Plowing through icy Arctic waters, the Liberty ship Chief Washakie was 45 miles off Unalaska Island on the blustery night of last Dec. 10. At 10:22 her master was startled out of a sound sleep by a sound "like cannon fire"; the Washakie had split her sides open. Held together by her double bottom, the ship limped into Makushin Bay for temporary repairs, then headed for Dutch Harbor 48 miles away.
She cracked again, made Dutch Harbor, was repaired by Seabees this time and cleared for Seattle. In the Gulf of Alaska she ran into a gusty blow, hove to for...
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