We left Pearl Harbor with both tugs joined to the Oklahoma by 1,000-foot wire pendants two inches thick. Navy-yard tugs were alongside the battleship to assist us out of the harbor. After they left us, we found the Oklahoma was towing well and we calculated our speed at about 5 knots against the moderate northeast trades and a light swell.

For the first 24 hours everything seemed to be going well and we were beginning to relax when it was noticed that the Oklahoma was developing a list to port. During the next four days the list steadily increased and, when it reached about 30 degrees, we radioed the Coast Guard at Hawaii for instructions. We were told to return.

 

 

The last photograph taken of the Oklahoma taken from one of the tugboats.

 

 

We were some 500 miles at sea when we turned around and headed back. I would say we had returned 100 miles or so when toward the end of my 6-to-midnight watch May 17, I saw her unaccountably straighten up. Then suddenly I was aware we were going astern and gaining speed. Behind us the lights of the Oklahoma disappeared...

I made a dash for the stern, reaching it just in time to see the end of our...

towing wire slip through the guides in a shower of sparks.

Captain George O. Anderson,

CO of tugboat Monarch

 

 

 

To be continued...