August 22 has been a tough day in history for the tin can sailors. In 1942 the USS Blue DD-387 while on patrol near Savo Island was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer Kawakaze. The explosion killed nine of her crew and wrecked the engines and steering gear. She was taken in tow but soon it was apparent to the crew, who did all humanly possible to keep her afloat, that she would not make port. Sadly she had to be scuttled on the 23rd. with torpedoes.

On the other side of the world in the Atlantic US destroyers were commonly used for convoy escorts and such was the case for the USS Buck DD-420 and the USS Ingraham DD-444. Convoy AT-20 was nearing Nova Scotia when the Buck moved toward the Canadian troopship Awatea to correct her course. This was happening during a heavy fog and the Awatea rammed the stern of the Buck almost cutting it off. Seven sailors were killed in the collision either being crushed or falling overboard to die in the cold water of the North Atlantic. Buck was in bad shape, the starboard propeller was gone and the stern was hanging on by a thread. Cables were used to hold her together but within a few hours the port propeller fell off and the stern had to be cut free to keep it from further damaging the hull. She was taken in tow and made it to Boston on the 26th.

After the collision the USS Ingraham DD-444 began to make her way to the scene to aid the stricken ship. As she did she crossed the bow of the oilier USS Chemung AO-30 and she was cut in half and sank in seconds. To make the disaster worse the depth charges exploded after she sank killing most of those who survived the collision. Only eleven of her crew survived being picked up by the Chemung, two hundred and sixty five of her crew went with her.

The Buck DD-420 survived the collision but came to grief on Oct. 9, 1943 when she was torpedoed without warning by the U-616 off Salerno, Italy. This time one hundred and fifty of the crew lost their lives.

As a side note one year ago today Aug. 22, 2005 the Guided Missile Destroyers USS McFaul DDG-74 and the USS Winston S. Churchill DDG-81 collided off Florida. This time there was very little damage and no lives lost. As I said, a tough day in history.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com

USS Blue DD-387

 

USS Ingraham DD-444