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The following is from an oral history of CAPT Douglas Stahl, who was an Ensign assigned to USS LSM-432. Note that the date of grounding differs from the Navy records, but is supported by a personal journal.
USAT Fairfield was a C1-M-AV1 type cargo ship. Commissioned in March 1945 as USS Fairfield (AK-178). She was decommissioned and turned over to the Army in January 1946. She was manned with a Japanese crew reportedly used to return Japanese soldiers from Pacific islands back to Japan.
Fairfield ran aground on the north coast of Babuyan Island (about 70 miles north of the north tip of Luzon, Philippines) on 18 December 1946. USS LSM-432, based at Subic Bay, was sent to rescue the Fairfield crew and investigate the status of the ship. The weather was too rough to investigate the Fairfield, but a lifeboat with the ship’s crew was recovered. The Japanese crew was transported to Manila and turned over to Chinese Marines. (Given the hatred, I wonder what ever happened to that crew.)
LSM-432 was sent back to Babuyan to investigate. She stopped at Camiguin Island, about 30 nm south of Babuyan, to embark two local banca boats and their native crews to assist with transport between LSM-432 and Fairfield. The banca boats made one successful run before being destroyed by rough seas on 6 January 1947. A highline was run ashore to recover the crew. During highline ops, LSM-432 drifted onto rocks, impaling her engine room. With the ship foundering, the crew used the highline to send stores and crew ashore. No SOS was sent due to dead radio batteries. The next day, an Ensign and a radioman reboarded LSM-432 were they were able to get out a brief SOS to an Army post on northern Luzon. Soon afterwards, a PBY flew over and sent a flashing light message to move to the other side of the island for rescue. The crew was assisted in the arduous transit up a cliff and through the jungle by local natives who had set up a temporary camp to plunder the Fairfield. While awaiting rescue, local natives captured the lone Japanese Army soldier remaining on Babuyan and turned him over to the Americans. After about 5 days the crew of LSM-432 was rescued by USS LST-844 and returned to Manila. The Japanese captive was turned over to the Chinese Marines in Manila. (Again, what ever happened to him?)
The two US wrecks on the north coast of Babuyan Island, are roughly located at 19-33N 121-56E.
Contributed by Wade Armstrong