THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE TORTUGA
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE TORTUGA
JANUARY 27, 2004Recently Jack Hammond and myself received a request for the complete History of the Tortuge from her Christening to her Scuttling. I thought this was good time to put the history on a web-page. Most of the information is on Chuck's Home Port web pages and was researched and complied years ago with the exception of the official history. Some dates may not be exact and there are still some gaps remaining in her history, but did the best I could. If anyone has anything to add to this, please contact me---CW
UPDATE, JULY 3, 2004
Received this deck log entry from Dan Wordon.
If you have access to the log book he is refering to, please contact Dan or myslf.Thanks, Chuck Westbrook
E-Mail: dew395@earthlink.net
Referred By: E-Mail
Location: New Hope, PAComments: I read the history that you have accumulated and I applaud your effort. FYI The statement is made that the first at sea refueling occurred in 1969. During 1965 we spent about 5 continuous months at sea along the coast of Viet Nam and we were refueled at sea. We also highlined supplies, fresh milk, and money to pay the crew. Do you have access to the ship's log? In 1965 March (I believe) we made the first landing (unopposed)and stationed sentries 24/7 to shoot underwater swimmers (that never materialized). The Huntley event resulted in a mikeboat on a sandbar that stopped the war for 24 hours.
DANIEL E. WORDEN
LT. SUPPLY OFFICER 1964-65
dew395@earthlink.netFrom: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. VII
A group of desert coral islets -- 60 miles west of Key West, Fla. -- which were discovered in 1513 by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon. In 1861, the United States government completed Fort Jefferson on Garden Key, and this bastion remained in Union hands throughout the Civil War. It later was used as a prison until abandoned in 1874. During the 1880's, the Navy established a base at Tortuga; and subsequently set up a coaling and a wireless station there as well. During World War I, a seaplane base was established on the islet; but it was abandoned soon thereafter.
(LSD-26: dp. 4,490; b. 72'2", dr. 18'0"; s. 15.4 k.; cpl. 326; a. 1 5", 12 40mm.; cl. Casa Grande) Tortuga (LSD-26) was laid down on 16 October 1944 by the Boston Navy Yard, launched on 21 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. George D. Payne, and commissioned on 8 June 1945, Lt. Comdr. Raymond G. Brown, USNR, in command.
Commissioned during the final phase of World War II, Tortuga conducted shakedown in the Virginia capes area and was at Colon, Canal Zone, en route to the Pacific combat area on 15 August 1945 when she received news of Japan's surrender. The dock landing ship soon proceeded to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, and subsequently operated in Korean and Chinese waters repairing small craft and serving in the mobile support unit attached to Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet. Operating initially out of Jinsen (now Inchon), Korea Tortuga subsequently conducted her support missions out of Tsingtao, Taku, and Shanghai, China, Hong Kong; and Yokosuka, Japan. In the spring of 1947, the ship returned to the west coast of the United States via Guam and Pearl Harbor, and was decommissioned and placed in reserve at San Diego on 18 August 1947.
FEB 5, 2005...UPDATE GROM DAVID GONZALES…
Recently received an e-mail from David Gonzales stating that Comdr. Kenneth S. Shook was in command and not Comdr. Elof W. Hermanson as previously stated on the Tortuga History page.
If you would like to contact Dave, this is his e-mail address is hoedg@lightspeed.net
Thanks Dave for your input...
Chuck Westbrook
USS Tortuga LSD-26 WebmasterFollowing the communist invasion of South Korea in the summer of 1950, Tortuga was recommissioned on 15 September 1950, Comdr. Kenneth S. Shook in command. Reactivated in response to the Navy's need for amphibious ships created by the war in Korea, the landing ship dock underwent an abbreviated refitting and shakedown before she sailed for Japan on 29 December. Proceeding via Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok she arrived at Sasebo on 3 February 1951. Tortuga participated in a feint landing which preceded the operation mounted to recapture the strategic port of Inchon.
About this time, intelligence reports indicated that the Chinese communists might take advantage of American preoccupation with the war in Korea by mounting an invasion, across the Taiwan Strait, of Nationalist-held Formosa. American strategists felt that, in such an endeavor, the Chinese would utilize many seagoing junks since, in operations off Korea, vessels of this type had proven to be almost unsinkable. Accordingly, Tortuga raised eight 60-foot junks from the depths of Inchon harbor and transported them to Yokosuka to be studied to determine what ordnance would be most effective against them.
Tortuga remained in the Far East through 1952 for two more Korean deployments. During the first, the landing ship provided support services at Inchon; and, in the second, she took part in the massive amphibious feint at Kojo, North Korea, from 13 to 16 October 1952, and in operations off Wonsan, supporting minecraft in November and December. During 1953, Tortuga participated in the Korean prisoner-of-war exchange after the Panmunjom Armistice and also conducted landing exercises and maneuvers in the Far East and off the west coast of the United States.
Tortuga was deployed to the Western Pacific (WestPac) again in 1954. The signing of the Geneva accords which ended the flghting between the French and Viet Minh resulted in the creation of two Vietnams -- north and south. The former was to be in communist hands; the latter was to be governed by non-communist leaders. Diverted to Haiphong from Yokosuka, Tortuga arrived at her destination on 21 August 1954 to take part in the massive evacuation of French nationals, in Operation "Passage to Freedom," as well as the moving of Vietnamese refugees who chose not to live in the north under communist domination. The landing ship conducted four round trips from Haiphong in the north to Tourane (now Danang), Saigon, and Nha Trang in the south, before she returned to Yokosuka on 4 October. For the remainder of the year, she conducted minesweeper support operations in Korean waters.
During the 14 years from 1955 to 1969, Tortuga would remain employed in a regular schedule of deployments to West Pac.
(This was classified information and was never used as an official part of the Tortuga’s History). OPERATION HARDTACK was regarded as secret at the time and no one was allowed to have any cameras on board. It is rumored that photos were taken by the US Navy, but access to these photos has been denied at this time. In February of 1958 the Tortuga participated in "Operation Hardtack" the thermonuclear weapons test series of that year conducted at Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands. She transported equipment and supplies from San Diego to Eniwetok and Bikini and upon arrival provided shipping for cargo and personnel between the atolls while operating between Atolls
@ about 0630 in the morning we ran aground a large "Coral Reef," as a result of the grounding the Tortuga sustained serious damage to the bow area.
She limped back to the States and had an escort ship part of the way, and proceeded to Oakland and went into to Dry-dock extensive for repairs.
In 1958 the arms race proceeded at a swift pace with the enormous weapons production infrastructure and both weapons labs operating at full speed. Hardtack I included 35 tests, the largest test series so far (1958 in fact saw a total of 77 U.S. tests, more than the three previous record setting years combined). Partly this burst of testing activity was due to building pressure for an imminent test moratorium, leading the weapons labs to rush as many device types to the test range as possible. A total of 35.6 megatons were shot during this series.
List of Ships at Operation Hardtack 1958
USS BOXER (CVS-21) FEB 58-AUG 58
USS COMSTOCK (LSD-19) DEC 57- APR 58
*USS TORTUGA (LSD-26) FEB 58-APR 58
USS BELLE GROVE (LSD-2 ) APR-58-AUG 58
USS MONTICELLO (LSD-35) APR 58-AUG 58
T-LST 618 SEP 57-DEC 58
T-LST 664 SEP 57-OCT 58
USS RENVILLE (APA-227) APR 58-MAY 58
USS MAGOFFIN (APA-199) MAY 58-JUN 58
USS NAVARRO (APA-915) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS FLOYD B. PARKS (DD-884) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS JOHN R. CRAIG (DD-885) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS ORLECK (DD-886) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS PERKINS (DDR-877) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS MANSFIELD (DD-798) MAY 58-AUG 58
USS COLLETT (DD-730) MAY 58-AUG
USS DEHAVEN (DD-727) }MAY 58-AUG 58
USS BENNER (DDR-807) MAY 58-AUG 58
USS EPPERSON (DDE-719) AUG 58-AUG 58
USS CHANTICLEER (ASR-7) APR 58-MAY 58
USS GRASP (ARS--24) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS BOLSTER (ARS-38) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS MOCTOBI (ATF-105) FEB 58-JUN 58
USS ARIKARA (ATF-98) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS TAKELMA (ATF-113) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS MUNENSEE (ATF-107) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS CHOWANOC (ATF-100) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS CREE (ATF-84) APR 58-AUG 58
USS HOOPER ISLAND (ARG-17) APR 58-JUN 58
USS CACAPON (AO-52) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS LANSING (DER-388 ) MAY 58-AUG 58
USS JOYCE ( DER-317 ) MAY 58-JUN 58
USS SILVERSTEIN (DE-534) SEP 58-SEP 58
USS REHOBOTH ( AGS-50) APR 58-JUN 58
USS LAWRENCE CTY (LST-887) MAY 58-JUN 58
USNS AINSWORTH (T-AP-181) APR 58-JUL 58
USS BONITA (SSK-3 ) APR 58-JUN 58
USS KARIN ( AF-33 ) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS MERAPI ( AF-38 ) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS COGSWELL (DD-651) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS SAFEGUARD (ARS-25) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS HITCHITI (ATF-103) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS TILLAMOOK (ATF-102) JUL 58-AUG 58
END OPERATION HARDTACK...
OPERATION DOMINIC ADDED JULY 24, 2004.
The Tortuga participated in Operation Dominic in 1962 which was a 36-detonation atmospheric nuclear test series. The first phase occurred from 25 April through 11 July 1962, the second phase from 2 October through 3 November 1962. During the first phase, 24 nuclear weapons were dropped from aircraft for air bursts in the vicinity of Christmas Island. One warhead was sent aloft by rocket from Johnston Island for high altitude detonation, but three attempted launches of nuclear tipped rockets from that island were failures. Shot Swordfish was an underwater detonation of a stock nuclear anti-submarine rocket (ASROC) weapon approximately 370 nautical miles west-southwest of San Diego. Shot Frigate Bird was the detonation of a Polaris missile warhead over the Christmas Island Danger Area. During the second phase, four nuclear warheads were rocketed from Johnston Island for high altitude detonation, and one rocket launch was a failure. Five weapons were dropped from aircraft for air bursts in the vicinity of Johnston Island. This thermonuclear frenzy of superpower saber-rattling was the end of US and Soviet atmospheric detonations.
END OPERATION DOMINIC, MORE INFORMATION PENDING...
She was based at San Diego until 30 June 1966, when her homeport was changed to Long Beach. In between deployments -- which included exercises and equipment lifts and labors to help maintain the 7th Fleet's readiness -- Tortuga conducted local operations out of west coast ports and underwent progressive modifications during regular availabilities.
As American involvement in Southeast Asia deepened during the latter half of the 1960's, Tortuga's deployment schedule accordingly reflected her role in the buildup of Allied strength to attempt to check communist domination of Southeast Asia. On 4 August 1964, North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked Maddox (DD-7311 and Turner Joy (DD-951) in the Gulf of Tonkin. As a direct result, the United States took ever-increasing steps to aid the South Vietnamese government in its attempt to combat Viet Cong insurgent activity within its borders. Within a few years, American involvement had been broadened from one of advising Vietnamese troops to the actual commitment of massive land, sea, and air forces. Soon after receiving word of the Tonkin Gulf incident, Tortuga -- combat-loaded -- got underway from Buckner Bay. She remained underway in the South China Sea from 6 August to 19 September before returning to Subic Bay.
For the remainder of the year 1964, Tortuga operated out of Yokosuka and conducted troop and eauipment lifts between Japan and Okinawa until she headed home and arrived back at San Diego on 18 December. In February 1965, the landing ship proceeded to Camp Pendleton, Calif., to participate in Exercise "Silver Lance," the largest peacetime landing exercise ever held. In June, she commenced a WestPac deployment. She proceeded to Buckner Bay and Danang and, after operating in the Orient through the early summer, returned to Long Beach in late August 1965. She subsequently conducted a lift to Okinawa before she returned to San Diego for refresher training.
Tortuga sailed for Vietnamese waters on 1 March 1966, arrived at Vung Tau on 18 April, and relieved Belle Grove (LSD-2) as support ship for "Game Warden" -- the Navy's operation designed to interdict the flow of communist supplies along the coastlines of South Vietnam. Initially, Tortuga operated in the Rung Sat special zone between Saigon and Vung Tau helping to guard the entrance to the shipping channels snaking through Viet Cong territory to the capital city.
Tortuga shifted to the Mekong Delta region on 12 June to serve as a floating base for the Navy's fast PBR's of TF 116 and for a detachment of Army Bell UH-1B Huey helicopter gunships. The PBR's attached to River Patrol Squadron 512, were small yet relatively heavily armed craft. Each mounted a .60-caliber machine gun forward and an "over-and-under" combination mount of one .50-caliber machine gun mounted over an 81-millimeter mortar aft. The helicopters, too, were relatively heavily armed, packing a "punch" of rockets of varying sizes and up to six machine guns. Initially, the helicopters were Army "choppers" from the 145th Aviation Detachment. However, by the end of Tortuga's tour, they were Navy aircraft from Task Force "Sea Wolf." Together, the PBR's and Hueys conducted their patrols and forays into the verdant jungle waterways, the PBR's knifing through the muddy sandy-colored waterways while the helicopters flew close cover above.
Occasionally, the hard-hitting teams would strike "pay-dirt," by capturing enemy munitions. On one occassion, on 12 June at the mouth of the Co Chien River, Tortuga's PBR's participated in the capture of a large stock of guns and munitions captured from a damaged communist trawler which had been forced aground and set afire.
During her support operations with the riverine assault groups, Tortuga received a number of distinguished visitors ranging from General William C. Westmoreland, Commander, Military Assistance Group, Rear Admiral N. G. Ward, Commanding Naval Forces Vietnam; as well as United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge; and news commentator Chet Huntley, who brought with him an NBC camera team to record a news story on Tortuga's river patrol base activities.
Her deployment completed in the summer of 1966 Tortuga got underway on 30 August and steamed via Japan to the west coast. She arrived at San Diego on 7 November for leave, upkeep, and overhaul. The refit lasted through April of 1967, modernizing the ship and preparing her for another WestPac deployment. Following a period of refresher training and amphibious exercises, Tortuga sailed on 21 July 1967 from San Diego and arrived, via Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines, at Danang on 5 September.
Upon arrival, Tortuga relieved Monticello (LSD-34) with Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) "Bravo" and operated with that unit into the fall of 1967. She took part in Operations "Fortress Sentry" and "Formation Leader," before her detachment from ARG "B" on 9 November. Subsequently, Tortuga loaded a cargo of disabled or damaged CH-46 helicopters for transport from Danang to Okinawa, where the "choppers" were repaired for further service. For the remainder of the year, from 3 to 31 December, Tortuga conducted cargo lifts from Japanese ports to Vietnam and vice-versa.
Tortuga then returned to the west coast -- via Yokosuka, Buckner Bay, Subic Bay, Hong Kong, and Pearl Harbor -- and arrived at Long Beach on 9 March 1968. For the remainder of the year, the landing ship conducted exercises and local operations out of Long Beach until again deploying to WestPac in February 1969. On 17 February, while en route to Yokosuka, Tortuga conducted her first underway refuelingwith Cook (LPR-130) -- receiving 31,000 gallons of Navy Special Fuel Oil (NSFO). Upon arrival at Yokosuka, Tortuga's in-port time was extended to allow the on-loading of a complete destroyer radar system for transport to Subic Bay. Underway on 11 March with her special cargo, the landing ship soon reached Subic Bay, unloaded, and proceeded for Kaohsiung, Taiwan, en route to South Vietnam.
On the last leg of her Vietnam-bound voyage, Tortuga instituted a stepped-up shipboard defense program consisting of daily general quarters drills, exercising especially with the ship's guns and in damage control problems -- for the ship had received intelligence reports that a Viet Cong rocket attack was expected to coincide with her arrival at Danang. When paraflares were sighted on the horizon at 0200 on 14 March, Tortuga knew that she had arrived at her destination and went to general quarters. The expected attack failed to materialize, though, and Tortuga unloaded her cargo unmolested but at piers which, only the day before, had been rocketed by the Viet Cong. When the offloading was completed, Tortuga shifted her berth far away from most of the shipping in the harbor. There boat crews bent to the task of loading old ammunition on the ship. Meanwhile, one boat crew, composed of one officer and five enlisted men, armed with rifles and Thompson submachine guns, kept a constant vigil in an LCVP which circled the ship at a distance of 60-70 yards. Periodically, at odd intervals, the boat's crew would drop percussion grenades in the water in an effort calculated to discourage enemy frogmen. When the task was completed, the ship got underway for the Philippines.
Reaching Subic Bay after an uneventful passage, the ship unloaded the explosives and soon received orders to transport a much-needed suction dredge up the Saigon River to Nha Be, through territory largely controlled by the Viet Cong. At Tan My, Tortuga embarked the dredge and a warping tug and got underway. During the transit of the Saigon River, the landing ship stood to general quarters, keeping a sharp eye for enemy attempts to impede the progress of the ship. The enemy failed to appear, however, and Tortuga, her dredge, and her tug arrived at Nha Be soon thereafter.
From 5 to 20 May, Tortuga participated in "Daring Rebel," an operation mounted to seek out and destroy Viet Cong rest camps on Barrier Island, 15 miles south of Danang. Joining Duluth (LSD-6), Winston (LKA-97), and Okinawa (LPH-3), Tortuga closed the beachhead, while White River (LSMR-536) stood offshore to provide initial bombardment. When White River launched a heavy rocket barrage shoreward, "Daring Rebel" got underway. Landing craft splashed ashore while troop-carrying helicopters quickly airlifted troops ashore in the vertical envelopment phase of the operation. For the next two weeks, Tortuga served as primary control ship for the operation which located and destroyed caches of food and ammunition and Viet Cong rest camps.
The landing ship again served as primary control ship (PCS) in Danang harbor during "Gallant Leader," a follow-up to "Daring Rebel." Relieved by Duluth on 23 May, Tortuga set sail soon thereafter for Buckner Bay and simulated combat landings during exercises with Assault Craft Unit 1 in late June. In July, Tortuga transported the first increment of marines and their equipment for "Keystone Eagle," from Cua Vet, South Vietnam, to White Beach, Okinawa, before returning up the Saigon River to Nha Be with a load of palletized cargo.
Subsequently supporting Operation "Sea Float," delivering two pontoons and 32 pallets of ammunition from Nah Be to Tan My, Tortuga onloaded men and equipment from "Charlie" Battery, 1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion (LAAM), First Marine Air Wing, at Danang harbor for transport to the west coast of the United States. In this last operation, the second increment of "Keystone Eagle," Tortuga headed "stateside" for the last time, and arrived at Seal Beach, Calif. on 12 September 1969, unloading the 58 Hawk missiles of the 1st LAAM Battalion, USMC, and then proceeding to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
Tortuga disembarked her marines and proceeded to pier 7 where she was moored outboard of Carter Hall (LSD-3). On 3 January 1970, Tortuga got underway for the Inactivation Facility at Mare Island, where she was decommissioned on 26 January 1970. Transferred to the temporary custody of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) on 6 October 1970, the ship was berthed at Suisun Bay, Calif., where she was later placed in permanent custody of MARAD on 1 September 1971. She was carried on the Navy list into 1977. Her name then disappeared from the list.
Tortuga was awarded five engagement stars for her Korean War service and eight for service off Vietnam
THIS IS WHERE THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE TORTUGA ENDED.
The Tortuga remained in Mothballs until 1987, in 1987 she was designated as a practice Target Ship for the US Navy and taken out of mothballs, ...
She was made invirmentally safe and all traces of oil and hazedezerious materials were removed and she towed to the Target site and fired on with "Tomahawk missiles". She was seen sinking at pier 13 around 1987.
"GRAY SHIP DOWN"
PHOTO LOCATED IN CHUCK’S HOME PORT UNDER THIS LINK… http://members.tripod.com/turn2/grayship.html
The decommissioned amphibious warship Tortuga, which survived combat action at Korean beachheads and later as "mother" ship for Navy raider boats in Vietnam, lists badly at pier 13 on the 32nd Street Naval Station after taking on water. The 475-foot-long ship recently had been used as a target vessel in exercises off Point Mugu. A Navy spokesman said that either a repair patch failed to hold or a leak developed in the port stern section of the ship, the apparent victim, of a crippling U.S. missile hit. The ship was being used off shore as a target by the Pacific Missile Test Center The ship was pumped dry and patched and again towed to the practice target site. She was fired on again and sustained more damage.
BEGINNING OF SALVAGE REPORT The following is a condensed version of a 250 page
Official U S Navy Salvage Report.Crowley Marine Services, Inc. Seattle, Washington.
Crowley Marine Services is the company that was contracted to salvage the Tortuga after she was blown aground on San Miguel Island in 1987.
The Tortuga went aground on 15 December 1987 at 120"18'45"W, 34"01'10"N in the Channel Islands of Southern California. She broke away from her mooring when she encountered violent storms and was blown aground on San Miguel Island. "Wind and Swell Conditions" Winds up to "70 knots" and southerly swells up to six feet characterized conditions at the work site for the Divers & Salvage crews The superstructure was removed and hauled away by barges and dumped in deep water. The remains of the Tortuga were towed out to deep water and the ship was scuttled...
TIME LINE… 15 Dec. 1987 Tortuga grounding at San Miguel Island. 2/3 Feb. 1988 Wreck-site salvage survey and environmental assessment. 6/9 June 1988 Mobilization of contractor vessels commences. 26 June 1998 Contract vessels arrive at Port Hueneme. 27 June 1988 Operations at wreck-site commence. 6 July 1988 Fleet Divers arrive at San Miguel Island. 10 July 1988 First barge load of scrap steel departs from, San Miguel Island. 20 July 1988 Fleet Divers depart from work site. 16 August 1988 Tests of patched/plumbed tanks completed. 17 August 1988 Fifth and final barge load of scrap steel departs from San Miguel Island. 18/19 August 1988 Rigging for pull on bow of Tortuga. 19 August 1988 Navajo commences loading of salvage gear. 20 August 1988 Tortuga fore section removed from strand by contract salvage vessel and towed to scuttle site. 20 August 1988 Navajo released and demobilized. 21 August 1988 "Scuttling" of Tortuga fore section at sea. 21/22 August 1988 Contract vessels released from job. 23 August 1988 Mission concludes; all remaining assets and Navy Command van demobilized.
THE GROUNDING
The ex-USS TORTUGA (LSD 26) went aground on 15 December 1987 at Cardwell Point, on the Southeast corner of San Miguel Island off the coast of Southern California. The ship, carrying neither personnel nor cargo, was being towed from Port Hueneme to an area west of St. Nicholas Island where it was to be used for an operational Tomahawk missile exercise.
The grounding occurred during a storm with winds blowing east-southeast to 50 knots and seas in excess of 20 feet. Impact of the grounding caused a 100-foot section of the stern to break off and fall free from the 355-foot fore section, which had been holed in numerous places and was impaled on a large boulder.
Storm winds reached at least fifty knots with of seas over 6 m (20'). Original plans called for sinking the hulk, but because of the inclement weather this was not possible before it went aground. The vessel came to rest on a rock and sand shore approximately 1,500 m west of Cardwell Point on the South shore of the island, at 120 deg. 18'45" W; 34.° deg. 01' 10 " N. It lies within the boundaries of Channel Island National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, California Channel Islands International Biosphere Reserve, and San Miguel Island State Ecological Reserve.
BREAKING THE STRAND
At 1215 on 20 August, wires to the wreck were tightened and TORTUGA soon began to move. By 1330 the bow of TORTUGA had swung out from the beach and was afloat in 20 to 25 feet of water with the stern still aground. At 146 the vessel was completely free of strand and floating. Power for the pull was supplied entirely by the salvage vessel's two after winches. All four forward anchors held in place throughout the pull. Maximum pulling force was estimated to be approximately 180 tons or 160 LT.
TOWING TO SEA AND SCUTTLING
A 2400-HP SPARTAN-class tug was at the scene when TORTUGA was freed from the strand and immediately secured a towing line to the relocated vessel. Aboard TORTUGA were four salvage personnel, who cut the two wires connecting the wreck to the salvage vessel. The towing phase of the operation got underway at once, while the "ARCTIC SALVOR" remained at the site long enough to pull in wires, pick up the four anchors and remove kelp. The at-sea dump site for TORTUGA was approximately 20 miles from San Miguel Island. It had been hoped that the tow and subsequent sinking of the wreck at the dumpsite could be accomplished the same day, 20 August, before dark. Daylight was needed for this final phase of the salvage operation to ensure safe removal of the four people aboard the wreck and to provide adequate light for photographic documentation. However, timing was such that the vessels arrived at the site at 2200, well after dark and simply circled the area at slow speed until daylight, 21 August. The well being of the personnel aboard TORTUGA had been attended to with supplies of food, blankets, lights, life jackets, and survival suits.
On the morning of 21 August, the helicopter arrived at 0814 and began lifting the compressors off the wreckage, completing the equipment liftoff. At 0850a rubber Zodiac was dispatched from the ARCTIC SALVOR to come alongside the wreck. Two person's left TORTUGA at this time and two remained aboard, one positioned at the bow and the other at the stern. At 0910, lines from the tug to the TORTUGA were released, moving rapidly toward the middle of the vessel, the two remaining salvage personnel opened the valves to let the air bleed off from the tanks. As soon as all valves were open the final two salvors boarded the Zodiac and pulled away from the wreck. At 0925 21 August 1988 the ex USS TORTUGA (LSD 26) disappeared below the surface of the Pacific Ocean Forever...
NOTE: The Stern section of the Tortuga remains on San Miguel today and is only accessible when conditions are ideal.
Ian Williams (A Park Ranger for the US Government) has visited the wreck site and has been contacted regarding the removal of small sections of the stern section. Mr. Williams has indicated that is very dangerous to get close to the remains, but he has physically touched part as the stern section as a gesture in honor of all those who served aboard her. He plans to revisit the site when tide, swell and wind conditions are ideal which is not very often.
History researched and compiled by Chuck Westbrook…
CLICK HERE
FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORY & PHOTOS SENT BY
FROM WINDY WINCHESTER.