Diodon and the Fire at Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, CA in 1962

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Since 08-03-02

From: David Burton davburton@i-55.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 6:15 PM
Subject: Diodon 1962 Fire
Just found out about website and looked at entry for USS Diodon SS349 for a 1962 entry about a fire at Hunter's Point. I was one of three or four sailors that saw the fire when it first started and ran to the pier from the barracks.

I can remember throwing cutting rigs overboard and we also chopped air hoses and welding rig hoses. The flames from the fire was melting the paint on Diodon's pressure hull and finally we were hooked onto by a tug and he was attempting to pull us away from the pier.

After trying for a time, he couldn't pull us from the peir because we were hooked to shore power. An electrician Chief then gave me an axe and told me to chop the shore power cables. After chopping one, I think, we were ripped from the dock by the tug.

 

David E. Burton MM2SS (aboard Diodon from 1961-1964)

 

         (Provided by Lowell Everett, ENC(SS) Ret. USN)

On Saturday, November 10, 1962, the Volador and the DIODON were at the San Francisco Naval Shipyards Hunters Point.

Both had been in the yards for overhaul (the Volador a major FRAM job). Both were about 90-95 percent completed and ready for sea when the pier caught fire. Both Volador and Diodon got away from the pier, I think that a tug moved Diodon.

The Volador had been working on the cubicles in maneuvering Room and before she could get away from the pier the flames were going over the bow of Volador and a Torpedoman by the name of James Rainey ran through the flames and threw # 1 line. He later received a medal for this. The Volador had to be re-painted on the one side.