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Subject: Re: [GM-L] 7 Bay Staters - in crew of sunken ship - freighter, Faith 1967 ~ ...
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2005 22:23:41 EST
http://www.jacksjoint.com/sosrelay.htm
S O S RelayBy John R. Smith
Suddenly, through all the static came the Three Dreaded Letters, a barely
audible SOS ............................Remember your "learning curve" to
becoming a competent watchstander after reporting to your first duty station
following RM School? Well, my curve was flat. It took me forever to get into the swing
of things at CG Radio Station Kodiak (NOJ), and I had been sitting the
Distress position on watches for about a month when a Radioman's nightmare happened
on a mid-watch. Communications were nearly impossible due to static from one
of Alaska's infamous November gales. The only way we could communicate with CG
Radio Station Juneau (NMJ) and CG Radio Station Adak (NOX) was on the District
landline teletype.Suddenly, through all the static came the Three Dreaded
Letters, a barely audible SOS Off came the earphones, on went the speakers, and
we all tried desperately to copy this frantic plea for help. Between the
Ship/Shore operator, the Supervisor and myself, we were able to determine that the
SS Panoceanic Faith, a large freighter with a crew of 45, was foundering in 30
foot seas, about halfway between Kodiak and Adak. Not exactly the most
promising situation. He could hear us, but not NOX, and NOX couldn't hear him at all.
He reported his power was failing, so our supervisor, RM1 Thom Frye
(deceased), had the Navy fire up modulated CW on the old 500 kcs. transmitter. We were
told by the Kodiak Search & Rescue Coordinator to send an SOS Relay (SOS DDD)
every 15 minutes for the Panoceanic Faith. Hopefully, someone would be nearby
and be able to come to his assistance, because no ship in Kodiak could even
get underway before the Faith slipped into Davie Jones' Locker.Shortly
thereafter, the eerie tones of an MCW Auto(matic) Alarm followed by DDD SOS, as we
transmitted on 500 kcs. every 15 minutes, especially during the Silent Period.Was
that combination of signals so haunting because we were the only link between
the vessel in distress and assistance, or because we knew exactly what it
indicated? Maybe a little of both. Anyway, about two hours after the SOS Relays
began, we received a message from a tanker more than 1000 miles out in the
Atlantic Ocean asking if we could please discontinue our Auto Alarm. The Radio
Officer was sympathetic to the Panoceanic Faith’s plight, but stated he was
completely helpless to render assistance, considering he was more than 4,000 miles
from the stricken ship. With a message back to the tanker in the Atlantic, it
was determined he would turn off his Auto Alarm receiver, and we would continue
to send our message.We sent our SOS Relay for more than a day, including
using 2182 kcs, when a fishing boat in the vicinity located a piece of wooden
railing and a single life jacket bearing the name, SS Panoceanic Faith. The ship
had disappeared virtually without a trace, taking the entire crew of 45 to an
icy grave, a very sad ending to my first encounter with a true distress call.In
spite of the sad nature of this incident, we were intrigued by the fact that
our little 500 watt medium frequency transmitter would send a signal across
the top of the world, more than 4000 miles, especially considering the terrible
atmospheric conditions. Radio propagation can be quite amazing at times.
Jim Denning -Ygenealogist-MTgenealogist
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