Collision at Sand Island!

Collision at Sand Island!
Story contributed by Joe Glenn


To: jbetters@ussvance.com
From: JGLENN4199@cs.com
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 12:05:37 EDT
Subject: your e-mail -- entry 392

Joe, the years served I showed in the questionaire referred to the total of four years I served in the Coast Guard. I served on the Vance from the spring of l953 until she was decommissioned in 1954. I entered duty on the Vance shortly after she returned from the Philipines and Hong Kong.

The Vance was serving in rotation at the time with other ships pulling patrols off of Alaska and the Bering Straits and of course air/sea rescue.

I did see the Coast Guard supply ship ram the rear of the Vance at Sand Island. As I remember it was late afternoon after chow and several of us were on the dock by the Vance when the cargo ship came in. She attempted to tie up behind the Vance but plowed into the rear of the Vance instead splitting the hull between the torpedo racks.. Not knowing what would happen with the torpedos we were leaving the area as rapidly as possible. We had to go into dry dock for repairs

I do have some photos of the Vance and some crew members which I will be glad to share. I also have a copy of the ships roster and program of the decommissioning ceremony in San Diego. If you are at the Galveston reunion I will bring them.

Best regards,

Joe
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