Sumter (LST 1181) - Naval Cruise Book

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I I I I . thug.: I I I I I I I I Thirteen merchant seamen were rescued from their sinking ship by the crew of USS SUMTER CLST-11812. ifrhe crew of the 3000 .ton merchant vessel, SKY ONE , abandoned ship at five past nine in the morning, Iapproximately 180 nautical miles west of the island of Crete. All crewmembers were brought safely aboard the I UMTER. IS It was early in the morning when the USNS NEOSHO relayed a MAYDAY call to CTF-61 aboard USS INCHON fLpH.12j. The NEOSHO and the INCHON were conducting fueling at sea operations. CTF-61 ordered USS SUMTER to detach from the task force to investigate the report of a ship in distress. Additionally, the INCHON was ordered to launch a helicopter for a possible search and rescue mission. Minutes later, a radio report confirmed 'that the crew of the Panamanian registered ship SKY ONE , had abandoned ship. The Master of SKY ONE , Captain Michael Mammelella said that a sea suction line ruptured in the engine room sometime before seven o'clock inthe morning. Progressive flooding began in the engine room and was soon out of control. By 0715 it was necessary to abandon ship. Enroute to the scene, USS SUMTER first noticed the ship settling at its stern. Then a life boat was sighted drifting to West of the stricken vessel. It was just after 0930 when USS SUMTER took the first of the thirteen men aboard. After refueling, INCHON proceeded to the distress area to render assistance. A Greek merchant ship was also standing by to assist. Even though we knew the crew was safe aboard SUMTER, it was still a traumatic sight, said one officer aboard INCHON. SKY ONE settled slowly but surely at her stern. Once the main deck went awash, we knew that she was lost. It was seven minutes past twelve when SKY ONE lifted her bow and slid slowly beneath the sea. A large Whirlpool was visible for almost thirty minutes to mark where the ship had nee been. 0 The thirteen survivors included seven Italian, two Yugoslavian, two Turks, one Spaniard and a citizen of Chile. All arrived safely at Naval Air Station, Sigonella, Sicily. All were without injury, and were warmly welcomed by relieved U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force personnel, including the NATO Base Commander, Colonel Annicchiarico and American Navy Officials. Grinning with arms stretched high overhead, the first survivor to disembark the helicopter onto his homeland was proudly displaying an eight by eleven inch photo of his rescue ship - USS SUMTER. I I

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