The 1967 USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN 610) Hydraulic Fire
(Told by my step-father James A. Middleton ETCS(SS) USN(Retired)…)
As best remembered:
USS Thomas A. Edison SSBN 610 Yard Overhaul crew. Charleston, SC
Late 1967: I guess at the date because we had not warped out of the dry-dock at the time, but had come pretty far in the overhaul.
Cast of characters: (and they really were)
Duty Officer - Unknown
Jamie Hayes FTCS(SS) Duty Chief
Engineering Duty Officer - Unknown
Jim Middleton ETC(SS) Engineering Duty Chief
Mike Wilder MM3 Cold iron Watch (under instruction)
LCDR Marvin L. Philpot Prospective Commanding Officer Gold Crew
Les Johannsen (unsure of rate) forward duty section
Del Kaufman EM1(SS) engineering duty section
Philpot, Middleton and the Maneuvering Area Shutdown Watch(identity ?) were in Maneuvering when Wilder passed the word: “Fire in the main hydraulic pump motor!“ Word was passed on the 1MC and the ship was buttoned up, as well as could happen! The Engine room hatch was “fouled” with welding cables, air lines, etc. which left it wide open to atmosphere. The Engine room/AMR2 water tight door (WTD) was also wide open. The after AMR2/Tunnel WTD was shut.
Kaufman killed the power to the pump and Wilder started to fight the fire with available CO2 extinguishers. Heavy smoke filled the engine room and Wilder went down from smoke inhalation. The order went out and everyone went into Airline Emergency Breathing Masks. That made it extremely difficult to communicate while it alleviated the breathing difficulties.
At some point, The Charleston Shipyard fire was notified and they arrived on-scene. They had pulled their CO2 truck onto the drydock wall and pulled the hose through the ER hatch. This was one of those 12 to 14 inch diameter bells that they intended to try and force CO2 through the air vents on the top of the motor. It was a good plan but entirely impractical. Even the small bells on the standard CO2 bottles were having trouble getting CO2 into the motor. The fire department was ordered off the boat by me. They didn’t have the foggiest idea of the layout or the severity of the fire. They actually tried to pull their CO2 hose into the lower level engine room.
It was hot enough that the varnish on the motor windings kept re-flashing and the aluminum impeller on the top of the motor melted. Johanssen acting on orders from Hayes, went up on the sidewall of the drydock and took extinguishers from the shipyard fire watches and passed them down into the engine room. Went the re-flash stopped, we got a pair of welders gloves from the forward types and Kaufman attempted to remove the end bell from the motor. He got severe burns on both hands.
Basically - end of incident with a few minor exceptions. Wilder - 2 days in the hospital from smoke inhalation. Kaufman - 3 days in the hospital from burns. Another shipmate also went down from smoke inhalation but I don’t remember his name. Mention was been made to CDR Walt Brooks about the troops who were injured in the fracas but his response was “They were only doing their job!” There have been further attempts to gain recognition for them but the senior officer still alive “Butch” Thompson Capt., USN, Ret. was not in the yard at the time and could/would not offer any help in the correction effort.
Sad at best but we didn’t notice it at the time. Some recognition could (”could”) have possibly speeded up my promotion to E-8. It would have been nice and possibly given me a shot at E-9. Sour grapes, at this point.
There you go guys,
Fair winds and following seas,
Jim Middleton ETC(SS) 
