EX USS Cabildo


The USS Cabildo (LSD-16)

Collision at sea with the USS Spangler (DE-696)

	In 1956 we went to Japan we had a collision with a DE. The DE was the Spangler (DE-696). We were doing high line transfer of guard mail. I was shooting the breeze with the QM on the bridge of the Spangeler with semaphore.


	QM2 Joe Gansemer





	All a sudden I knew the Spangler was going to hit us. I stop chatting with the QM on the Spangler, and grabbed my camera and took three quick pictures. I had just put a new QMSN Bohman on the helm. I ran to the pilot house and shouted to Bohman, "are you on course, she's going to hit us". He said let the ..........hit us I'm on course. .

	About then the ship shuttered as the Spangler hit us. I checked and Bonham was on course. Standing on the compass platform I could see her stern on the port side of our bow and her bow on the starboard side. Dead ahead I could only see her mast.






	About then for some reason the Spangler did a hard right rudder and was crossing our bow.....CLOSE! I thought we were going to hit her amid ship but she was sailing fast enough and we missed her.



	Thanks to QM2 Joe Gansemer for this account and the pictures