Thacke nodded. “Quite correct, Captain. I was told you plan on running some kind of drill?”
“Yes, sir, a fire drill. We're going to take it all the way so I let your watch officer know. That shouldn’t interfere with anything you have, should it?”
Thacke shook his head. “No, go ahead. By the way, I liked your ideas for our mini-refresher training out here. It’s getting everybody on their toes in a short period of time. My Chief of Staff coming from one of the training units didn’t hurt. He’s acting like a chess master maneuvering things around a board. He wants to pull the heavies off and have a short gun shoot tomorrow. It’s a good idea and will let the guys get a look at what we have here,” Thacke said.
He looked around at the orderliness of the bridge and its smooth operation. Hammond had taken over and done a great job of getting his ship ready. “You and Bill came up with a good plan for the distribution of forces. I went over it again this morning. Bill’s going to get it typed up as a battle plan and we will go over it at the commander’s meeting day after tomorrow. It fits well with Richardson’s overall plan for the invasion and appears to give the support needed to pull it off well. I’ll get it transmitted from Guam via the broadcast after the meeting.”
“Sounds good,” Hammond replied. “Which group do you want us in?”
“Pusan. That’s where we need the concentration. From what I hear, everywhere else will be pretty much controlled by the North by then. I got a message this morning saying we can use Sasebo for our refueling and replenishment. That should make a quick turnaround.”
“I’m still worried about that. I could empty this thing in a day of hard shooting. By the time we get to Sasebo and onload, then come back again and shoot then onload again, my guys are going to be dead. I can’t keep them going forever,” Hammond said.
Thacke nodded. “I know, it may take a little bit, but once the landings are completed and the Army gets its act together we should have time for some rotation and crew relief. I figure the first thirty days will be a bear, but then slacken off considerably. I’m also counting on a few things I know are coming that will give us a break. Sorry I can’t share, but it will help a lot.”
The bitch box crackled to life in front of the men. “Bridge, main control, we have a Class Bravo fire in number two fireroom. I say again, we have a Class Bravo fire in number two fireroom.”
The OOD pressed the button. “Is this a drill?”
“Negative, this is not a drill goddamnit!”
The OOD turned to the Bos’n’s Mate. “Boats, Class Bravo fire in number two fire room, sound general quarters!”
The Bos’n flipped the switches and blew his call. “This is not a drill, this is not a drill, fire, fire, fire. Class Bravo fire in number two fireroom. Away the damage control parties Repair Four provide. General quarters, general quarters, all hands man your battle stations. Set Condition Zebra throughout the ship.” He turned the switch on a red painted box next to the console. The general quarters alarm sounded throughout the ship and from everywhere, men dropped what they were doing and sprinted to their general quarters stations.
Thacke stood back out of the way as Hammond was on his feet calling down to main control via the phone. The Cheng immediately answered.
“Cheng, what have you got?
“A fuel line to the number three burner head ruptured and started spreading oil everywhere, Captain. As the Chief was calling it in, the stuff ignited. They got the fuel shut down to the boiler, but the remainder is burning in the bilges and along the boiler facing. I got burn casualties,” the Cheng said quickly.
“The DC parties should be there pretty quick. I’ll get the docs to take care of your guys. Go ahead and have your guys isolate number two and cross connect until we have the fires out and a boiler back online. Do what you need to do, Cheng,” Hammond said.
“Hang on, the fires are out, Captain. The twin agent system worked. Let me get some things taken care of and I’ll get back to you,” he said. The telephone line went dead.
“OOD, call sick bay and have them ready for some burn casualties. If they need the wardroom, it’s theirs,” Hammond barked. He turned to Thacke. “Fuel line burst. Fire’s out, but there’s some oil in the bilge and some burn casualties. We’ll be okay.”
“Quick action, Captain. You’re going to need help with those burn casualties,” Thacke said.
“Yeah, but I need to find out how bad it is.”
“DC Central reports the fire is out, four casualties, all on the way to sick bay. Reflash watch is set. The DCA recommends we shut down number two fireroom until they can clean it up and inspect the other fuel lines. Blackie says there’s not much oil in the bilge and has put a layer of foam on it just in case. He said he is getting the wicks from the spill kit to get the oil out. He also said the boiler itself is probably not damaged,” the OOD reported.
“Very well,” said the Captain. He glanced at the Admiral and gave a little sigh.
The XO entered the pilot house. He was blackened with soot and sweating like a horse, but his eyes were blazing from the adrenaline. “Fire’s out, Captain. The Chief and three other guys got second and third degree burns. The rest were singed but okay. Petty Officer Owens got it the worst. He was trying to staunch the oil flow with a rag when it went off. The top watch hit the cutoff valve to stop the fuel flow, but not before it really ate up Owens’ hands and face. Fireman Maxwell grabbed the twin agent hose and let her rip. That snuffed the fire. Repair 4 is on scene and overhauling it,” he said. “We were lucky. The guys caught it very quick. I was down in Main Control when it happened. They did good,” he said with a grin.
The bitch box crackled again. “Bridge, Main Control. Is the Captain there?” It was the voice of Commander Kimberlain, the Chief Engineer.
Hammond pressed the button. “Go ahead, Cheng.”
“Okay, everything is under control down here. We’re bringing 1 Bravo boiler online to compensate and have cross connected the forward group to maintain propulsion and electricity. We’ve got most of the smoke out now and the DCA is checking it all out. It appears there’s not much damage. I’ll have a crew on it right after Blackie says go. The Chief and two of the guys have second degree burns, but Owens is pretty bad. Doc is working on him now. We may need to get him ashore captain,” CHENG said.
Hammond looked at Thacke. “Tomorrow evening I can have the helo fly him in early,” Thacke said.
“Taken care of, Cheng. The XO is here and giving me a brief. Let me know whatever else you need.”
“Will do, sir.”
“I’m going down to Sick Bay. Go ahead and secure from general quarters,” he said to the OOD as he left the bridge. The XO was right behind him. Thacke watched them go and asked the OOD to let his staff know if they needed anything.
Sick Bay was deep inside the ship between turrets one and two. As the men climbed through the scuttles and hatches, the air felt thicker and a thin layer of smoke still hung in the air. As they entered sick bay the captain saw Chief Houck sitting at a dressing station. He had some bubbled skin on his hands and arms. A corpsman named Grotke was putting a light bandage on the wounds. Houck smiled at the Captain as he entered. Hammond walked over to him and noticed he had no eyebrows and some of his hair was gone.
Hammond pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. “You going to be okay?”
The Chief let out a coarse laugh. “Shit. It’ll take more’n that to kill me. The damn fuel line just let go Captain. There weren’t any leaks or anything, just one second dry and the next there was oil spraying everywhere. I’m not sure where the spark came from, but we were replacing the burner tips when it happened. There might have been a little blowback. Anyway, Owen grabbed his rag and was wrapping it around the line when it all went off,” he said. He then pointed behind him. “Doc’s looking at him now. Fireman Maxwell saved our bacon. He grabbed the twin agent hoses and let go with a couple good bursts of PKP while he shot some foam along the boiler face. It didn’t take long. The other guys are okay, just some minor stuff. I tried to help Owens and caught a couple of flashes before the fire went out,” he said with a grin on his face.