1952 Live Mine
This is about our run in with a live mine. Back in 1952, during MAIN BRACE, we were operating in formation just west of the Scattigat, shooting at a pilotless orange WWW 2 fighter. We had to be fairly close to land, because the plane was flown out to us from the beach and then control was shifted to us. The Wisconsin fired first, but our "B and T, 5" didn't get a hit. After firing, we were ordered to stand down from G.Q.Zulu was still set, but the mounts were allowed to open up, with the crews told to stay at their mounts. The Wisconsin pulled ahead and off to the right of the column astern, formation at a safe distance, where the pilot on the 011 level could keep the orange fighter under good control. The Admiral was on the 05 level with Capt. Foley, to observe the other ships firing, and I had the Conn. it was a very warm Indian summer day, in clear and bright weather. All the bridge windows were open, as was the overhead hatch to the 05 level. Every thing was running smoothly, Most every one was concentrating on the firing to port, as I was, with the occasional look ahead. Now by way of explanation, the distance to the bow from the bridge is just about 235 ft, and the water disappearing under the bow is also about 235 ft. from the bow, or470ft from the bridge. Suddenly, I caught a flash impression of something just dropping out of sight. There wasn't time. I had to act now. Right full rudder, I ordered, Port ahead full, Starboard stop. The bow began to swing right. Captain Foley bellowed through the open hatch, Crawford, What the H--- are you doing? By now the bow had turned far enough to see the object. It was a mine, with all the horns sticking up, and now it was headed for turret 2. Shift your rudder, Port back full, Starboard ahead full, just as Bob Foley jumped through the overhead hatch. D----t Crawford, we're trying to control a drone aircraft up here. You D----d well better have a good reason for this! Capt. we just missed a mine, Sir. Where, he bellowed. Right there, Sir. I pointed to it abeam the bridge, about 20ft from the hull and moving down the side. Resume formation course and speed, I ordered to the helm, as Captain Foley ran for the starboard radio. He designated the first DD to break off and stand guard until the formation was safely past. The shoot was cancelled and the plane returned to land. We went back to the small boy guarding the mine and we stopped a safe distance away. Captain Foley ordered a movie photographer top side to film the mine as the DD blew it up with a 40mm shot right down the throat. I can tell you, that was a very live mine. "Where did you learn to maneuver the ship like that? I've never seen anything like that before". Well Sir, I knew if I just turned the ship, the mine would still hit us. So, I figured I just had to move her sideways about 100 ft, and that was the only way I could think of to do it, Sir. The next day there was a new sign on the bridge, attached to the underside of the overhead hatch, and I wouldn't be surprised if it still there, to this day. It said, "CAPTAIN'S ESCAPE HATCH. MAKE WAY FOR AN OFFICER. WE CAN'T ALL BE SAVED." 
