Long long ago in a sea far far away around 0130 during an underway replenishment, I woke up to take a leak. When I got back in my rack I heard what sounded like an alarm clock going off, then I hear coming over the 1MC "Emergency Breakaway, Emergency Breakaway".............. huh, I'm still half asleep............... then I feel the boat gently rock back and forth................... then I hear "Report all casualties to the bridge................. quickly followed by "the klaxon going off and General Quarters, general quarters all hands man your battle stations..................... THIS IS NOT A DRILL.............. oh shit......................... come to find out a Liberian tanker placed itself off our port side coming at a 90 degree angle.......... they sent it messages in English over the guard (at sea version) and light signals. It would not change course............ so emergency break away, let the Oiler turn to starboard, so we can turn to starboard, but we took their bow along our port side, ripped off catwalk, missile director radar and the LSO jump net............. this was during the Iranian Hostage crisis my last cruise on the USS Constellation. No more than a month before that the USS Ranger was hit in almost the exact same way going thru the Straights of Malacca near Singapore at night in a narrow passage. It tore up the port side just like us, but put a big gouge in the bow, that had to be filled with concrete..... also tore the tail off an F-4, and cause an explosion in the LOX shop............... big mess............... and I believe that one was a Liberian registered ship as well. You can google both incidents and see pictures. She was our relief................ she limped back to the PI and then Japan........... and the Midway had to make an emergency trip out to relive us on station. Fun Cruise................ we spent 110 days straight at sea that trip..................... Loads of fun...................
Unless that container ship was being run by Muslim Philipinos or their families were at risk to do it I don't think it was intentional.............. and yes that skipper's career is over, so is the OOD on that watch shift......... (Officer of the Deck) his radar and lookouts should of seen it, there are maritime rights of passage and rules for navigation and who has the right of way at sea........... obviously they were a second thought on both ships...
I'm just sorry for the sailors and their families that are unaccounted for............
Cheers
Hoss
