Bare-Faced Messiah (PDF) - Apologetics Index

Fletcher added that there was a 'known magnetic deposit' in the area in which the depth charges
were dropped. The implication was clear: Lieutenant Hubbard, Commanding Officer of USS PC-
815, had fought a two-day battle with a magnetic deposit.
Neither Ron nor Moulton would accept this verdict. They believed that denying the existence of the
submarines was a political decision taken to avoid spreading alarm among the civilian population.
Moulton pointed out that the Reader's Digest had recently published a story about the attack on the
oil refinery near Santa Barbara and it had caused something approaching panic among people
living along the coast of California. It was hardly surprising, they concluded, that the top brass
wanted to hush up the fact that US Navy ships had been fighting enemy submarines only about ten
miles off the coast of Oregon.
The disconsolate crew of the USS PC-815, who had no doubt expected to return home as
conquering heroes, had to be satisfied with this explanation and forego public recognition of their
battle. It was a bitter pill for them to swallow. The only reward their Commanding Officer could
arrange was a rare treat recorded in the ship's log on the day they returned to Astoria: 'Ice cream
brought on board.'
As Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Hubbard's record was unquestionably blighted by the
Admiral's damning report, although there was no suggestion that he should be relieved of his
command. There was plenty of good-natured joshing in the service about the man who had
attacked a magnetic field, but it would probably have been forgotten eventually and need not have
affected Ron's career, except that the luckless USS PC-815 was soon in even worse trouble.
Towards the end of May, the PC-815 was detailed to escort a new aircraft carrier from Portland to
San Diego. Thankfully this voyage was completed without incident. On arrival in San Diego Ron
said goodbye to his friend Tom Moulton, who had been transferred to HQ Thirteenth Naval District
in Seattle for further assignment.
San Diego is the most southerly coastal town in California, only ten miles from the Mexican border
at Tijuana. Just offshore from Tijuana there is a small group of islands known as Los Coronados,
used by local fishermen to dry their nets.
On the afternoon of 28 June, the PC-815 steamed unknowingly into Mexican territorial waters and
fired four shots with its 3-inch gun in the direction of the Coronados islands. She then anchored off
the island and fired small arms - pistols and rifles - into the water.
The Mexican government may not have considered that the United States was launching a surprise
attack, but the incident was deemed sufficiently serious for an official complaint to be lodged.
Lieutenant Hubbard, fresh from his notorious battle with a magnetic deposit, was not exactly well
placed to be forgiven for this new blunder.
On 30 June, a Board of Investigation was convened on board the PC-815 in San Diego Harbor.
Lieutenant Hubbard was first to give evidence and stoutly denied that he had done wrong. He had
ordered the gunnery practice because he was anxious to train his crew and he believed he had
authority to be in the area. When asked why he had anchored for the night he admitted that he had
not wanted to spend the entire night on the bridge. 'On three separate occasions,' he added, 'when
leaving my officers in charge of the bridge they have become lost.'[8]
The next witness was the Gunnery Officer, who cheerfully confessed that he thought the Coronados
Islands belonged to the United States. After listening to more than thirteen hours of evidence, the