The Incredible Tale of Chief Harold Brooks Who Survived the Wasp-Hobson Tragedy

The Incredible Tale of Chief Harold Brooks Who Survived the Wasp-Hobson Tragedy

©2010 Bob Stockton. Excerpted from 'Listening To Ghosts', (Xlibris Press). Unauthorized Reproduction Is Prohibited

In between my primary duties as Recruit Company Commander I was assigned a “hold job” to work with other Company Commanders in a human relations project that the Navy had begun. This afforded me a bit more free time than my  main duty as Company Commander which often meant long hours every day, seven days a week throughout the nine week recruit training cycle.

During those "hold job" intervals  I worked part time on weekends with Sally at her father's restaurant, Sally waiting tables while  I tended bar. The bar regulars were a mixed group consisting of local residents who had spent their entire lives in Sanford, transplanted northern "snowbirds" who had retired to Florida, retired Navy officers and enlisted and those men and women who were still on active duty with the Navy at the Orlando Recruit Training Command.

I distinctly remember retired Chief Electricians Mate (EMC) Harold Brooks who was one of 61 survivors of the sinking of the USS Hobson. One hundred and seventy-six crewmen went to a watery grave on an April night in 1952 when Hobson crossed the bow of the carrier Wasp as she was preparing to recover aircraft. Harold happened to be standing on the Hobson’s bow that evening when she was cut in two by Wasp. His story was a remarkable one - one that he told in a quite matter of fact manner.

 It was 2230 on a pitch black night and Harold had gone forward to Hobson's bow for some fresh air. Suddenly the Wasp  was cutting Hobson almost directly in half! Thinking quickly, Harold jumped up and grasped one of Wasp’s horizontal radio antennas and was pulled clear of the collision. Harold then gave a mighty swing that landed him safely in Wasp’s hangar bay.

Hobson sank within four minutes, taking  those doomed men with her, including her Captain who had made the fatal decision to cross Wasp’s bow. Retired from the Navy for many years, Harold was the vice president of a local bank, a man who enjoyed his drink and an all around down to earth person.