National Association of Atomic Veterans US Atomic Veterans Operation Crossroads Jap Atom Test Ship Sabotaged By U.S. Sailors From Minneapolis paper May 6 1946 Associated Press Chicagoan Among 5 to be Court-Martialed PEARL HARBOR, -- Angry American sailors, plagued by troubles at sea, sabotaged the Japanese crusier Sakawa while the former enemy ship was en route from Tokyo to Bikini for the atomic bomb test, naval officers said today. The sabotage was alleged to have endangered the lives of crewmen as the ship lay at anchor at Eniwetok last month, where it had been towed after drifting at sea for several days alongside the Japanese battelship Nagato. Comdr. L.W. McConnaughay, director of disipline for the 14th naval district, said charges are being drawn up and five men are expected to be court martialed in a few days. They are prisoners at large for the present. Chicagoan One of Five "Some members of the crew removed the pressuer line to the overspeed trip valves-thus demobilizing the ship's fuel system," said Lt. David Merrill, Hartford, Conn." There was sand in the oil and water pumps, and some one had smashed gauges and tachometers. A hack saw had cut high pressure steam lines. Fuel oil manifold valves were smashed." The repairs required four days. McConnaughay said the men had hoped to put the Sakawa out of commission so it would have to be taken in tow and they would be releived of duty aboard the filthy, stinking warship. The navy listed the five men as Fireman 2d Class Larry W. LaJoie, Chicago; Fireman 1st Class Stanley J. Berrent, Baltimore; Fireman 2d Class Rober J. Eby, Pa.; Seaman 2d Class Lloyd Faulkner, Baltimore, and Seaman 2d Class William N. Lambright Jr. East Palestine, O. The Commander said that if the Sakawa legally can be termed an American ship the charges could be very serious. "Willful stranding or injury of vessels" of the navy, he pointed out, is an offense punishable by death. Both the Sakawa and the Nagato arrived at Bikini only after a series of misadventures. Carried Crew of 165 A crew of 165 men and officers went aboard the Sakawa in March to prepare the rat-infested hulk for her voyage. A bucket brigade worked 36 consecutive hours bailing foul water from her bilges. On March 18, the Sakawa and Nagato got under way. " It was a remarkable exhibition of seamanship" that they ever reached Bikini, one staff officer commented. Three hundred miles from Eniwetok they ran out of oil and rolled in the seas waiting for tugs to take them in tow. The oil tanker Nickajack Trail, en route to Yokohama, was diverted to refuel them but ran aground on a reef and was lost. The Sakawa was pulled into Eniwetok four days ahead of the Nagato. Her crew, said Lt. Comdr. Jesse E. Miller, of Ottumwa, Ia., had done the work normally handled by at least 325. Operation Crossroads [ Home Page || What's New || Email || Family Mail Call || Notes and Hints ] [ Atomic Veterans, Atomic Test Series and Dates ] [ T-Shirts || Videos ] Information about the National Association of Atomic Veterans [ The NAAV Story || NAAV Medical Data Base Information ] Atomic Veterans History Project © 1997-2000 For use of the material found on this web site, please send us an email with your request.