The Exxon Valdez is remembered in infamy. But what about Alaskas previous largest oil spill? [Video]

Part of a continuing weekly series on Alaska history by local historian David Reamer. Have a question about Anchorage or Alaska history or an idea for a future article? Go to the form at the bottom of this story.

Nothing — no training or safety equipment — truly prepares a person to be suddenly tossed upside down inside a ship on a stormy Christmas morning. On Dec. 25, 1979, the 30-man crew aboard the M/V Lee Wang Zin were thrown about as the freighter suddenly capsized. Anything unsecured, from the smallest personal items to heavy machinery to the people themselves, was instantly transformed into haphazard missiles. After a brief flight, the crewmembers crumpled against bulkheads, fixtures, and debris, luckier still than any standing near the searing boilers. Worst …