I doubt it.
Posted on 06/25/2017 7:21:19 PM PDT by TXnMA
By: Sam LaGrone
The crew of the guided-missile destroyer that was struck by a merchant ship on Friday off the coast of Japan fought to save the ship for an hour before the first calls went out for help, Japanese investigators now believe.
According to the current operational theory of Japanese investigators, the deadly collision between USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) and the Philippine-flagged merchant ship ACX Crystal knocked out the destroyer’s communications for an hour, while the four-times-larger merchant ship was unaware of what it hit until it doubled back and found the damaged warship, two sources familiar with the ongoing Japanese investigation told USNI News on Wednesday.
Investigators now think Crystal was transiting to Tokyo on autopilot with an inattentive or asleep crew when the merchant vessel struck a glancing blow on the destroyer’s starboard side at about 1:30 AM local time on Friday. When the crew of Crystal realized they had hit something, the ship performed a U-turn in the shipping lane and sped back to the initial site of the collision at 18 knots, discovered Fitzgerald, and radioed a distress call to authorities at about 2:30 AM. U.S. Navy officials initially said the collision occurred at around the time of the distress call at 2:30 AM.
Meanwhile, when Crystal’s port bow hit Fitzgerald, the warship was performing a normal transit off the coast of Japan, USNI News understands. Above the waterline, the flared bow of Crystal caved in several spaces in the superstructure, including the stateroom of commanding officer Cmdr. Bryce Benson.
The impact not only ripped a hole in the steel superstructure in the stateroom but also shifted the contents and shape of the steel so Benson was “squeezed out the hull and was outside the skin of the ship,” a sailor familiar with the damage to the ship told USNI News. “He’s lucky to be alive.”
Fitzgerald sailors had to bend back the door of the stateroom to pluck Benson from the side of the ship and bring him inside. He and two other sailors were later evacuated from the ship via a Japanese helicopter to a Navy hospital at Yokosuka.
Pictures of Benson’s stateroom from the door show the steel bent back to reveal open air, and a photo of the ship’s exterior pier-side shows almost the entire stateroom was crushed.
Meanwhile, below decks, the glancing blow of Crystal’s bulbous bow had ripped a 10-feet-by-10-feet to 14-feet-by-14-feet hole below the waterline of the ship, flooding a machinery space the berthing area that was home to about half of the crew, the sailor said.
Over the weekend, U.S. 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin confirmed the spaces that were affected by the collision.
“Three compartments were severely damaged,” Aucoin said at the Saturday press conference. “One machinery room and two berthing areas — berthing areas for 116 of the crew.”
The seven sailors who died aboard were sealed in the berthing area behind a watertight door as the ship’s company fought to keep the ship afloat, according to a description of events the Navy told the family of Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., according to The Associated Press. It’s yet unclear if the ship’s watch had time to sound the collision alarm or call general quarters before Crystal hit the destroyer.
In addition to the damage to the spaces, the collision knocked out Fitzgerald’s communications for the better part of an hour. At about the same time the crew was able to reactivate their backup Iridium satellite communications to radio for help, Crystal arrived on the scene and called in its own distress call, the sailor told USNI News.
investigators are being tight-lipped about details of the investigation, even inside the service. However, information USNI News learned from the Japan Coast Guard investigation indicates Fitzgerald was operating normally when the collision occurred, raising questions more questions regarding why Benson wasn’t on the bridge when a contact was so close to the destroyer.
On Monday, U.S 7th Fleet began a flag officer-led Judge Advocate General Manual (JAGMAN) investigation to determine the facts of the collision, as well as a separate U.S. Navy safety investigation. The U.S. Coast Guard will take lead in a maritime casualty investigation.
As for the ship, five days after collision active damage control efforts are ongoing to prevent further damage to the hull. The force of Crystal’s impact combined with the flood not only dented but twisted the ship’s hull. Crews are continuing to pump water in and out of the ship to keep Fitzgerald stable.
Naval Sea Systems Command is now assessing if the ship can be repaired in Japan or would have to be transported to the U.S. for repairs.
While investigation and repairs are ongoing, the ship’s crew has been given time away from the ship in an attempt to recover from the collision. The burden of ships’ watches is being shared by other crews on the Yokosuka waterfront, Navy officials told USNI News on Wednesday. Both Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steve Giordano both visited Yokosuka to speak with Fitzgerald sailors and their families.
I doubt it.
Depending on how long ago you served you may have even seen this during your training: "I Relieve You, Sir" about the Evans-Melbourne collision in 1969.
At 28:12 in: "Whenever a situation arises, according to the night orders or the standing orders requires a call to the Captain, the OOD should make the call immediately. If the OOD is in doubt whether the situation requires calling the Captain, that doubt alone is a signal to him to make the call..."
What you said is true. Not calling could do you just as much damage as calling...and if you don't call and something does, you are going to bring your Captain's career down with your own.
reminds me of these BS stories from the Navy..
USS Iowa. turret explosion.
USS Philadelphia, sinking late WW2
Jesus Christ.
Those systems aboard the destroyer are hardened against a real Nuclear or EMP strike. I doubt an EMP from a Russian or Chinese weapon system could take down comms.
yup...
A freight ship on autopilot running a normal trade route course between ports.
I’ll take odds that the DDG had no running lights on and was not visible to radar. The freighter’s RACAS likely never picked it up.
The entire purpose of a DDG is stealth, detection of contacts, and maneuverability.
Captain was in his rack, confirmed, when the collision took place. That means its down to the OOD.
I hear you, brother. I dislike him intensely as well. You’re a good man, Texas Eagle.
Your point about a cockamamie story being put out by the navy in matters like this is well received, though.
I don’t trust the Navy in general unless the process is open for all to see. There are more than a few incidents that were miscarriages of justice because the Navy was looking out for their own reputation instead of the truth, and made some captain fall on his sword, or made him walk the plank.
Things like Capt. McKay (USS Indianapolis), Captain John Phillip Stevenson (HMAS Melbourne) and the one mentioned by another Freeper here, the turret explosion on the USS Iowa (Clayton Hartwig blamed) are enough to make one realize their findings have to be scrutinized when it may reflect poorly on them...
Just because McCain is a sack of shit does not mean he is guilt of even time.. on this one he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time
USS Philadelphia, traveling through time, and when it came back men were fused with the superstructure.
I clearly remember that from the movie.
Texas Eagle and I have had discussions on this. I think the driving force we all have is that McCain is a POS.
We won’t sidetrack this thread by TXnMA...as much as I might want to!
I duly apologize. I have sent a report of self-abuse to the Mod Squad. Errrrr, perhaps I should rephrase that.
Agreed.
looks like the Fitz was dead in the water at the time of the collision.
Just wait until we all have autonomous vehicles..
Good point. I was on a merchant ship transiting the Malacca Straits, very dark night, and was on high alert for pirates.
Had a small blip on the radar that showed a small target was going to pass very close to us, no navigation lights.
I waited till he got close and zapped him with a powerful light that must have looked like lightening to him. Singapore Navy gunboat.
I’m embarrassed. Our warship couldn’t stay out of the way of a bumbling freighter, and it lost all communication for an hour!
Navy needs a cleanout.
I wonder about that and navy regulations for a ship at sea.
Not a swabbie, but did spend a night offshore San Diego on the CG-49 Valley Forge. Doing some EMC frequency collection.
That thing never stopped moving all night. Top heavy as it was, it rolled like hell at slow speeds. Was told they had to maintain "steerage" speed at all times.
Officer whose stateroom that I was assigned to for the night had a great time watching me bounce off the walls. Might have been him explained the rolling and why.
It might be a good idea for you to read this earlier post of mine: Damage analysis: the Fitzgerald was moving at higher speed than the ACX Crystal was..
If, after reading it, you still believe the Fitz was sitting still, please enlighten me.
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I have no dog in this fight; just using my analytical abilities to extract as much intelligence from the limited available information as possible...
I questioned it as my one and only experience on any ship other than my boat, it was in constant motion. Did slow way down after dark, but always moving.
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