03/06/2026
Today we met at Garden Island East gate 1 to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the collision of Aircraft Carrier Melbourne and USS Frank E. Evans.
Those who attended this service Jingles (Ron) and Leslie Irwin, Jessie (Ray) and Pauline James, Bob Windsor, Tom Houldsworth, John Hatchman, Neal Hatchman, Mike Hogan, Mike Shephard and Ron Giveen. Apologies were received from Barry Andrew, Ian Schubert, Rod Hazell and Mick Gallagher.
We had our pic taken of the group.
Jessie recited the Naval Ode and I presented the following -
On Tuesday 3rd June 1969 USS Frank E Evans was one of five escorts travelling and exercising under the direction of the Aircraft Carrier Melbourne during the SEATO Exercise Sea Spirit. There were 40 ships from six nations participating in this exercise. The incident occurred in the South China Sea about 650 miles south-west of Manila.
During the middle or guts watch on the third of June, in ideal weather conditions the Evans was ordered to act as plane guard for the Melbourne. This was not the first time Evans had acted as plane guard for Melbourne as she had performed this duty four times in the previous two days.
Captain Stevenson CO of Melbourne signalled Evans directing the flying course would be 260 degrees. At this time the Evans was 3,500 yards in front of Melbourne on the port side, steaming a parallel course.
On ex*****on of the flying course signal from MELBOURNE, Evans was to take up position as plane guard, 1,000 yards astern of Melbourne on the port side.
When EVANS did not react to the procedure required by Melbourne for plane guard, MELBOURNE put her navigation lights on at full brilliance. This was not usual practice, however, Melbourne had come close to a collision with another destroyer USS Larson two nights before and Stevenson was happy to break protocol to ensure the safety of both ships.
When the order to take up plane guard position came through, the CO of Evans, Captain McLemore was asleep in bed. Lieutenant Ramsey, officer of the watch, was reading, he left the manoeuvre in the hands of his assistant, Lieutenant Hopson.
The Evans turned to starboard to cross in front of Melbourne. Captain Stevenson sent a message over voice radio from bridge to bridge warning Evans that she was on a collision course. Melbourne radioed to the Evans that it was turning to port and sounded two blasts on its siren. Evans then spun hard right under Melbourne's bows. The collision occurred around 0300 on 3 June 1969.
The forward part sank shortly afterwards while the after part of the ship swung around and was secured to Melbourne's starboard side aft.
74 US sailors out of a total crew of 272 were lost, including all inside the bow section of the ship when it sank. Of these, only one body was recovered. It should also be remembered 3 brothers from Niobrara, Nebraska: Gary 22, Greg 21 and Kelly Jo Sage aged 19, lost their lives on that day.
Melbourne's Executive Officer, Commander E V Stevens RAN told the Board of Investigation, 198 personnel from the Evans who survived the collision, were on board Melbourne by 0345. 37 were picked up by Melbourne's boats, 2 by helicopters (Wessex’s flown by 817 Squadron) and about 10 in life rafts. Some 100 boarded Melbourne directly from the stern section, which was secured to Melbourne's starboard side, with scrambling nets used for climbing between the ships. The remainder were thought to have got on board by swimming directly to the port side, there with the assistance of some of the MELBOURNE’s crew who had jumped into the sea to assist these swimmers, they managed to get onboard by using ladders. These had been rigged to the flight deck and the quarterdeck.
The XO of MELBOURNE, CMDR E.V. Stevens personally with Chief Petty Officer Hearnes and 3 others conducted an extensive search of the after section of EVANS. Stevens then confirmed that no one remained onboard. The after section was then released from MELBOUNRE and sat about 1000 yards astern.
Survivors of the EVANS were then taken to USS Kearsarge, some by helicopter and some by boat. The last of the survivors left Melbourne at approximately 1030. Kearsarge then proceeded to Subic Bay to disembark these survivors.
Although all survivors were rescued within 45 minutes of the disaster, the search continued for fifteen hours.
Melbourne suffered no personnel casualties.
Melbourne was badly holed forward of the collision bulkhead and the trim tanks were flooded. Immediate action was taken to shore up, and at that time it was predicted that it would be ready to proceed at slow speed in approximately six hours.
The search was called off at 1830 and Melbourne proceeded slowly to Singapore.
