Reminds me of a time I got pulled out of morning muster lineup, told to get on the P-3. Grab what extra rafts you can from the loft. (I was a PR)
The USS Force, en route from Haiphong to Guam, caught fire and sank in record time.
All hands abandoned ship at O’Dark Thirty in the morning.
A WOODEN HULLED minesweeper, I still don’t know what caused the fire.
We got on station, relieved the AF C130 tanker that was first on call, and for the next 15 hours the pilot shut down and feathered all but the starboard outer engine, and we coasted in a counter click wise circle above the life rafts for what seemed an eternity. (A P3 in Low and Slow flight can stay afloat with only one engine. Hellova airplane.)
A Norwegian freighter showed up, going about a LOT of miles out of their way, (the Pacific ocean is HUGE!) and picked up all crew just as night fell.
Long day, never got a T-shirt.
Just another day in the life.