While assigned to the service force support group for the Sixth Fleet we had only a few opportunities to work with other supply ships. Usually, our tanker might team up with a stores ship. While we pumped fuel oil to other ships they would send over loads of food and similar items by high line transfer. Later, that would be done by helicopter.
On one occasion, however, we found ourselves in company with the flagship, a stores ships, and a second tanker. We spent the night cruising in a triangular formation with the flagship in the lead, and the two tankers trailing a bit behind on either side. For some reason that we never discovered the admiral decided that when we delivered fuel in the morning we would be in the same formation, but with one small change. The two tankers were to trade positions.
I had the watch that morning, and when I came to the bridge my predecessor told me about the formation change. He had already worked out how we were to get from the left side of the flagship to a similar place on the right side. In fact, we were already on our way. I checked his maneuvering board solution and found it was spot on. As soon as I took over I made one small change. I ordered our signalmen to put up flags indicating we were en route to our new position. Then, with safety in mind, I sent my junior officer of the deck to check that the other tanker was not showing constant bearing with decreasing range, the indication that we were headed for a collision. He returned and told me everything was OK. The bearing was drifting left.
“What part of the other ship did you look at?”. I inquired.
“I took the bearings on her bow.” he replied.
“Very well,”, I answered, “Now do the same thing using her stern.”
The junior officer went to the bridge wing and did as I had ordered. Then he returned.
“It’s OK, Her stern is drifting, too,” he reported, “definitely drifting right.”
Well that was certainly NOT OK. If the bow was drifting left and the stern was drifting right there was some point in between that was holding a steady bearing. That was the point where we were going to hit her. I was reluctant to change course or speed because we only could make 17 knots and the formation was moving at 15 knots. A change coud easiy take us a long time to regain our intended station. But I could not ignore the danger. So I called the other ship on the tactical radio circuit and told them my course and speed and asked what they were doing. I got no answer. At that point I rang up All Stop to the engine room and then called the captain to the bridge. It was clear now that we were headed for impct. As the skipper came up I ordered All Back Full. Otherwise inertia would have taken us right into the side of the other tanker.
We missed by a very short distance. As we were running full speed to try to regain our proper position the other tanker sent us a flashing light message.
“Commanding Officer to Commanding Officer. Sorry if I embarrassed you.”
It was only quite a while later that we found out what had actually happened. Everyone, that means both the other ships, had heard my radio transmission. The Officer of the Deck on the other tanker had answered me. But he answered me on an encrypted voice radio circuit. We were an old tanker, and had never been given that equipment. The flagship heard it and knew exactly what had transpired. The other tanker got a dressing down for failing to keep abreast of events. No one was hurt. But it could have been very messy, indeed.
Wetherhorn 