Macon (CA 132) - Naval Cruise Book

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The MARIA AMATA was totally disabled. F ' he alter hold and midships section of the Ital- ian ship were completely gutted and fires in the paces leading to the engine room, inside and below deck in the amidships superstructure and in the after peak tank spaces blazed unrelentini; ly. Side plating abreast the afterholds buckled from the heat and MARIA AMATA ' s list in- creased to about 20 degrees. MACON ' s fire parties did not hesitate to board the binning ship when the Executive Officer gave the word. On board the burning ship the were able to pierce the outboard bulkheads ol the deck-houses to allow water from the hoses to escape. Pump suction could not be gotten into the holds because of the cargo. The Master uf the MARIA AMATA was ex- tremely concerned about the safety of the MA- CON firefighters. He told your skipper that the fire was now burning around fuel tanks and ad- vised him to f)ull away. The danger of explosion was iininnwnt and concern for the icelfare of the crew led Captain Wylie to withdraxu our fire parties and follow the advise of the Master the MARIA AMATA. Soon after this a series of explosions rocked the ship and uncontrollable fires spread to the forward section. For nearly seven hours our ship lay to close by the MARIA AMATA. When the Spanish man-of-war SARMIENTO DE GAMBIA arrived, the Master of the MARIA AMATA and five of her crew were transferred to the man-of-war to await the arrival of tugs from Valencia. The MACON took the remainder of the crew to ] ' alencia. Even though MACON firefighters were nut able to put the tire out, the ship was saved. 1 In next day you got to see the giuted frame of tlu ' ship tied up in J ' alencia. And, though MACOX had not been able to comjsletely extinguish ilu fires, all hands remembered the sweat and hopes of that night, the excitement and valor of the once-in-a-career fight to save one of its fellow- ships at sea. MACON and its crew had earned the ■■JVell Done! ' ' from COMSIXTHFLT. ■I

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Taps Iiad , one at the regular time of 2200 on the night ol 19 January 1959 and the AIACON steamed unhurriedly between Cartagena mid Valencia, Spain. Unbeknown to itiDSt ol the per- sonnel on board the signal bridge had sighted an unidentified object at approximately 2215. The .object sighted on the horizon about 12 miles from the ship was soon determined to be a binn- ing ship. Station the Rescue and Assistance De- tail! These were the words which began a once- in-a-career ex]xiience for many of MACON ' s of- ficers and men. MACOK closed the scene at flank speed as ihc pitch of excitemeiu rose. With- in thiitv miiMiKs after first sightint; the buniiiig ship, oui kip|H 1- had brilliantly maiuics cii-d the MACOS alongside the Italian nici c li.niini.in. MARIA AM AT A. We soon learmd th.n the crew of the MARIA AMATA had kli ilu- sliip and were standing by in life bo.iis iioni ilie MARIA AMATA and the .Spanish men h.iniman CUIDAl) 1)1. OVIEDO wiiidi u,is in Ilu- vi cinitv. The Master ol the MARIA AMATA was in the eyes of his burning ship. MACOX closed MARIA AMATA, coming alongside with bows touching at an angle in order to permit bringing the topside fires under control. MACOX was then swimg parallel and close alongside as the hoses were brought to bear from forward aft. MACOX personnel valiantly fought the fire for o er two and a half hours. As many as 14 hoses were in use, playing either water or foam on the fires.

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FRANCE POLLENSA BAY, MAJORCA !i vAfJ PORT DEPARTURE DATE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 1 DECEMBER GIBRALTAR, BC.C. 9-11 DECEMBER 1958 AUGUSTA BAY, SICILY IS- 14 DECEMBER 1958 CANNES, FRANCE 18 DECEMBER 1958 to 5 JANUARY 1959 CARTAGENA, SPAIN M - 19 [ANUARY 1959 VALENCIA, SPAIN 20 - 23 JANUARY 1959 GENOA, ITALY 2 ■ 9 FEBRUARY 1959 MARSEILLES, FRANCE 11-21 FEBRUARY 1959 POLLENSA BAY, MAJORCA 1 - 2 MARCH 1959 BARCELONA, SPAIN !t 10 MARCH 1959 TOULON. FRANCE II -17 MARCH 1959 TARANTO, ITALY 21-24 MARCH 1959 DARDANELLES TRANSIT 27 MARCH and 31 MARCH 1959 I.STANBUL, TURKEY 28-31 MARCH 1959 ATHENS, GREECE 2 APRIL 1959 MALTA 5-11 APRIL 1959 LEGHORN, ITALY 2S - 26 APRIL 1959 VILLEFRANCHE, FRANCE 27 APRIL 1959 NAPLES, ITALY 29 APRIL lo 5 MAY 1959 SUDA BAY. CRETE 17 MAY 1959 GIBRALTAR, B.C.C. 21 MAY 1959 NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 28 MAY 1959 ARRIVAL BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS SO MAY I9S9 LIB