In the early morning hours of 2 May 1964, Captain Borge Langeland of the USNS Card (T-AKV-40) was supervising the loading of old helicopters aboard the converted auxiliary aircraft carrier for their return to the United States from the Port of Saigon. The
Card had just unloaded her cargo of helicopters and fighter-bombers from Manila, the Philippines, and was now preparing to return to the United States. It was all routine work.
Captain Langeland, a Norwegian by birth, was undoubtedly happy with routine. He saw more than his share action as second mate on board the Norwegian ship
Grenanger during World War II. The