What's new? Well, lots actually. The all new gallery is here with great photos of our ship and even the crash with the USNS TRUCKEE. How many remember that one, besides the great roll in 1985? Well, you'll get to see, first hand, the damage done on that fateful day out at sea when we were simply doing an UNREP. I was tasked with drawing the documents for NCIS, no, not the one on CBS, but the REAL NCIS. Interviews, galore and a hearing. Capt. Steven L. Turner, although ultimately responsible for the safety of the crew and ship WAS NOT relieved because of the collision. He had standing orders that were issued prior to the collision. His subsequent relief was, 'IN DUE COURSE' and not because of the collision.

Apparently, the OOD on that fateful day was allegedly the same OOD that was aboard the USS CORAL SEA when it crashed into a tugboat. I was told that when the helmsman said, "...man, it's hard to steer..." that OOD heard: "Damn I can't steer...." At that moment, he ordered control to After-Steering. The ship was already on a slight turn to compensate for the seas. Well, you know the rest of the story. After-steering got control but allegedly had no clue which way the ship was going and WHAMO, "Old Faithful" slams port-side into starboard. I was a certified Master Helmsman and on leave when that happened. When I returned from leave, the Skipper saw me on the pier starring at my ship. He asked me: "Petty Officer, what would you have done?" I answered I didn't know since I wasn't there, but then he floored me and said, "I wish you were here."