Sally Ship was not a ship but a method of loosening a vessel that ran aground from the mud holding her fast. In the days before sophisticated navigation equipment, ships ran aground much more often than today. A grounded ship could be freed with little or no hull damage if she could be rocked out of her muddy predicament. To free her, the order was given to "sally ship". The crew gathered in a line along one side and then ran from port to starboard and back and forth until the vessel began to roll. Often the rolling broke the mud's suction and she could be pulled free and gotten underway.
Interesting tidbit. I actually did this once with my shipmates back during the Viet Nam war. My ship (USS Oklahoma City - CLG-5, later CG-5) went aground about 20 miles south of Danang. We were called in for gunfire support mission. I was part of the Radar gang and we were going at 25 knots toward the entrance of this river mouth. CIC (Combat Information Center) where I was on watch recommended a course change away from this river mouth because of changing sand bars around it. Well, bridge did not take the recommendation and sure enough we went aground. The Operations officer called all men off watch to the fantail. Since I just got off watch, I went down there and we did the "Sally Ship" maneuver. Of course, it did not work. Later they requested an ocean going tug to come out and pull us off. Fortunately, we only hit sand and nothing else.
1949 or 1950 The USS Missouri went aground at NOB Norfolk Va.They tried salling ship but it didn't work I saw it.Paul E. Cutler BMSN USS GRAND CANYON AD28
I learned this term on my first ship. We had a rather large third class and some people called him Sally. Finally the curiosity got the better of me and I asked why. They explained the term sally and made mention that he could be called upon to sally the ship single handedly.
It was also a question on my ESWS board. Although I don't think it possible to sally a tender.
I believe that I was the last officer in the US Navy to order "Sally Ship." It was on the USS LaSalle (AGF-3) as we were getting ready to enter dry dock in Sabin Shipyard in Naples Italy January 6, 1978. The shiop would not ballast down to launch our Mike boats as we had ofgfloaded all weapons, fuel, and anything else we could. After all normal efforts to ballast down were expended I got permission to muster the crew on the flight deck and gave the order to "Sally Ship." With the entire crew running back and forth on the deck we managed to rock the ship enough to start taking on water. Once started the rest of the ballasting went routinely.
Originally posted by TMC_SW_Ret: I learned this term on my first ship. We had a rather large third class and some people called him Sally. Finally the curiosity got the better of me and I asked why. They explained the term sally and made mention that he could be called upon to sally the ship single handedly.
It was also a question on my ESWS board. Although I don't think it possible to sally a tender.
