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TRIPOLI - HAIFA RUN
SS Chester O. Swain
At the outbreak of hostilities in Europe the Chester O. Swain was returning from Ellesmere Port, England, to Baytown, Texas, in ballast. She was then put on coastwise runs for the rest of 1939 and throughout 1940. The year 1941 found her visiting Puerto Rico in February, and Salvador, Recife, and Belem during the month of March.
In July of 1942 she was sent again across the Atlantic and remained in overseas service until May, 1943, when she became a very familiar sight in the Mediterranean.
Under the command of Captain John S. Conaghan, with Chief Engineer Edward A. Snyder in charge of her engineroom, the Chester O. Swain left New York on May 28, 1943 with a cargo of special Navy fuel and a deck load of glider planes, in boxes; she was bound for Algiers. The planes were discharged at Oran, where the ship arrived July 5. On July 9 she sailed for Algiers. It was early on D-Day, July 10, that the Allies invaded Sicily in an amphibious assault involving about 2,500 vessels, 4,000 aircraft, and 250,000 troops - some of which embarked from Algiers.
In an interview for this history Captain Conaghan related the experience of the Chester O. Swain in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Near East.
A "Ticklish" Situation
"During the voyage from Oran to Algiers in July, 1943," he said, "the Chester O. Swain was the only tanker in a 15-ship convoy. There was a sharp blow from the east which kicked up a heavy sea toward noon on the 10th. About 12:35 p.m. the nearest destroyer escort sent out the signal 'Contact with a submarine'. The DE astern made a similar sign. Our crew was alerted. Suddenly the engineer on watch rang a stop signal. We had a hot bearing and had to drop out of the convoy.
"It was a ticklish situation. We all realized how important it was that this lone cargo of Navy fuel arrive safely. When we left Oran a high ranking U.S. Navy officer and a U. S. Army intelligence officer paid me a special visit and said, 'This oil must reach Algiers.'
"Chief Engineer Snyder and his men went to work and in 6 minutes made temporary repairs. We then proceeded at three-fourths speed, but because a strong wind was slowing up the high-sided Liberty ships, we soon regained the protection of the escorts."
On July 10 the Chester O. Swain dropped anchor in Algiers and the cargo of 72,079 barrels of special Navy fuel oil was delivered to the Royal Navy. Discharge was made into the Yankee Arrow, a Socony-Vacuum Oil Company tanker.
Near Disaster
Another exciting incident happened on July 16, 1943, which illustrates the efficiency and daring of Esso men. Again quoting Captain Conaghan: "In the harbor of Algiers, at 3:24 in the afternoon of July 16, a Norwegian freighter exploded about 600 feet from the Chester O. Swain. The Norwegian vessel was loaded with 1,800 tons of German mines that had been swept up and under ordinary circumstances were considered harmless. Of her crew, which totaled approximately 45, 31 were saved. The death toll of the ensuing harbor disaster ran to 1,500 souls as a result of the concussion and the fire on the dock.
"There were two ships lying adjacent to the stricken freighter. One of these,, the Canadian flag Liberty vessel Fort Confidence, with a cargo of coal, caught fire and was a total loss. The ammunition on the dock was burning rapidly. There was a pillar of smoke 1,000 feet high.
"At the time of the explosion I was at the top of the Casbah, the native section of Algiers, visiting the Marechal Franchet d'Esperey Museum - a good three miles from the ship. The windows of the building were shattered. I went out and saw a column of smoke which was apparently at the stern of the Chester O. Swam. I had a French driver and told him we would have to return to the tanker. It took about 12 minutes to get to the harbor. I reported to Lieutenant Commander Douglas, RN, captain of the port, and asked for transportation back to my ship. He gave me his own launch and as I jumped into it five men followed. They were members of my crew on shore leave; seeing the accident, they went quickly to where the danger was.
"We plowed through the harbor, which was crowded with invasion craft. Shells were exploding and debris flying all around us. The Chester O. Swain was lying at the buoys and when I climbed on board, the engine was turning over. The stern moorings had parted, due to the explosion, and the port anchor was aweigh. Chief Mate Hugh Guy told me later that the shock of the explosion had jammed his door and he had been forced to kick out the crash panel in order to get on deck and take over command during my absence.
"As I came aboard, the vessel was almost under way. Of all the ships in the basin where the blast occurred, the Chester O. Swain was the first to move under her own power. Behind us, the munitions piled on the dock were flaming. Men in every kind of uniform were manning the fire hoses. We went out past the breakwater and anchored.
"At 9 o'clock that evening we returned to the berth and after taking inventory found that we had no casualties, but a piece of the dock coping had smashed one of our life rafts. There was a lot of steel debris on the deck. Two men were killed on the Yankee-Arrow.
Aircraft to Glasgow
"On July 20, 1943 the vessel left Algiers for New York and after a short spell in the States departed on August 15 with 72,580 barrels of special Navy fuel and marine Diesel and 14 planes on deck (P-38s and Harvard trainers). There was no particular incident during the voyage; the Chester O. Swain sailed in a large convoy from New York to Boston, Boston to Halifax, and then to Northern Ireland, where the convoy dispersed. We went on to Glasgow, where we arrived September 4 and unloaded our planes.
"During this North Atlantic crossing the weather was severe and heavy seas damaged two lifeboats and a pair of davits, but this did not discourage the crew. They were told that weather damage had cut the safety equipment about 50 per cent; despite this fact they were anxious to stay with their ship and make the trip to London. We ran free from Glasgow to Loch Ewe and left there in a two-ship convoy for the passage around the north of Scotland to Methil in the Firth of Forth. There we joined a coastwise convoy and although traveling through hazardous 'E-boat alley' we encountered no enemy craft and reached Thames Haven, London.
"Repairs were made at London and on September 21, with all equipment in good shape, we reversed our course, went back to Methil, around the north of Scotland to Oban, and then down to join a convoy bound for the United States. On -the return voyage the weather was against us once more; the seas were mountainous and the Chester O. Swain arrived in New York with five cracked plates in her bow and her steering engine house in need of repairs."
The most outstanding work of the Chester O. Swain was done in the year 1944. She sailed from New York on November 11, 1943 with 67,761 barrels of special Navy fuel and 12 P-51s on deck and dropped the hook in Algiers harbor on December 4. On December 11 the ship weighed anchor and the Christmas holidays were spent in war-torn Naples. After leaving Naples she was to run 32 round trips from Tripoli to Haifa and deliver more than 2,800,000 barrels of Iraq crude to the Haifa refinery.
Captain Conaghan related an incident which occurred during the stay of the Chester O. Swain at Naples.
"On December 23," he said, "we moved down the bay to Pozzuoli, the former Italian naval fueling base, and on Christmas Eve the crew organized a party for 200 children in a convent school. The officers and men served ice cream, candy, and cookies to the hungry youngsters and distributed $310.
"When all the ice cream had disappeared, the children sang for us. As we were leaving, one of the men suggested that we give them a song in response. So we sang the Star Spangled Banner. I have never been quite as proud in my life as I was when I stood with 27 men - merchant seamen and Navy ratings - and sang that stirring anthem."
"Typical Esso Tanker"
Sailing from Naples on December 27, in convoy, the Chester O. Swain steamed past the Isle of Capri for Augusta. On board the tanker was the convoy commodore. Commander J. V. P. Evans, RNR, who in peace time was master of the Cunarder Franconia. He was impressed with the discipline and cooperation of the entire ship's crew.
"I told him," said Captain Conaghan, "it was just a typical Esso tanker.
"On New Year's Eve, Jerry paid a call. We were well armed, with 10 guns, and when the German bombers attacked we gave them a noisy welcome. The only casualty was a Navy gunner who had a 1-inch cut on his head from falling shrapnel.
"While the Chester O. Swain was at Augusta, orders were received to proceed to Port Said for further instructions. Passing Crete on a bright moonlit night, the convoy was attacked by German planes. Several of them were shot down. None of the ships in the convoy was hit.
Watch This Closely
"Then came the 32 trips between Tripoli and Haifa, in which 2,863,685 barrels of Iraq crude were handled. These ports are very difficult to operate in, as loading and discharging operations are done at sea berths. At times the work was hazardous.
"On January 30, 1944 the Chester O. Swain was discharging her second cargo in the baffles at sea berth No. 1 at Haifa. The wind reached gale force and we kicked off the hoses and stood by. The port anchor started to drag. The starboard anchor chain parted. The stern moorings let go and the ship was thrown into the anti-submarine nets. I signaled for assistance from shore as the nets were close around the propeller, making it impossible to use the engine. Naval headquarters replied that they could not send help immediately as no available towing craft could leave the harbor in such high seas. When the weather moderated, they would send a tug. In view of the danger of running the Chester O. Swain aground, I was compelled to break out the rifles of the armed guard and sink the floats of the boom. We fired at least 700 shots.
Results of Seagoing Ingenuity
"As the buoys filled and went under they carried the nets with them, freeing our propeller. The force of the sea had torn open the nets at the head of the ship and as soon as the engine was warmed up, I picked up the port anchor and stood out for safe water. Under the lee of the land I anchored for the
rest of the night. We maintained full sea watches, with the engine turning over slowly to ease the strain on the cable. The next day, January 31, broke clear and calm, so we moved into the dock and a diver went down and picked up our starboard anchor. That day we also went back to the sea berth, reconnected the hoses and finished discharging our cargo.
"We were operating ,an American ship in waters that were predominantly British, away from all contact wdth American civil, military, or naval authorities. We got complete cooperation from the British Ministry of War Transport and from the Royal Navy and Army. They provided us with food, stores, everything.
Homeward Bound
"We sailed from Haifa bound for home on Sundav, October 1, at 8 a.m. As we got under way, the Chester O. Swain bade farewell to the waking city with a salvo from the Oerlikon guns. Our flags flew the signal 'Shalom Haifa'. We were glad to be going home, but sorry to leave so friendly a place.
"At Haifa we had loaded for the Royal Navy and went to Port Said, where we reconvoyed for Gibraltar. The 'let down' was considerable. At Haifa we were the Chester O. Swain; at Gibraltar we were just another tanker. After discharging there we sailed for the United States."
On November 6, 1944, the Chester O. Swain was transferred to War Emergency Tankers, Inc.
H. L. Knight of the British Ministry of War Transport wrote the following letter to Captain Conaghan as an indication of the esteem in which the vessel and her crew were held:
BRITISH MINISTRY OF WAR TRANSPORT General Headquarters
Middle East Forces 16th September, 1944 Captain Conaghan i/c Tanker Chester O. Swain c/o Ministry of War Transport Alexandria
Dear Captain Conaghan:
Now that your service on the Tripoli (S) Haifa crude run has terminated and you are about to leave us for home waters — a destination to which I'm sure you, your colleagues, and ratings on board are very glad to be bound - I feel I must express to you, on behalf of the Ministry of War Transport, Middle East, and the Cairo Supply Committee (Mr. D. R. Mackintosh, Chairman), our sincere thanks and appreciation for the good work done by your vessel on the crude run.
We, in Cairo, who control the shipping in the Middle East, are sometimes accused of suffering from a lack of realization of the difficulties with which such people as yourself and colleagues are faced, but I can assure you this is not the case at all. We have realized to the full, and marveled at, the splendid work done by your vessel in such an unpleasant trade, and appreciate the uncomplaining way you have undertaken the job. The general war effort has benefited considerably by such excellent service.
With our best wishes for a good homeward voyage, and a pleasant sojourn in U. S. A.
I am Yours sincerely,
H. L. Knight
The SS Chester O. Swain was built in 1921 by the G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation, Vancouver, Washington. Her sisterships are the John Worthington, W. H. Libby, Livingston Roe, and Christy Payne.
A single-screw vessel of 12,450 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 27 feet, 2 1/2 inches, the Chester O. Swain has an overall length of 477 feet, 9 3/4 inches, a length between perpendiculars of 463 feet, 3 inches, a moulded depth of 37 feet, 2 3/4 inches, and a breadth moulded of 60 feet. With a cargo carrying capacity of 89,851 barrels, she has an assigned pumping rate of 4,000 barrels an hour.
Her quadruple expansion engine, supplied with steam by three Scotch boilers, develops 2,800 indicated horsepower and gives her a classification certified speed of 9.9 knots.
The cargoes of the Chester O. Swain, from September 3, 1939 until she left the Esso fleet when sold to War Emergency Tankers, Inc., on November 6, 1944, were in summary as follows:
The wartime masters of the Chester O. Swain, while she was an Esso tanker, were Captains Walter J. Healy, Olav Olsen, Walter B. McCarthy, August Bosch, Felix W. Kretchmer, Frank Pharr, Arnulf Hartman, Alexander J. Zafiros, Robert J. Blair, Charles Warner, and John S. Conaghan.
Associated with them were Chief Engineers Arthur R. Fintel, Harold O. Laffitte, Robert S. Brod, Edward A. Snyder, Aksel E. Lundin, Emoor S. Bordelon, Charles E. Swedburg, and Sigurd Steffensen.
While the Chester O. Swain was operated for War Emergency Tankers, Inc., from November 6, 1944 to September 2, 1945, Esso officers assigned to the vessel were Captain Bernard Roberts, Chief Engineer John E. Vick, and Chief Engineer Aksel E. Lundin.
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