"Regarding the LOX explosion on Sargo. I had the below decks watch that day, and had just turned the watch over to Smallwood, and told him that we had finished filling the forward tanks and had commenced to fill the after tanks. I was up in the officer's quarters storing film for an up-coming "event", when suddenly there were two hard bumps, it felt much like the delivery boats in the harbor when they run smack into you, hard. I ran into the control room, still trying to figure out what had happened.

"The control room was full of smoke, ash, paint bits and other debris. (Although we later learned the explosion aft had blown all of this junk up to the control room through open line and/or vents). I scooted up the conning tower hatch and, looking aft, saw red, orange and blue flames shooting high into the air. There was a deafening roar not unlike a freight train. In what seems like rapid succession, the decision was made to sink the after end, trying to contain the oxygen fire, and shortly after, we announced, "Abandon ship".

"Two things came instinctively to mind when I first stuck my head around the conning tower: Smallwood, who had surely perished, and the two torpedoes in the after room. I was told to notify a small chapel about a block away to evacuate (there were many small children in a day-school there). On the way back to the boat, an admiral's jeep with orderly and driver stopped and chewed me out good for being uncovered, (no hat), failure to salute, and being "filthy." I had no idea that I looked like vaudeville "darkie" with all the soot and junk sticking to my sweaty face. Upon learning which boat I was on, the Admiral looked down, shook his head, and then dismissed me. I borrowed a hat, fast. As to the height of the jutting flames, I'd say 100 feet to be about right, even a little conservative.

"I've never forgotten Smallwood, who perished, nor will I ever forget that day. Hell of an afternoon, guys."