USS Beaufort (ATS-2) - Losing Her Tows in A Storm

Losing Her Tows in A Storm

She returned to Subic Bay late in July for a short period of upkeep. From there, the salvage tug went to Naha, Okinawa, to pick up three pontoon barges for towing to Ream, Cambodia. While at Ream Harbor, Cambodia, the U.S.S. Beaufort came under attack in an ambush from enemy machine gun fire. Gunnersmates Day, Seabo. Kelly and Reed responded with return fire from the .50 Caliber machine guns, and opened fire from the 20mm. The Cambodian ship also came under enemy fire; and had an explosion on board. The Cambodian ship only had its Captain and one enlisted sailor survive, the other men were killed. The Captain of the Beaufort directed the Captain of the Cambodian ship, and a minor argument ensued, even as both were under enemy machine gun fire; the Captain of the Cambodian ship relented. The Beaufort towed the wounded ship out of the immediate area. The beginning of the day was quiet and the birds were singing in the jungle - until the ambush. 'Beaufort' departed Naha on 1 August and shaped a course for Ream. Off the coast of South Vietnam, however, she encountered a storm; and all three barges broke the lines, and in order not to have the barges floating around the Pacific Ocean, the crew of the 'Beaufort' sank all three barges with .50 caliber machine guns, and 20mm fire, the 20mm gun mount was full of brass, it was difficult to stand on the brass, shoot a moving target in the rolling sea, from the deck of a rolling ship.

The ship continued on to Ream where she arrived on 14 August. There, she picked up another tow, a Cambodian Landing Craft, Infantry (LCI), for the voyage back to Subic Bay. The salvage tug reached her destination on 19 August. On the 27th, she got underway for Hong Kong where she made a storm-induced, extended port visit. Beaufort departed Hong Kong on 8 September and headed back toward the Philippines. On the approach to Subic Bay, she took USS Tripoli in tow and brought her into port on the 10th. After the 'Beaufort' reached port, the United States Marines bought the crew of the 'Beaufort' all of the beer they could drink anywhere on the mainstreet of Magsaysay Street in olongapo Subic Bay.

She put to sea again on 25 September to help to refloat the grounded USNS Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton and returned to Subic Bay from that mission on 9 October. The crew of the Pendelton ran-a-ground on the coral shoal of Triton Island in the Parcel Island out to sea off of the DMZ of North Vietnam and South Vietnam; the Pendelton was 10 degrees off course during the storm. It was hauling ammunition to South Vietnam. The seas were heavy, with high waves being pushed by high winds. As the storm subsided, the 'Beaufort' hooked its steel cables to the aft section of the 'Pedleton' and attempted to tow her off of the snow white coral reef; there was no moving the ship. A barge was called from South Vietnam to unload the ammunition, and get it to U.S. Forces in South Vietnam, the unloading was completed by the sailors of the 'Pendleton'. While the unloading was being completed, the crew of the 'Beaufort' put its Navy Divers, Scuba, and Hard Hat Divers into the water to recon the bottom hull of the 'Pendleton'. The Beaufort Hull Technician Divers, and the Explosive Ordnance Demolition E.O.D. Divers noticed a crack in the hull; it was a gap between four inches to twelve inches, and compartments on flooded, which added additioanl weight. The bow of the 'Pendelton' was protrounding approximately twenty feet up toward the sky. Additional ships were dispatched to the scene to assist in pulling the ship off the reef. During the same time, China sent a message stating it owned the island and to stop all procedures and depart the island; North Vietnam also stated it owned the coral reef and to make haste out of the area or it would send a warship to engage the Navy ships, both dispatches were taken seriously, however, no county was taking an operational naval vessel. All towing attempts failed, and a typhoon was closing in on the area. The 'Beaufort' made on final attempt. Another ship rammed the starboard, nearly crushing a sailor, as the I-Beam of the other ship crushed-in the side of the 'Beaufort'. The ship was hit so hard, the mast began to shake violently, and the men on the ship's bridge were on the deck waiting for it to crash. The 'Beaufort' removed all men from the 'Pendelton', and loaded Divers into a Mike Boat, Landing Craft. The Divers took dive equipment, and demolitions to the 'Pendleton', and set charges to the hull. After retreating approximately 1,000 yards, the charges exploded, and the ship was there "for the duration". It was used as a Radar Beacon for aircraft. The 'Beaufort' Hull Technicians shored its bulkhead with wood and steel, until it could get back to port for major repairs. During repairs, a U.S. Naval Destroyer was docked starboard side to 'Beaufort'. The 'Beaufort was under shipyard repairs. The was a 'Wood Camel', a floating dock between the ships, for which shipyard workers were painting the hull of the starboard side. The 'Beaufort' was taking on fuel, which had an 'over flow', and dumped into the area between the ships, and surrounded the 'camel' with two men on it; the Destroyer was flying a red Bravo Flag, taking on ammunition. The 'Beaufort' crew were securing from normal operation for the day, and as sailors were taking showers in the Head 'bathroom', the ship yard welders arc and metal slag fell into the fuel laden water. The fuel caught fire. The Fire Alarm sounded, and the 'In Port Scene Leader' Hull Technician who had the duty day, responded to the fire on the Main Deck Starboard Side, he was dressed in his Skivy Boxer Shorts, and Boots. He dragged out a fire hose, and began to fight the fire, he called for additional fire teams to direct water toward the men on the 'Camel' and for others to rescue the men. The he directed his fire team to put water onto the Destroyer three Port sidetorpedo tube, which had three live torpedoes; the type one would view on a World War II PT Boat, the Fire Scene Leader of the 'Beaufort' was giving orders to a Lieutenant, who refused to listen, so the Fire Scene Leader of Repair Party #3, hosed him to get the Officer aways from the torpedoes, as flames were reaching the weapons. The Scene Leader received flash burns on his face, arms, and chest. The men on the Camel were later rescued. Three Fire Teams were on scene that day, and not one man ran from the danger of possible explosions, they stood their post and put the fire out. The Captain was at the fire scene to assist his men. Some of the men of the Fire Teams were Alegra, Allen, Master Chief Belk, Beltzek, Butler, Duke was burned, Kopitar led Team #2, Mecca, Miller, Rogers, Weirsma, Yost, and several others. On the 24th, the salvage tug shaped a course for Sasebo, Japan. She arrived in Sasebo on 29 October and remained there until 4 November. On the latter day, Beaufort took two tank landing ships in tow and began the voyage back to Pearl Harbor. She reentered her home port on 28 November and spent the rest of the year in post-deployment leave and upkeep.