Finished for this year, it goes pretty quickly when she spends most of the time in port recording only 6 weather observations a day.
She worked her way up the coast of the Gulf of Alaska to Unalaska, then worked her way all the way to Attu, then back to Unalaska where she stayed most of August and September giving medical and dental assistance to the natives, with only a few brief trips before heading home. Once she was already on the way home she turned around to look for survivors of the wreck of the S.S. Nevada, and then finally headed home.
Additional ships encountered:
U.S.S. Crane (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USFS_Crane)
North Star
Northland
Several Alaska Steamship company ships, and a few others
Interesting events:
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 8-0016.JPG
Received word from Montgomery, Radio dispatch 6012-1335, that motor ship Eunice was wrecked on Carlisle Island August fourth.
Survivors arrived Nikolski August eighth and being transported to Unalaska on Montgomery.
A few days previously she had set sail from Unalaska to search of the Eunice
From wikipedia:
During a voyage in the Aleutian Islands from Unalaska to Atka and way ports with a cargo of 30 short tons (27,216 kg) of general merchandise, the 42-gross register ton motor vessel went off course in fog due to a faulty compass and was wrecked on a beach on the east coast pf Carlisle Island. Her crew of four survived.[199]
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 8-0030.JPG
1740 German round the world plane D-2053 arrived from Cordova and landed in Dutch Harbor
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 8-0035.JPG
0940 German round the world plane D-2053 took off from Dutch Harbor for Attu
1600-2400 Received information that German plane D-2053 had landed at Kanaga Harbor on account of weather and radio difficulties
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 8-0036.JPG
0820 Hoisted all boats. Preparing to get underway. Received written order from Commander Bering Sea Patrol Force to proceed to Dutch Harbor and ~, and then to proceed to Atka and to stand-by there to render assistance to German plane D-2053 if necessary.
Authority: Commander Bering Sea Patrol Force letter 611-601 (31 Aug. 1932)
1500 Received radio message from German sea plane D-2053 stating arrival at Attu, Alaska
I believe it was this guy's plane:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_von_Gronau
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0009.JPG
0900-1600 26 surf boat race between crews from Itasca and Haida was won by Haida
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0022.JPG
1045 Fire and rescue party ashore to extinguish fire in office of Commander Bering Sea Patrol Force. Fire caused by broken flue pipe. Light damage.
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0037.JPG
1141 Radio information relative to S.S. Nevada 51 16 N, 179 02 W; no detail given
S.S. Oregon Maru in search in vicinity
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0038.JPG
1500 Received information that SS Nevada was found grounded on East Point of Amatignak Island (Latitude 51.16 North; Longitude 179.02 West) by Oregon Maru. Rescue ships boat trying to reech crew seen on shore through heavy seas.
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0039.JPG
1030 Received radio order from Commandant to proceed to wreck of S.S. Nevada until assumed that all survivors had been rescued.
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0041.JPG
Received report from S.S. President Madison that all survivors of S.S. Nevada had been rescued from Amatignak Island. Reported by radio to Commandant
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 0-0010.JPG
0940 Sighted S.S. Oregon
0955 Sighted wreck of S.S. Nevada
1100 Surf boat, Lieutenant Commander Roe B. Hall in charge, left for wreck of S.S. Nevada. Maneuvering to maintain position two (2) miles south of Amatignak Island
1405 S.S. Oregon underway
The following is a description of scene of wreck of S.S. Nevada at Amatignak Island: States Ship Nevada broken in two or more pieces, bow still head on; midship section away broadside on; bridge superstructure above water with port list. Wreckage of masts, deck load, and fastenings scattered along beach from wreck to southerly end of island; none north of wreck. Southeast face of Island sheer rocks with small narrow stretches of beachshelf at intervals. There are numerous pinnacle rocks inshore of the wreck. No signs of life on wreck nor beach; no bodies seen.
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 0-0011.JPG
Conferred with master S.S. Oregon by radio. Oregon had cruised around Amatignak Is. and easterly side of Ulak Is. for two (2) days and was unable to find any pieces of deck-load wreckage or boats at any point except the S.E. face of Amatignak Island. In view of the topography of the Island (Amatignak), it was apparent that the only chance for landing was in a space of one (1) mile, beginning at the wreck and from there southewestward. One lifeboat was found on the beach and the other one in the remains of the deck load. Two bodies of chinese were found in the life boat on the beach, but none in the other boat. Three survivors were taken on board the S.S. President Madison. The Oregon buried the two dead chinese. The master of the Oregon was convinced that all survivors had been accounted for, and in the absence of any encouraging signs deemed that he had done all possible. The commanding officer of the Haida agreed with this, and both ships left the scene of the wreck.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_West_Niger
Nevada departed Astoria for her last journey on September 16, 1932 bound for Yokohama carrying full cargo of lumber, flour and general merchandise. The vessel was under command of captain T. W. Johansen and had a crew of 35 and additionally had one passenger on board. The trip was largely uneventful until September 27, when at approximately 20:00 in foggy weather the freighter suddenly ran aground at full speed on the eastern tip of Amatignak Island. Nevada sent S.O.S. signal which was picked up by Japanese steamer Oregon Maru located nearby, and American liner President Madison approximately 500 miles away from the site of the wreck. Both vessels turned around and rushed to the aid of the distressed freighter. In the meantime, the crew tried to launch lifeboats, but due to high surf and strong winds it was nearly impossible to do, as the waves kept crushing over the ship. One lifeboat was launched successfully, but it eventually capsized taking all but three men down with it. Some of the crew drowned when swept off the deck by heavy waves or thrown against the deckload of lumber, some jumped overboard and tried to swim towards the shore. The captain, the third mate and the radio operator remained on board the ship but when the help arrived they were nowhere to be found. The next day the weather turned for the worse, with a gale arriving which broke the ship in three pieces. Oregon Maru reached the wreck after a prolonged search around 21:00 on September 28. Their attempts to save the survivors were unsuccessful as due to fog, gale and heavy seas they were not able to reach the shore, losing one lifeboat in the process. President Madison arrived around noon the next day and after a four hour struggle was able to launch a lifeboat that reached the island and took off three survivors and transferred them on board the liner. They were safely landed in Victoria on October 5. On October 2 the States Steamship Company's vessel SS Oregon which was dispatched in the aftermath of the disaster reached the wreck and after thorough investigation of the wreck and the island found no traces of other survivors. On October 4 the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Haida finally reached the area after being dispatched from Seward on September 30. After searching the area they also failed to locate any additional survivors.[32][33][34][35][36]
On the way back to Unalaska from Amatignak, she encountered some bad weather as well, which resulted in some of the lowest pressures I have seen:
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 0-0014.JPG