USS Macaw (ASR-11)

The USS ''Macaw'' (ASR-11) was a ''Chanticleer''-class submarine rescue ship in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1944.

History

''Macaw'' was laid down on 15 October 1941 by the Moore Dry Dock Company, Oakland, California; launched on12 July 1942; sponsored by Miss Valnessa Easton of Berkeley, Calif.; and commissioned exactly one year later.

Departing California on 28 August 1943, after shakedown and training exercises, ''Macaw'' steamed in convoy to Espiritu Santo, arriving on 2 October. Thence proceeding to Funafuti, via Wallis Island, she charted previously unknown reefs. She anchored off Funafuti on the 16th and remained until 13 November when she was ordered back to Pearl Harbor. After six weeks in Hawaii, ''Macaw'' departed for Midway Island.

Sinking

''Macaw'' was scheduled to take part in the Marshall Islands campaign and was transiting back to Honolulu due to contaminated water tanks when she stopped at Midway Atoll. Suddenly on 18 January 1944, ''Macaw'' received orders to rescue a submarine from a nearby reef. She headed out as 20-35 knot winds from the west and rough seas pushed the submarine onto the coral reef. Attempting to get a line to the stricken sub, the ''Macaw'' herself, under the command of the Midway harbor pilot, ran aground. The motor room and generator room were flooded with diesel oil and seawater.

Breakers began striking the stern of the ship. Circa 7 m (23 feet) of ''Macaw''s stern projected into the channel which threatened to further restrict passage to the submarine base. Keeping the channel clear was a high priority, therefore salvage attempts began as soon as possible. , arriving on 24 January, placed a crew on board ''Macaw'' after ''Flier'' was freed from the reef. Three separate attempts were made to refloat ''Macaw'' and pull her off, all without success. Due to bad weather conditions, salvage work was difficult and attempts to provision the crew on board were sometimes impossible. The weather continued to hamper salvage work during the first week of February. Wind and seas during the night of 11 February 1944 increased to a full gale. During the following day ''Macaw'' took on a heavy starboard list and seas began breaking over the ship's superstructure. Around 1800 hrs the pronounced list was suddenly reduced as ''Macaw''s stern swung south and submerged in deeper water. The commanding officer, executive officer, and 20 ''Macaw'' crewmen remained on board during the night of 12 February. With deteriorating conditions, the remaining crew was forced to take shelter in the pilothouse and after 0230 hrs the crew was forced to abandon ship into the heavy seas. Two 6 m (19.7-foot) boats from Midway Naval Operating Base capsized during rescue attempts, with the loss of three lives. Searches during the following day recovered seventeen ''Macaw'' crewmen from atoll beaches, buoys, and distant spots in the lagoon. During the sinking her commanding officer, Paul Burton, and four crewmen died after abandoning the ship. ''Macaw'' was struck from the Navy list on 25 March 1944.

Following the sinking of ''Macaw'', the decision was made to clear the channel and level the hulk in place. The crew from the worked on the site through 9 September 1944. A total of 1,086 diving hours were spent salvaging equipment and materials and placing demolition charges. More than two and one-half tons of explosives were used.

Between 2003 and 2009 the wreck of ''Macaw'' was surveyed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

References

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External links

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On Eternal Patrol – USS ''Macaw''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macaw (Asr-11)
Chanticleer-class submarine rescue ships
Ships built in Oakland, California
1942 ships
World War II auxiliary ships of the United States
Maritime incidents in January 1944
Maritime incidents in February 1944
World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean
Naval
United States