COLLISION AT SEA (33 years ago today-USS Frank E. Evans )

History Net ^ | 6-3-2002 | Phil Smith and Mal Lancaster

[bdjahn]

Thanks for the update. I never set foot on the Evans and it's been more than a few years since I was on a ‘can. I knew ops berthing was in the forward area but forgot about the Chiefs and deck crew. I was ET2 and happened to be in Subic when the remainder of the Evans was towed in, thankful I was not on it as I probably wouldn't be here now if I was. One of the operations crew lost was a friend of mine as we served together on the USS Nereus. What is really sad was the whitewash that took place in the aftermath.

[panheadred]

I was BT3 on board the USS O’Brien DD725 and we never heard and were not aware the collison at that time. I was assigned to forward fire room. We alternated between gunfire support and plane guarding missions. That is when this incident occured. Several months after the incident to the best of my memory a BT3 was transferred to our ship and into my division. He told us what had happened. He had got off a watch, sacked out and heard a bunch of shuttering of the ship. When they realized something happened and went on the main deck, the front of the ship had already sunk. This was the first we heard of the incident, when he came aboard our ship and told us what happened. We became very good friends. I justed wanted to share my experience. My thoughts are with the families and friends that lost a loved one.

[CVA34]

They only recovered one body. The rest went down with the ship.

[spottedal]

I was working the Graveyard shift at Naval Comm Sta Philippines in San Miguel as a Tech control supervisor. I was maintaining a full period multiplex communication with the HMAS Melbourne and several other ships. The operator on the Melbourne was typing and sending me new frequencies when all of a sudden he quit typing. I noticed the crypto light come on a couple minutes later and he typed “Blimey mate, I think we just ran over one of your Tin Can’s” .. Rest is history.

[Robert A Cook PE]

You know, with just a post or two every 6 months, we could keep this thread going for years...
15 posted on 08/12/2003 9:02:59 PM CDT by GATOR NAVY

Four and counting :>)

Eight and counting. 8<)

[GATOR NAVY]

I had no idea when I wrote that that it would actually happen. Amazing.

[Audioplus93]

Having just seen 11-11-11 go by, I was 18 years old at the time serving as Corpsman on the USS Bronstein, if I recall GQ sounded at 3:15 AM, full moon, calm sea, very little was reported on this. I’m glad there were a few survivors, at the time we had heard everyone in the forward compartment had been lost.
The US Servicemen lost at Sea should be on the Vietnam War Memorial!

[M Kehoe]

Good evening.

2002, amazing how the Internet will be a repository of history...no matter who the victor.

5.56mm

[JShannon]

My great uncle was James Wilburn Davis. He was one of the men lost on the USS Frank E Evans. Does anyone remember him?

[narses]

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[DECKFORCE]

Hello ,,,I was in the Deck Force (1st Divison) 1967 - 69,, we all called each other by the last name,,,I knew a Davis but if you post a photo of him at that time I’m sure I’ll know if its him.