Current (ARS 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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AMASTRA SALVOPS - NHA TRANG, RVN CURRENT ANCHORED OFF AMASTRA AND TARA, USS GREENI.ET IS ANCHORED IN BACKGROUND. CHUT, A SMAI 1 FISHING VIL-UAGE, LIES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NHA TRANG. THE AMASTRA WAS AT ANCHOR ONL-Y 300 YARDS FROM THIS V1UL.AGE WHEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED. CURRENT ARRIVED IN NHA TRANG DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED A TEAM TO THE DISABLED BRITISH SHELL OIL TANKER AMASTRA TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE AND PLAN A COURSE OF ACTION, AN EOD TEAM, WHICH SURVEYED THE DAMAGE ON THE TWELFTH JUST AFTER THE EXPLOSION ESTIMATED THAT OVER A HUNDRED POUNDS OF EXPLOSIVES WAS USED TO CAUSE THE SIX BY SEVEN FOOT HOLE. THE ENGINE ROOM, FIRE ROOM AND AFT PUMP ROOM HAD BEEN FLOODED IN 20 MINUTES CAUSING THE AMASTRA TO SETTLE BY THE STERN. THE KARA, ONE OF SHELL ' S DUTCH TANKERS, MOORED ALONGSIDE AMASTRA TO PROVIDE ELECTRICAL POWER AND ASSISTANCE. BOTH SHIPS WERE ANCHORED LESS THAN 300 YARDS FROM THE SMALL FISHING VILLAGE OF CHUT WHICH LIES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NHA TRANG. BM2 HENDERSON, SA ISSAC , AND SA MATRICK WORK ON THE TEMPORARY PATCH

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WITH THE STERN LOWERED IN SHAl l OW WATER, THE DREDGES BOW BREAKS THE SURFACE AS THE SHIP ATTEMPTS TO UPRIGHT HER, THE UPRIGHT DREDGE IS LOWERED TO THE BOTTOM. USS GREENLET (ASR-IO) ARRIVED ON THE SCENE ON THE SIXTH TO ASSIST AS NECESSARY. CTU 73.4.1 EMBARKED IN THE GREENLET WHILE CTF 73 STOOD OVERALL WATCH. CURRENT SUCCEEDED IN RAISING THE DREDGE DIRECTLY BELOW HER KEEL AND MOVED INTO SHALLOW WATER. AFTER UPRIGHTING THE DREDGE, CURRENT AND GREENLET DIVERS MADE PREPARATION FOR SECURING ALL OPENINGS WITH PATCHES. UPON COMPLETION OF PATCHING, CURRENT PLANNED TO FILL ALL SPACES WITH AIR AND tlBLOW HER TO THE SURFACE. BUT THEN EVENTS INTERVENED ... THURSDAY THE 13TH OF APRIL A MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED BY RADIO THAT A BRITISH TANKER, THE AMASTRA, HAD BEEN HOLED BY AN EXTERNAL EXPLOSION IN NHA TRANG HARBOR AND NEEDED ASSISTANCE. CURRENl SLIPPED FOR HER MOOR LEAVING THE DONG NAl DREDGE FIFTEEN FEET BELOW THE SURFACE HAVING NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO FILL HER WITH AIR. OUR DESTINATION ... 200 MILES NORTH TO NHA TRANG, VIET NAM. EM3 DELANEY GOES OVER THE 5IDE TO INSPECT THE HULL AND REPLACE PATCHES. Q-Q-Q-Q-Q:

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A 12 X 12 FOOT SOFT PATCH WAS ASSEMBLED AND SALVAGE PUMPS AND COMPRESSORS RIGGED FOR TRANSFER TO THE AMASTRA. CURRENT TEMPORARILY MOORED ALONGSIDE AND TRANSFERRED ALL THE SALVAGE EQUIPMENT. WHEN DIVERS HAD SECURED THE PATCH, THE PUMPS WERE ni |T OFF AND THE AMASTRA BEGAN TO SHOW FREEBOARD. THE SPACES WHICH HAD BEEN FLOODED WERE CLEARED WITH THE HELP OF 30 TO 40 VIETNAMESE AND FILIPINO STEVEDORES UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF EN3 HIGHTOWER AND FA CLARK, AN ESTIMATED 6000 LBS OF SPOILED MEAT AND VEGETABLES WERE REMOVED TO A BARGE ALONGSIDE AND THEN DUMPED AT SEA. WITH THE DAMAGED SECTION OF THE SHIP OUT OF WATER A PERMANENT METAL PATCH WAS FABRICATED. THIS PATCH WAS WELDED IN PLACE AND AMASTRA WAS MADE READY FOR TOW TO SINGAPORE. SALVAGE EQUIPMENT IS REMOVED FROM AFTER SALVAGE HOLD AND PLACED ON DECK TEMPORARY PATCH IS BEING PREPARED IN BACKGROUND. BY THE I9TH, ALL SALVAGE MACHINERY HAD BEEN DISMANTLED A ND RESTORED ABOARD THE CURRENT — THE AMASTRA HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SALVAGED. If PUMPS IN OPERATION .... ORIGINAL LEVEL OF THE SHIP IS MARKED BY OILY LINE. BMC DOOLEY AND CREW TRANSFER NEEDED EQUIPMENT ABOARD THE AMASTRA.