LETTERS Tamaroa Connections Everywh ere I enjoyed the USCGC Tamaroa article in the Spring 2008 issue (Sea Histo ry 122) . A minor error: she was designated a WMEC, not a WHEC, in 1966-a medium endurance cutter not a high endurance cutter. CAPT. D. G. HOWLAND, USCG (RET). Bar H arbor, Maine
The article on the Tamaroa omitted an important incident in her career that almost led to her scrapping. In January 1963, she entered a floating dry dock in Brooklyn, NY, for routine maintenance. One night a crewman returned drunk. H e wondered what wo uld happen if he turned some wheels (the valves) on the drydock. He then went aboard and fell asleep. Tamaroa's sea cocks and stern tube packing had already been removed for maintenance. A few hours later, an alert quartermas ter of the watch noticed the drydock listing to
Tamaroa, 1963, capsized in drydock starboard and roused all hands. Not understanding what was causing the problem, all they could do was abandon ship and watch. Tamaroa eventually rolled off her blocks and came to rest at a 45° angle in the dock. A couple of weeks later, she was refloated and towed across the harbor to CG Base St. George on Staten Island, while HQ decided what to do. Word soo n trickled down that repairs wo uld be prohibitive, and she wo uld be decommissioned and returned to the navy for disposal. The crew rallied together and said, if given the chance, they could put her back in shape for little more than her annual running and maintenance costs. HQ, to its credit, gave them the chance, and after a year of back-breaking work, she was ready for sea again. The man responsible for her sinking was identified, court-martialed, and found guilty. H e received a rather light sentence because, by heading below and going to SEA HISTORY 123, SUMMER 2008
We Welcome Your Letters! E-mail: editorial@seahistory.org or send mail to : Editor, Sea H istory, 7 Timberknoll Rd., Pocasset, MA 02559 sleep, he had demonstrated to the Court's satisfaction that he had been ignorant of the consequences of his actions. NORBERT ToczKo Addison, Vermont
remember him talking abo ut Capt. Helgesen , whom he sailed with for several years. The last time I saw my uncle was early 1942, just before his last trip. I believe it was in 1948 that the Porto Rico Line finally gave up shipping. The war, loss of ships, Shipmates Lost at Sea and other changes affecting the maritime In reading his article "Wireless Goes to Sea: industry took their toll on the company. Marconi's Radio and SS Ponce" (Sea H istory The 7,05 7-ton SS Coamo was built 122), I was interested in Captain H enry in 1925. With Captai n Nels H elgesen in Helgesen's fam ily history and the New York command, the vessel left Gibraltar, headed and Porto Rico Steamship Company for fo r New York, carrying 186 persons (133 which his father, Captain N els Helgesen, m en on the crew, 37 armed guards, and 16 sailed. My uncle, James C. Dilling ] r. , was army person nel), when it disappeared. the chief mate under the senior Captain ] AMES D . WICKWIRE Helgesen in USAT Coamo on that fateful Walpole, New Hampshire last voyage in December 1942. In his article about the Porto Rico Line Frank Braynard's Far-Reaching Influence in Steamboat Bill (No. 223, Fall 1997), I never met Mr. Braynard and wo uld only Rodney Mills notes, "the stunning loss of remember his name in passing, not ever rethe Coamo, which left Gibraltar in ballast in alizing how his love of the sea would have D ecember 1942 bound for New York, and such a great impact on me throughout the was never heard from again. The loss of 133 years. Living in Jersey C ity, I attended the merchant m arine crew members was the OpSails of 1964, 1976, and 1992. The largest loss on a US-flagged merchant vessel 1964 one was so matter-of-fact. My uncle during WWII." The Porto Rico Fleet List by called me to ask if I wanted join him in William Schell posted that the Coamo was his 19-foot skiff to see some sailing ships. I "probably torpedoed and sunk by Germ an said sure, what the heck. We rowed aro und submarine U-604, Dec. 1942, at abt. 49N the ships waving to the crews and getting -24W." yelled at by th e harbor patrol not to get It was my privilege to go aboard SS too close to the ships. The spectacle of evCoam o at her pier in New York in August erything was breathtaking and, years later, 1939 to visit with my uncle, who was then when word came that there was going to be second mate. H e showed me aro und top- ano ther OpSail in 1976, I couldn't wait. side, including the bridge and chartroomThose events have never left me and it was quite a thrill for a nine-year-old kid. I made a profound impression upon m e.
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