Yard number 812 Identification 5017462 Launched 5 July 1943 Range 23.3352 million m | Completed August 1943 Fate Scrapped in 1978 Length 159 m Builder Kaiser Shipyards | |
Name Sackett's Harbor (1943-57)
Angelo Petri (1957-70)
Californian (1970-75)
Sea Chemist (1975-78) Owner War Shipping Administration (1943-56)
United Vintners, Inc. (1957-75)
Antilles Navegacion S.A. (1975-78) | ||
SS Sackett's Harbor was a T2 tanker that was built in August 1943. She served in the United States Merchant Marine during World War II. The ship was a namesake of Sackets Harbor, New York.
Contents
Sacketts Harbor survived the war basically unscathed but on 1 March 1946 she was sailing between Yokosuka and Balboa when she broke in half about 800 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska. The bow of the ship was sunk but the stern continued to float. The stern section was able to get to Adak under her own power. The only reported fatalities were two cats.
Power plant
The ship was later towed to Anchorage, Alaska where she served as Anchorage's first major power source. The ship's electric drive supplied about 55% of Anchorage's electricity requirements from 1946 to 1955. In 1955, she was replaced by the Eklutna Dam.
New bow
The ship was given a new bow around 1957 and was rechristened as the SS Angelo Petri. She was fitted with stainless steel tanks and hauled wine for the Associated Vintners from Stockton, California through the Panama Canal to the East Coast.
She was renamed Californian in 1970, and then Sea Chemist in 1975 when she was sold to Antilles Navegacion S.A., of Panama. She was sold for scrapping in early 1978 and was broken up at Vinaròs.
Eye Witness Account
Edgar W. Hubbard Jr.
As a fresh graduate from the U.S. Maritime Service training facility in Avalon, Catalina Island, I boarded SS Sackett's Harbor on April 13, 1945 as an able seaman (AB). It was the day after President Roosevelt died. The T2 tanker vessel was topped off with Navy Bunker 2 and we left San Pedro for what turned out to be nearly a year-long voyage; until we broke in two March 1, 1946.
When the ship parted I had been promoted to Maintenance AB and shared a cabin on the aft upper deck with the Boatswain, Ray North. In the upper bunk, I was thrown up to the ceiling when the break occurred about 2300(+/-) hours. Looking forward amidships there was nothing but steam, but on the starboard was our bow. We continued under way for some time and soon lost sight of the bow section. After checking the hull, there was no rupture of the exposed tank bulkheads (now our bow). Then there was a little less concern for the ship’s safety.
With no radio or other electronic communications, we were adrift in the Northern Pacific. But we had power, lights, food and cooks, so things were reasonably good, as long as the exposed bulkheads held. Our Engineering staff trimmed the ballast in the tanks to lift the bow and lessen the strain there. Weather was not good; low ceiling, squalls, with snow flurries and strong wind. It was also poor visibility if anyone was looking for us. To help locate us at night, we focused our deck lights upwards in the clouds to extend our visibility. I don't know if that helped or not, but we were located about five days later at night. By daybreak, we had a Russian ship (loaded with railroad engines) and a British cargo ship alongside.
After the bow section was located, and our Captain and crew were rescued, all were returned to the stern section. A tug was sent to tow us to Adak Alaska, about 600 miles. Under tow from the stern, we kept pulling out and away from behind the tug, the keel had been bent about 45 degrees and acted as a rudder, and the tug was too fast. After the tow line had parted the second time, the Captain retained control of the ship and we sailed bow first to Adak, steering from the aft wheel on the upper deck with some canvas shelter but still exposed to the weather. Arriving in Adak, the ship was prepared for the cold weather. After about a month a skeleton crew remained on the ship and the rest were transported to Seattle on the converted Hospital ship George Washington Carver.
Also see http://www.aukevisser.nl/t2tanker/id845.htm for more information about this ship. Crew Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/39206292@N05/33322261326/in/dateposted-public/