The SS GULFOIL and the M/V S. E. GRAHAM, both tankers, collided in a dense fog about 500 yards East Northeast of Bull Point Lighted Bell Buoy, East Passage, Narragansett Bay, R. I., at approximately 0553 EST 7 August 1958. The inbound GRAHAM was fully loaded with gasoline the outbound GULFOIL, was partially ballasted, with a number of empty tanks which were not gas free. As the vessels approached the narrow entrance to Narragansett Bay between Conanicut Island and Newport Neck each was proceeding at reduced speed with radars in content operation due to low visibility. Although the buoy on Bull Point was on the radar screen until close aboard, it had not been seen or heard on the GULFOIL and her Master was reluctant to alter course to the right, as the pilot proposed, until he had satisfied himself that his vessel was clear of the point. It had still not been sighted when the fog signals of the GRAHAM were heard on the starboard bow, close aboard, and shortly thereafter she loomed out of the fog scarcely fifty feet from the bow off the GULFOIL. Collision appeared imminent, and the general alarm was rung as the engines were ordered full astern. On the GRAHAM, only the Master and the Helmsman were on the bridge, and there was no lookout on the bow as she proceeded cautiously toward the bay entrance. On the radar screen, the Master could see the Bull Point Buoy, a target close to it, apparently not moving and a much larger target (the GULFOIL) proceeding out} The GRAHAM Master expected the larger target to alter course to the westward as she passed Bull Point Buoy ahead but he noticed the GULFOIL was not changing course as he heard her fog signals on the GRAHAM's port bow. He altered course to the right, heading for Fort Adams as each blast on the fog whistle appeared closer than the preceding one. Just before the collision he rang the general alarm. The GRAHAM was dead in the water or nearly so when her No. l port cargo tank was penetrated by the bow of the GULFOIL, a circumstance which permitted her cargo of gasoline to escape and probably ignite through the impact. In the almost instantaneous fire which engulfed both vessels the crews were driven overboard and 17 crew members, among them the Master, of the GULFOIL were knovn to have lost their lives. Their bodies were recovered but one other disappeared and is presumed dead. Others off the GULFOIL crew suffered varying degrees of injury through burns and immersion, while those from the GRAHAM escaped relatively unscathed. Shortly after the collision the GULFOIL grounded on Newport Neck in the vicinity of Fort Adams where her No. 8 tank, which was not gas free, exploded The GRAHAM aflame from stem to stern drifted with the flooding tide into Narragansett Bay where she was grounded by vessels of the U. S. Navy and Coast Guard on the north end off Rose Island. The fires on both vessels continued to rage until the next day when they were finally extinguished by units of the Newport Naval Command and those of the First Coast Guard District As a, result of the collision, fires and explosions, both vessels incurred severe structural damage. As the GULFOIL proceeded down Narragansett Bay she was preceded by the USCCG LAUREL with the former slowly overtaking the latter as the fog loomed ahead at Rose Island. Observing this situation and sighting the inbound GRAHAM in the radar the Commanding Officer of the LAUREL decided to close Bull Point Buoy and stop west of it until the congestion lessened at the entrance. While so doing the impact of the collision was clearly heard and a radar range bearing placed the site at 078 degrees true 500 yards from the buoy alongside. The LAUREL was maneuvered so as to head east toward the position indicated by the radar and the voices of men in the water were soon heard. The ensuing rescue operations were timely and efficiently carried out and while so engaged a heavy explosion accompanied by a dull glow was observed in the fog in the direction of Fort Adams. This was probably the explosion of the GULFOIL's No. 8 tank. When all the dead and living in reach were collected, the LAUREL proceeded to anchor north of Fort Adams where they were placed in the care of medical help which had been summoned by radio. She then proceeded in the direction of the drifting GRAHAM which was burning and being carried by the tide towards Rose Island while Navy tugs and fire boats fought the fire. The LAUREL put a tow line aboard and grounded her in a safe ares where the fire was finally extinguished. The Board noted the excellent performance of duty on the part of the Navy and Coast Guard units involved in the rescue and firefighting operations on both vessels. While inbound in the fog after delivering a pilot, the master of the pilot boat RHODE ISLAND heard the radio report of the LAUREL and noted the positions of the vessels on the radar. He proceeded to the scene at once, rescued four crew members from the water and searched the area between Fort Adams and Bull Point. Finding no more survivors the Captain landed the rescued at Newport. The Board recognized Captain's prompt participation in the rescue work. Nine bodies were found on board the GULFOIL after the fire was extinguished; eight were recovered from the water and one was missing.