steep angle. We were just getting underway for Oakland, California. I hadn't been on the Yancey long at that time, so I decided to go up on the bridge and look at the scenery as we left the harbor.

A Navy tug commanded by a Chief was standing by to assist us in leaving the harbor. Where I was standing, I could hear the commands on the bridge. We were pointed directly at Chi Chi, when I heard a calm command of "Left Full Rudder". The next immediate command I heard was "Cast off the tug", followed by the Chief on the tug asking the Captain "Don't you want me to standby to assist?"

The Captain replied "No".

The Chief must have known that the tide was coming in. The fact was that the tide next to the shore was very swift due to the sharp slope of the land at that point. The Yancey continued on its course headed for Chi Chi.

The next command was "Back one third" - the ship continued on course. The Captain then ordered "Back full", followed by Chief Quartermaster Maxwell running out to the wing to take a sighting and saying "we are going to beach this!"

The next thing that happened was the Captain grabbing the engine order telegraph with both hands yelling "back, back, back!" Apparently, the engine room didn't respond to the order immediately - that is they can't.

We did hit the bank, but as I recall there was no real impact and someone on the bridge said that they did get a zero reading on the fathometer.

No damage was done - it must have been a mud bottom (or side slope).

At least we found out why the tug Chief was concerned.

I am sure others remember this incident and may have different memories of what happened. I would like to hear from shipmates on this.

Ken Groom
5/19/2002

Submitted 2/10/07
To write this Shipmate, write Admin
and ask to have this person's Email.
be sent to you.

Return