Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 141 text:

11:59 11:42 11:45 ENGINE. WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THE SPEED BUT I'M AFRAID WE WON'T BE ABLE TO STEER. WE'RE SHIPPING WATER FAST AFT. OTHERWISE OK. REPEAT HANCOCK. WE'RE SHIPPING WATER FAST AFT. I THINK WE WILL LOSE STEERING CONTROL. I THINK WE WILL LOSE STEERING CONTROL. WE'RE DOWN ABOUT IO FEET BY STERN. THREE ENGINES OK. OUT. WE WILL WATCH YOU AND STAY WITH YOU. CANEBRAKE STAND BY IN DAYLIGHT TO HELP US WITH HANCOCK. WILCO OUT. BOGIES ON STARBOARD BEAM 6 TO 8 MILES. SAINT JO OUT. EXECUTE TO FOLLOW TANGO KING PLUS 50. I SAY AGAIN EXECUTE TO FOLLOW TANGO KING PLUS SO. STAND BY. EXECUTE. OVER. The ship is swinging hard left in circles, considerable list to starboard. Reports from THIS IS STORK STORK FROM HANCOCK THIS IS STORK THIS IS CANEBRAKE THIS IS STORK damage control center and engineer ofliceg one propeller lost . . . all steering controls disrupted . . . rudder locked 30 degrees left . . . attempt being made to use hand- operated hydraulic steering control. All damage and repair work difficult, due to toxic smoke from broken smoke tanks stowed on fantail. Gas from ruptured air-conditioning machinery is sucked up and blown into the steering control room by the Ventilating system . . . water leaking in through seams of the bulkheads sloshes all over the place. The men in steering engine room send up word that their position is becoming too diflicult and request permission to come out. The Captain steps quickly to the phone. Tell them that if they are positive they cannot stand it any longer they may come out, but before 129

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11:54 11:55 11:56 11:57 11:58 128 THIS IS STORK ROGER OUT. ALERT EVERYBODY. HANCOCK HAS LOST STEERING CONTROL. ALERT EVERYBODY. THIS IS STORK THOSE ASSIGNED STAND BY HANCOCK. THOSE ASSIGNED STAND BY HANCOCK. BUT ALERT. THIS IS DURANGO SHALL I STAND BY HANCOCK. THIS IS STORK AFFIRMATIVE. AFFIRMATIVE. OUT. One of the oHicers asks me if I know how to adjust my lifehelt. Yes, I think I can Work it out. I take off the fool thing I have, self-consciously, worn around my waist every time there was general quarters, blow it up, squeeze it, find it holds air, carefully deflate and strap it around my waist again. So this is it . . . I think of the Liscome Bay. The lighting with the enemy continues, in less than a minute after the torpedo hit, the fight to save the ship is under way. The Captain receives telephone reports from all parts of his ship, where the torpedo hit . . . how much she has settled and what is happening to the steering mechanism. brief commands. HANCOCK GIVE ME DETAILS WHEN YOU CAN. ROGER. WE HAVE TWO PORT ENGINES OK. STARBOARD ENGINES OUT. ENDEAVORING TO RESTORE STEERING CONTROL. BELIEVE WE ' , WILL BE OK IN FEW MINUTES REGARDS STEERING. OUT. ADVISE WHAT YOU CAN BEND ON. WAIT. STAY IN VICINITY TO HELP US TAKE CARE OF HANCOCK IF NECESSARY BY DAYLIGHT. OVER. WE JUST LOST ALL POWER ON STEERING All reports are answered by sharp THIS IS STORK STORK THIS IS HANCOCK HANCOCK THIS IS STORK FROLIC THIS IS STORK THIS IS HANCOCK

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3 I 11:46 11:47 doing so to let me know their decisionf' These words spoken in a quiet deliberate voice by Felix Stump may not go into the history books, but they carry an essence of America that hits me like an electric shock. Here is the Captain of a great ship giving three of his sailors a chance to decide for themselves Whether they are Willing, or not, to risk their lives for their ship and shipmates. He also gives these boys the finest tribute an oificer can give his men . . . his confidence in their own sense of responsibility. I AM NOT CLEAR ON SITUATION. REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS. OVER. WE ARE STANDING BY HANCOCK. SHE GOT ONE. SHE GOT ONE. DO YOU WANT ME TO STAND BY ALSO. NEGATIVE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO REMAIN SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY IN CASE WE - NEED HELP AT DAYLIGHT TOMORROW. ACKNOWLEDGE. OVER. ROGER OUT. SEVERAL BOGIES STARBOARD BEAM TO STAR BOARD QUARTER CLOSING 4 TO 6 MILES. STORK THIS IS FROLIC THIS IS STORK THIS IS FROLIC THIS IS STORK STORK THIS IS FROLIC Radar plot reports are keeping the Captain informed in detail about the position and movement of the various raids of enemy planes. Several groups that have been circling I5 or zo miles out simultaneously begin runs on the task groups from different directions . . . they either miss the target or fail to find them . . . retire again some I5 or zo miles . . . then begin circling the task force while they re-form for the next attack . . . Indian tactics of the old covered Wagon days. 11:50 BOGIE APPROACHING STARBOARD QUARTER 130 2000 YARDS.