Emergencies and World Disasters
A Mine, A Hole, and 680,000 Gallons: How USS Noxubee Survived
22 min•4 augusti 2026
Om avsnittet
A Mine, A Hole, and 680,000 Gallons: How USS Noxubee Survived
A gasoline tanker carrying 680,000 gallons of fuel was left with a three-foot-wide, five-foot-tall hole below the waterline and still did not sink - every sailor walked away. How did a Patapsco-class AOG survive a mine strike on the Cửa Việt River in 1969 with that much volatile cargo on board?
In this episode, we follow the USS Noxubee from her keel laying in Savage, Minnesota to the mine detonation in South Vietnam and through the surprising days that followed. We trace the ship’s design, voyages across three oceans, and the single moment that tested everything the crew and ship could endure: how did they keep a floating fuel depot afloat and its people safe?
Person: Mrs. Wilbur F. Bagley
Date: Keel laid November 17, 1944; Launched April 3, 1945; Commissioned October 19, 1945; Mine strike September 9, 1969
Location: Cửa Việt River, South Vietnam
Class: Patapsco-class gasoline tanker (AOG-56)
- Ship capacity: 680,000 gallons of aviation fuel and diesel
- Ship displacement when full: 4,160 tons
- Ship length: 310 feet from bow to stern
- Mine damage: a hole 3 feet wide and 5 feet tall below the waterline
- 100% survival: every man aboard walked away after the explosion
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
A gasoline tanker carrying 680,000 gallons of fuel was left with a three-foot-wide, five-foot-tall hole below the waterline and still did not sink - every sailor walked away. How did a Patapsco-class AOG survive a mine strike on the Cửa Việt River in 1969 with that much volatile cargo on board?
In this episode, we follow the USS Noxubee from her keel laying in Savage, Minnesota to the mine detonation in South Vietnam and through the surprising days that followed. We trace the ship’s design, voyages across three oceans, and the single moment that tested everything the crew and ship could endure: how did they keep a floating fuel depot afloat and its people safe?
Person: Mrs. Wilbur F. Bagley
Date: Keel laid November 17, 1944; Launched April 3, 1945; Commissioned October 19, 1945; Mine strike September 9, 1969
Location: Cửa Việt River, South Vietnam
Class: Patapsco-class gasoline tanker (AOG-56)
- Ship capacity: 680,000 gallons of aviation fuel and diesel
- Ship displacement when full: 4,160 tons
- Ship length: 310 feet from bow to stern
- Mine damage: a hole 3 feet wide and 5 feet tall below the waterline
- 100% survival: every man aboard walked away after the explosion
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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