ssr270-shipmates-stories3

My recollections of this event are primarily a view from the Maneuvering Room. I see from the Crew List that there are names of other crew members who were on board during this time, so feel free to add/delete and/or disagree with the events as I recall them. As this was a memorable event in RATON's life, and an experience that very few submariners have to go through I think it should be a part of the web page. Leo D. Rodgers EMCM(SS) USN Ret 1957 - 1961

We were involved in ASW exercises with the Mackenzie, I believe it was a Sunday afternoon and we had left Formosa that morning. I was in the Maneuvering Room working on machinery history. I was not on watch. The senior Controllerman was Donald Johnson EM1(SS) (WWII Vet) but I don't remember who the Junior Controllerman was.

We were coming to periscope depth (with the added CIC fwd of the Control Room, Raton often came up with a slight down angle) and I believe we had communicated with the Mackenzie, probably on the underwater phone. The first indication of a problem we had was the 7 MC "FLOOD NEGATIVE TAKE HER DOWN", the collision alarm, followed immediately by all ahead emergency and the sound of screws approaching the Stern Room. The Mackenzie came in from about 180 degrees and hit us above the Stern Room, and the after part of the sail. While there was no penetration of the pressure hull aft, there were definitely marks and pieces of her screw found topside.

At the moment of impact, with the down angle, and all ahead emergency, we started down, the Controllermen were having a problem maintaining their balance. We went down fast after that. We were near our peace time test depth in the Maneuvering Room, and with the down angle the Forward Torpedo Room had a good test of just how well our "thin skin" was built.

We recovered our depth and angle and returned to the surface. I was sent forward after we reached the surface and I remember some very strange expressions on some of the guys in the After Battery berthing who had been asleep when this happened. As I recall we had at least one man onboard that was on the Stickleback SS-415. I think we and the Mackenzie returned together to Yokosuka, Japan and we entered dry dock. An investigation was conducted and as I recall the Raton came out OK. When we ran into any Mackenzie sailors ashore we did not have to buy any drinks. I seem to remember that we had a plaque hanging in the Wardroom as a memento of our meeting with the Mackenzie.

Yokosuka, Japan, April 9 (UPI) An Albuqurerque sailor has been credited with helping save his submarine, one which by coincidence carries the same name as another New Mexico city, Raton.

The USS Raton was rammed by a destroyer during exercises in the Pacific.

Herman J. Carlson of Alabuquerque and John L. Crockett of tucson discovered flooding in the after battery of the Raton and isolated it, "probably" by slamming shut some seal hatches. The Navy in Washington said the Raton was named for one of the thread fishes, an inhabitant of warm Pacific waters of America.

A spokesman here revealed the Sunday incident today. He said it occurred while the Raton was partially submerged during maneuvers in the Western Pacific.

Carlson was identified as an Interior Communications Electrician Fireman and Crockett as a Radar Man Second Class. Eaxtent of damages was not revealed by the Navy pending a complete investigation into details of the collision.

U. S. Destroyer and Sub Collide in Pacific
(This story submitted by Zip Chalfant, IC3(SS), 1956-1959)

     The U. S. Destroyer Mackenzie collided with the submerged submarine U. S. S. Raton in the Western Pacific four days ago but there were no casulaties or major damage, the U. S. Navy announced today.
     The Navy said the vessels were proceeding to Yokosuka port together, and were expected to arrive later today.
     An announcement issued by Vice Adm. Frederick N. Kivette, commander of the U. S. 7th Fleet, said the two ships were practicing new anti-submarine warfare techniques on Apr 5 when the Mackenzie collided with the Raton.