On 8 November 1950, and "Charles H. Roan" were engaged in night operations some off Bermuda. At 0103 the task group commander ordered the two destroyers to change station, a maneuver that required them to cross paths. Steaming at and running dark, the ships were on a collision course before anyone could take action to avoid disaster. At 0110, with sirens blaring a warning, they collided. "Brownson"’s bow tore a large hole in "Charles H. Roan" in the area of the after engine room and machine shop. Within fifteen seconds the ships had broken clear of each other revealing that the collision had sheared away a large section of "Brownson"’s bow and several forward ordnance storage compartments were flooding. Aboard "Charles H. Roan", a sailor in the machine shop went into the sea through the hole torn in the hull, but within minutes "Brownson"’s boat had recovered him. He was a lucky one. As a result of the collision, five of "Charles H. Roan"’s crew died—three instantly, two later— and several were injured, two requiring hospitalization.