The fire on board "Dickerson" grew rapidly as "Bunch" maneuvered to help but was "fairly well under control" by 1930. Seeing that she was "receiving considerable structural damage" alongside the stricken ship, "Bunch" pulled away but sent a fire and rescue party over in one of her LCPRs. In the meantime, UDT-21 swimmers used their rubber boats to rescue many of the "Dickerson" survivors forced over the side by the flames. Back on board "Dickersion" where the fire had burst forth again, "Bunch"s fire and rescue party — aided by a contingent from "Crosley" — succeeded in getting gasoline-driven handy-billies in operation to battle them. "Bunch" passed a towline and three fire hoses across to "Dickerson" and began to tow her, while men cut away "Dickerson"s port-side boats to lessen the list. Soon, however, the towline and hoses parted, and the salvagers lost their hard-won gains when the fires broke out with renewed vigor as a result. To make matters worse, a freshening wind made getting another hawser across to her even more difficult. Eventually, arrived, took "Dickerson" in tow, put out her fires, and brought her into Kerama Retto. After screening "Arikara" and "Dickerson" to Kerama Retto and transferring 61 survivors to "PCE-852", "Bunch" returned to station A-20 where the rest of the day passed mercifully quietly.