The Susan B (Cont.)

...Suddenly two explosions hit the Susan B., as her crew called her, knocking a large hole in her hull. The ship had hit sonic mines that were thought to be cleared by minesweepers earlier. My dad with elements of the 326th AEB along with troopers from the 327th/401st Glider Infantry Regiment had to remove all their weapons and equipment and flee the ship. As one of the last men to leave the crippled vessel, my Dad watched in horror as the Captain and boatswain mate were seen going down with the ship only a hundred yards away. Fortunately the Susan B. hit bottom, allowing them to safety swim away making the sinking the greatest shipwreck in history in which no one was killed, for all 2,689 personnel successfully escaped.