Listing to Port in Drydock

John Camp had been on board the Tam and had just been transferred off her when the incident occurred. At any rate, here are his recollections of what exactly happened.

Gun Deck and Bridge

Looking down the Drydock

I had just got transferred to the 3rd CGD, US Customs House, NYC when she went into drydock, at Bayonne, NJ. If I remember right, and one of the hands [a BM striker] came off liberty and opened the wrong valve [main] and SUNK the DRY DOCK. You might guess it, there were big holes cut in the side where the motors had been removed and water filled most of the ship. ha He got a 'captains mast' over it, with restriction to ship and busted back to seaman.

John W. Camp

Overhead Black and White Shot

Of course recollections differ. We received this account a week or two ago from Ed Nerges, who states that the information was supplied to him by the Coast Guard Historian in Washington.

The actual date of the sinking was March 14, 1963. At approximately 0030, 14 March the port side of Section 3 of Floating Drydock #3 at the Ira. S. Bushey Shipyard, 764 Court Street, Brooklyn, New York, in which the Tamaroa had been since the morning of 8 March 1963, began to sink and list to port due to flooding from a source undetermined as of this date ( 27 March 1963). At approximately 0040 hours, 43 members of the ship's company onboard at the time safely evacuated the vessel without serious injury. The Commanding Officer was the last person to leave the vessel and mustered on the pier with his crew at approximately 0047. The crewman responsible for the incident was 22 year old third class boatswain's mate from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The estimated cost of $850,000 for restoration of the Tamaroa was given to Headquarters on August 13, 1963. The crew of the Tamaroa did most of the work restoring her.

Edward J. Nerges

Paul Milligan was stationed on board the Tam and remembers the incident as well:

I was assigned to the Tamaroa when she entered Bushey Shipyard. I had orders to flight training and was relieved of all duties except officer of the day since I was due to depart within a few days of the incident. I remember the morning after the incident very well. I was home in my apartment on Staten Island the previous night. For some reason My alarm clock did not work that morning, and I overslept about half and hour. I was rushing madly to get dressed when I heard something on a news broadcast about a ship sinking, but paid no closer attention. Shortly after that I received a phone call from one of the other officers on board the Tamaroa who informed me not to hurry to work that morning because the ship sank in the dry-dock! When I got to flight training I spent the next 18 months explaining to the Navy Corpsmen and Yeoman why I had a service jacket that had obviously been immersed in water. I believe John Camp's story has one minor inaccuracy in it. I remember reading the article in the Navy Times about how the Coast Guard found out who and how the ship sank. The article said the person responsible was court-martialed and was reduced to E-1 and sentenced to 18 months in Leavenworth Prison, because the court could not prove he did it intentionally. Also, the man involved had recently been promoted to BM3 prior to the incident. He worked for me prior to my being relieved to go to flight training. I also remember John Camp, although I can't remember whether he was a SNYN or if he had gotten his crow.

Paul Milligan

Phil Porteus who was on the deck force in the late 80's writes:

I served aboard the Tam in 87-89. I also worked at the Governors Island Fire Department afterward. There I heard stories from two different sources about the Tam sinking. This apparently was a different sinking than is mentioned on your website. It was circa 1980 and the Tam was at it's dock at Governors Island. Apparently two non rates that were disgruntled opened some strategic valves either in the engine room, shaft alley or aft steering. The after part of the Tam flooded and she went to the bottom in her berth. No one was hurt. The incident was reported to GI Security by the Quarterdeck of the Morgantheau which was berthed nearby. GI Security responded and found the OOD and JOOD locked in their staterooms. The Governors Island fire department responded with their pumper which was used to dewater the flooded sections of the ship. The two offenders were caught and court martialed. Perhaps you could post this info, and a firsthand crewmember could provide the rest of the details.

Phil Porteus

© 2001 Tamaroa.org, All Rights Reserved