Blair (DE 147) - Naval Cruise Book

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Storm Condition I - Newport, R. I. 16 March, 1956 Eternal vigilance is the watehword for 3 other ships of Escort Squadron Ten along- survival - at sea or in port, as exemplified by side Destroyer Pier l, Narragansett Bay. the fateful events of the night of 16 March, The light snow which had been falling mgst l956. BLAIR lay quietly moored outboard of the day did not interfere with normal Blizzard hits Pier 1, Newport, with unanticipated fury. i i E E

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1000: CHURCH CALL lust as surely as there are no atheists in fox- holes, no one can regard the howling fury of a Hatteras storm with aught but a feeling of humility in the face of its eternal mightg with but a profound respect for the awesome power beyond the unseen stars. A sailorman's religion is oftimes more in- dividual and less orthodox in nature than that of the landsman. In many instances it is more sensed than spokeng more of a state of mind than a mode of expression. It is in part crys- tallized from thoughts during long mid- watches the stormy North Atlantic, recollec- tions of the brilliance of Pacific moonlight, memories of the azure tranquillity of a Medi- terranean afternoon. One whose life's concern is the rise and fall of the glass, the ebb and How of the great tides, the vagaries of river and ocean current, can never disregard the sense of the Almighty presence. There are some hands who perhaps would decline to admit this but none who follow the sea can ever escape it. Church pennant flies at the fore as UF21fllCl'H Connors conducts interdenominational services. 55 3 M11 ,L ,Wal

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liberty routine of all ships. Only the Duty Section remained aboard BLAIR, and ap- parently another humdrum in-port week end of quiet shipkeeping had begun. It was not until 2000 reports that cause for concern was apparent. Unknown to those in command, two minor Cyclonic disturbances about 400 miles distant had united to form a fierce winter storm, whose center was at that mo- ment only 3 hours away. Within an hour, wind velocity at the Pier increased from 35 to 65 knots and snow was falling so heavily that it was impossible to see the nest ahead from BLAIR's forecastle. The C.D.O., alert to the possibility of the nest breaking up, had sent messengers to tele- phone the Captain and Executive Ofiicer. The main engines were lit off and without an order being given, all hands aboard were on deck, ready to assist in reinforcing moorings and lending a hand wherever they could. Another nest ahead had broken away and drifted toward the shoal on Coddington Point. As the last lines of BLAIR's nest strained to the breaking point, the Captain clambered hand- over-hand via mooring lines from ship to ship to BLAIR. During an inspection of moorings on the main deck. word was passed that Hammerbetrg had broken loose from the pier. There was time only to run to the bridge, order all lines cut on the double and all engines back, emergency full. BLAIR's anchor still dragged against the force of the backing engines as she fought her way clear of Greenwood to port and finally backed clear into the impenetrable driving snow which blanketed the Bay. After hours of blind maneuvering, some- times with only feet to spare between hulls of other ships also seeking safety, good holding ground was finally found and BLAIR swung into the wind at anchor. The frozen and ex- hausted crew were called into the wardroom where they rated a ration of brandy and a heartfelt W'ell Done from the Captain. It was not until dawn of the next day that the immensity of the storm damage was fully evident. Four ships were aground, nine were severely damaged, and four bluejackets had died of exposure during the night. It is a tribute to the training, loyalty and sheer guts of BLAIR's crew that the damage incurred by the ship was limited to a little chipped paintwork.