National Marine Sanctuaries |
Channel Islands National Marine SanctuaryShipwreck
Database
|
|
|
Vessel
|
Chickasaw |
||
|
Name
(former)
|
Del Santos, USS Thurston |
Official
Number
|
241993 |
|
Propulsion
|
Turbine |
Nationality
|
US |
|
Masts
|
6 king posts |
Age
|
20 |
|
Decks
|
2 & super |
Value
|
|
|
Type
|
Freighter |
Call
Sign
|
KGTW |
|
Use
|
Commercial |
Home
Port
|
Ala, Mobile |
|
Tonnage
(gross)
|
6131 |
Built
When
|
1942 |
|
Tonnage
(net)
|
3567 |
Built
Where
|
NJ, Kearney |
|
Tonnage
|
Built
by
|
Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock | |
|
Displacement
|
15035 |
Hull
Material
|
Steel |
|
Length
(ft)
|
439.0 |
Cargo
|
Toys |
|
Beam
|
63.1 |
Owner
|
Waterman Steamship Co. |
|
Depth
of Hold
|
27.5 | ||
|
|
|||
|
Latitude
|
33°53N
|
Longitude
|
120°07W
|
|
WHERE
|
Santa
Rosa Island, near South Point
|
STATE
|
CA
|
|
YEAR
|
1962
|
LAST
PORT
|
Japan,
Yokahama
|
|
MONTH
|
02
|
DESTINATION
|
CA,
San Pedro
|
|
DAY
|
07
|
People
on Board
|
50
|
|
TIME
|
2118
|
FATALITIES
|
0
|
|
CAUSE
|
Navigation
|
| NATURE OF CASUALTY | ||
| Chickasaw began its last voyage from Japan bound for San Pedro with a cargo of general merchandise that included plywood, shoes, toys, dishes, and at least one 1950's vintage Buick (Peter Howorth, personal communication). Visibility reduced by a tremendous southeaster that had hammered southern California for several days, Chickasaw went hard aground just west of South Point on Santa Rosa Island on February 7, 1962. The grounding of Chickasaw was overshadowed at first by an impending marine disaster for southern California readers of significantly far greater proportions - for a brief period actress Jayne Mansfield was reported lost at sea during a Bahamas vacation - but by 9 February, the Los Angeles Times reported the grounding and stated that the vessel was in "no immediate danger," and that vessels standing by were awaiting better weather before trying to free Chickasaw. Better weather conditions never occurred; mud slides and floods in southern California became national news items. Three days later, newspapers reported the transfer of thirty-two crewmen and four passengers via a breeches buoy over eight-foot swells to the island. From this small beach, all but four crewmen climbed up the steep slopes and walked to Johnsons Lee, assisted by personnel of the 669th Air Control and Warning Squadron. From here all transferred to a Coast Guard cutter via the pier at the base and traveled to Santa Barbara. The four nontrekking crewmen sheltered in a small building nearby (perhaps the South Point light?) and helicoptered off the next day. |
On this day, 13 Feb, the swells, described as shooting as high as the bridge, pummelled the ship parallel to the shore and shoved her further onto the rocks. On the following day, February 14, the Los Angeles Times published a photograph, captioned "Hopelessly Aground," of the vessel in essentially its present location. Salvage operations removed the cargo, using empty conex boxes carried on the vessel, and a high wire anchored on the island. The cargo removed carried a value of $1,500,000. Morris & Lima |
|
