It seems we found a design flaw in the construction of the ship. The overflow vent for the contaminated AVGAS tank was in the main engine room. It was SUPPOSED to overflow into the bilges to be pumped overseas while underway. BUT it was over the main engine. On this day, it overflowed and rained AVGAS on to the main engine. Huge fire. Dead in the water for several hours. Smoke throughout the whole ship before the ventilation system was shut down. Very scary time. Had to go back to Sasebo for repairs when limited power was finally restored.
“Where liberty dwells, there is my country." –Benjamin Franklin
Some design flaws never get corrected. We had one pump room back at the aft chow line that would take your head off the fumes were so bad at times. Chow line was 2nd deck the pump room was 6th deck. Sure enough sometime in late 1980 it blew up killing two ABF’s.