The 1054 was in bad shape mechanically and we were dry docked on the Comstock at Kwajalein and found that the shaft packing was un-repairable. A previous repair job had welded the packing nuts to the shaft housing. The shaft could be lifted by hand ¼" in the packing.
While underway the engine room firemen had to pump the shaft ally with a handy billy fire pump on the fantail every two hours after the engine room watch to prevent flooding of the steering room. (We stood two on and four off under way because of the engine room noise)
We steamed to Pearl Harbor in Dec. 1948 for farther evaluation and lost five engines on the way. A Navy Commander came aboard at Pearl, after about 45 minutes talking with the ships captain he decide we were to be scraped. We were put in tow along with two yard water barges (YWBs, I think) and set out for Long beach, CA. The weather was near Typhoon condition most of the way. The barges broke loose from the tow bridle several times. The 1054 had to cut loose from our tow bridle and make way along side of the Tug (on our remaining three engines), pick up a rigging crew and then make way to the barge where they would then remake the tow with the barge. This operation took all day.
On one occasion while I was sleeping between engine room watch I was awakened by someone that threw a life jacket at me and yelled, "get up we are sinking." One of the barges had broken loose and we did not have enough power to steer clear and rammed it. The collision put a hole large enough in the barge to put a station wagon through it but the 1054 was not seriously damaged because we struck with the bow down with the strength of the deck and bow taking the force. We were told by the tug that they had requested permission to use their 3" 50 to sink it , we were really happy about that, but the request was denied.
We arrived in Long Beach on the 31st of December after 18 days under tow. I transferred to the USS Hector a few days later and the 1054 steamed to Mare Island for decommissioning. My luck, the captain promoted everyone on board one grade on that trip.
James W. Hill
791 71 55
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