U.S.S. YANCEY AKA-93

Ken Grooms's Navy A story for the USS Yancey

The Yancey Runs over Treasure Island

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This story is from Ray Wilson, who sent it to me (Ken Groom) sometime ago, but he recently agreed to let me send it in. As a lot of us know, Treasure Island, In San Francisco Bay, was made from fill and joined to Yerba Buena Island that was already there. As far as I know, a canal separating the two was never considered unless that was part of a plan that follows. The time period is sometime in the 1953 time frame.

"Running over Treasure Island"

I (Ray Wilson RM1 speaking) was running the tug frequency from the radio shack that night and was privy to a lot of conversation. I will relate to you my version of that infamous night.

It was around 0300 that the pilot came on board to get us underway for San Diego. The tugs were there and moved us away from the dock and pointed us in the right direction to head for the harbor entrance (The Golden Gate Bridge). If you recall there was very thick fog that morning. Somewhere before going under the Oakland Bay Bridge, the Captain started to have second thoughts for the safety of his ship.

Now, when a pilot comes on board your ship, he takes complete control and has full responsibility of the ship. However, the captain (K) took control away from him and ordered the ship stopped and the anchor dropped. The pilot called for his boat to come along side and he left the ship. The captain waited some time and decided to get underway. We got over toward Alcatraz Island and again the captain decided to drop the hook.

Meanwhile, understand that the radar men knew exactly where we were. I could never understand why the captain would not use the radar to maneuver out of the harbor. It was as if he didn't know how to use it. Finally someone got up enough nerve to tell the captain we were anchored in a channel. (Harbors are like cities with streets and parking lots.) Being in a channel we could have gotten run over by another ship. So we picked up the anchor and moved over to a parking lot.

Speaking of getting run over I have to tell you of a situation that was of a deep concern to us in the radio shack. I don't believe anyone else other than the bridge gang (radar, quartermasters, etc.) realized what was going on out there. I had the tug frequency piped to a speaker in the pilot house so the captain could listen in on what was going on. A call came in requesting tugs for assistance. I knew I had heard that ships call letters before but could not remember who it was. I looked it up in one of our manuals and discovered it was the aircraft carrier Wasp. It was coming into the harbor while we were trying to get out.

As daylight was approaching the fog cleared somewhat. The captain again decided to get underway. At this time the captain and exec were out on the starboard wing of the bridge. Shortly after getting underway the exec was heard to say. "Captain, that looks like headlights". About the same time the pilot who had been on board came up on the speaker. "Yancey, you are heading for Treasure Island." Thinking he was talking to me, he said, "Tell your captain he is in plenty deep water and if he will just back out he will be alright. That's when I was glad I had the tug frequency piped to the bridge.

Obviously the captain had realized the situation and had ordered the engines to back full. However, by the time the ship stopped we were up in the pilings that were around the island. Instead of doing what the pilot told him to do, he had the LCVP and M-boat lowered and had the ship pushed back out of the pilings. By now visibility was about 300 yards and we were now heading for the Golden Gate.

Meanwhile, I kept hearing the Wasp talking with the pilot house and the tugs. Just before we were getting to the Golden Gate I went up on the signal bridge and off to the port side of the ship a gigantic image appeared. It was the USS Wasp about 50 yards away. I remember standing there looking up at the flight deck. Awesome!

Meanwhile we made it through the Golden Gate and were on our way to San Diego.

I have another radio shack story:

When we got to San Diego it was also fogged in so we anchored outside the harbor entrance and sent the mail boat in. In order to communicate with the boat I got out the only Walkie-Talkie we had onboard and gave it to the coxswain (Ken Groom comment: I think this was Ernest Todd). I checked the frequency of the radio and set up a transmitter and receiver on that frequency in the radio shack.

After they had been gone for some time I decided to check in with them. I of course used our ships call letters (NHKD). After a couple of calls a voice came over the speaker, "NHKD, what are you doing on this ham frequency?". I said nothing but went to another of our publications and sure enough that frequency was designated for ham broadcasts. Needless to say we halted communications.

Ray Wilson, RM1 Clermont, FL

From Captain K's "History of the USS Yancey (AKA-93)":

On 28 November 1953, the ship got underway for San Diego. A blinding, pea-soup for which cut visibility down to approximately 100 yards prevailed. A malfunctioning radar automatically dictated the need for all hands topside to keep an extra vigilant lookout. One legend connected with this particular operation tells of one of the lookouts reporting two unidentified lights bearing down on the bridge. These lights were later reported to have been automobile headlights coming from the winding road leading off of the Bay Bridge down to Treasure Island. Only the expert seamanship of those on the bridge and complete attention to duty of those on special sea detail averted what might have been disaster on that fogbound morning. Even with the break of day, the fog refused to let up, and it was not until after thirteen hours from the time of getting underway that the YANCEY finally cleared the Golden Gate. Needless to say, all hands breathed a sigh of relief as the bridge passed overhead.

Story by Ray Wilson RM1
and kindly shared with the YANCEY Crew via
Kenneth Groom, Yancey Historian
12/1/2001

Submitted 2/10/07
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