During the
sixties, I worked at Maryland Shipbuilding & Drydock Company at
Fairfield, Maryland. I was a Ship General Foreman on the second shift. Nitro was
in our yard for extensive overhaul and conversion to FAST capability. She had
been on and off drydock and still had a large opening, as I remember, in her
port side at the engine room, where we had removed and reinstalled much of her
machinery. She was tied up at our remote Pier 5. As I drove into the shipyard on
a Sunday afternoon in the summer of 1967 to begin my shift, I noticed that Nitro
was listing port side much more than her usual couple degrees. On the parking
lot, I saw a huddle of day Foremen. I asked them if they were discussing the
stability of Nitro. They critically told me they couldn't worry about Nitro
because our largest drydock had capsized overnight and they were getting their
story together for the insurance company. Since they were occupied with the
half-sunken and deformed drydock, I decided to investigate Nitro myself.After crossing the floating bridge to Pier 5, and approaching the listing Nitro, I saw that her pipe and diamond-plate yard-furnished gangway was severely distorted and twisted. Some of her mooring lines were slack and others looked ready to pop. I walked to the large approximately ten-foot-high by twenty-foot-long access opening in her side and peered in from my position on the Pier. Her engine room was deeply flooded and the freeboard outside to the bottom of the access opening was less than 16 inches. Fairly strong wind was working against Nitro's precarious situation. I decided to board her and determine the problem.
Walking on Nitro's main deck, the list was noticeable. I headed for the stern and descended the ladder in the trunk to the shaft alley. The shaft alley bilges were bone dry. Next I went forward and checked the forepeak, which was also dry. I climbed down into one of her holds to check the double bottom. Inside her hold I could hear the creaking and popping of Nitro's strain. I returned to midships and made the decision to descend into Nitro's engine room. I went directly to the bottom and saw that the starboard side was dry while machinery on the port side was submerged. The floodwater was too dirty to see through and had plenty of scum on top. I watched the scum, and saw that the floodwater had a slow current. The current emanated from near the large access opening in Nitro's side. I saw electric, welding, and air lines strewn through the access opening. I also saw a puffed-up canvas fire hose which ran from beneath the dirty bilge water through the access opening and overboard into the harbor. My first thought was right - siphon! I waded into and reached down under the bilge water to feel for the fire hose. When I found it, I tugged and tugged until I could haul the fireline over my shoulder and grab the stanchions to lug the hose inside. I finally felt the hose break suction and knew that I had stopped the flooding that was entering Nitro through a backpedaling portable air-driven pump which had been shut off, probably on Friday evening when the workforce left the yard.
Hours had passed and only I and a gate house guard remained at the shipyard. I went to my office and placed calls for workers and supervisors to work Nitro's mooring lines, place huge counterweights on her high-side main deck, and to run pumps to pump her bilges. I left a note for my Superintendent concerning what had occurred. The next day entering the yard, I saw Nitro with her familiar slight list. When I entered the main office, I expected to be congratulated for protecting Nitro, and possibly saving her from capsizing at the dock. Instead, nobody said a word then or ever.
Many years have passed. I don't expect congratulations anymore.. But I'm glad I did it and glad to see the Nitro on the www. She's always been special to me. I also worked on her sister the Suribachi (AE-21) as a machinist. Would like to hear what you think and answer any questions you might have. I appreciate the notes and bmp's the Website has sent me. Best of all, I enjoy the picture of USS Nitro that is now wallpaper on my computer monitor.
Finally, my several attempts at MARCAD and NAVCAD enlistment and even being among the too many at Fort Holabird induction resulted in my never serving. Nevertheless, my wife and I extend the most heartfelt thanks to all the men and women who have served in war and peace. I especially thank all who have been part of the Nitro "experience" and wish you much success at the upcoming Nitro Reunion.
Thanks.
Howard L. Schriefer, PE