My name is august P. Sheldon Jr MS2, I was stationed aboard the USS Cree when she was mistakenly bombed on February 28, 1978 by jets from the Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise during an exercise.   It was a scary moment for the crew since we were hit with 3 bombs, one directly on the hull numbers on the forecastle between the 8 and the 4 making our hull number 8.4.   Another hit the upper portion of the mast breaking it off and sending shrapnel all across the starboard bridge wing and shredding the captain’s chair.   The 3rd bomb hit the mid fantail gunwale and jumped across the deck barely missing some of the crew and then falling into the water about 10 feet out and sinking about 20 feet and going off.  

The blast ripped all the rivets on the starboard side causing massive flooding and leaking.   We were without power and needed assistance from the USS Cocopa who later towed us back into port.   I hope this will give an insight as to what happened.   And just a note it was VA 196 who bombed us and it was also the squadron of my ex father in law AEC Charles Dale Walton,

August P. Sheldon Jr. 1T. Texas State Guard Communications Officer 1 BDE    

Click here to go back to Cree photos