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Nuclear Submarine Runs Aground South of Guam
The Associated Press ^ | Jan 8, 2005 | The Associated Press

Posted on 01/08/2005 3:19:47 AM PST by Jet Jaguar

HONOLULU (AP) - A nuclear submarine ran aground about 350 miles south of Guam, injuring several sailors, one of them critically, the Navy said.

There were no reports of damage to the USS San Francisco's reactor plant, which was operating normally, the Navy said.

Jon Yoshishige, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor, said the Friday afternoon incident is under investigation and the 360-foot submarine was headed back to its home port in Guam.

Details on the sailors' injuries were not immediately available. The sub has a crew of 137, officials said.

Military and Coast Guard aircraft from Guam were en route to monitor the submarine and assist if needed, the Navy said.

Guam is a U.S. territory about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.

---

On the Net:

U.S. Pacific Fleet: http://www.cpf.navy.mil

AP-ES-01-08-05 0343EST


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; US: Hawaii
KEYWORDS: guam; shipwreck; silentservice; ssn711; submarine; usn; usssanfrancisco
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To: mudblood
You're no Navy man.

You run aground, you're fired.

Period.

I saw it happen often in Vietnam with LST's.

41 posted on 01/08/2005 4:43:13 AM PST by battlegearboat
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To: mudblood

In civilian life the boss makes a mistake, it costs money, in the military, the boss (CO) makes a mistake, you pay for it with lives.

STROKE-- The capt doesn't drive. sorry.
MALFUNCTION-- The Capt should have known.
SABOTAGE--Nuke submariners are perhaps the most vetted people in the world. Sorry, this isn't a shoe bomber.
CLANDESTINE--We don't order our subs to "clandestingly strike the bottom".

It don't wash. With one sailor critical, the Capt screwed the pooch on this one.


42 posted on 01/08/2005 4:46:02 AM PST by Lokibob (All typos and spelling errors are mine and copyrighted!!!!)
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To: Larry Lucido
And how does a submarine free itself - can you just put it in reverse?

As has been mentioned... "that depends" on what "run aground" means. But in general, if the ship isn't damaged they have lots of options. Remember that running aground in a surface ship is tough because you aren't afloat any longer. Getting off involves a lucky tide, and/or an application of power (that may or may not work). A submarine has an additional option caused by the fact that it isn't left high and dry. It can always just increase it's buoyancy and surface (again presuming a lack of crippling damage). It would really take an interesting collision to "trap" the sub in three dimensions.

Surface ships don't have an "up" option when run aground.

43 posted on 01/08/2005 4:46:20 AM PST by IMRight ("Eye" See BS)
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To: battlegearboat

"You run aground, you're fired. Period"

Apparently some guy ran aground twice before he was fired.
This captain might get fired. I'll even go so far as to say he probably will. But lets wait for the judge show up before we shoot him.


44 posted on 01/08/2005 4:47:18 AM PST by mudblood
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To: Larry Lucido

I suspect this is a bottom collision, because the article says the boat was underway on its own power and heading into port with damage, and it was 350 miles from port and thats a long way to do a surface transit.

Lots of reasons a boat can strike something submerged. It may be a submerged object that is floating on the currents, or they may have struck the ocean floor in a shallow area.

Depending on the speed, the sonar may or may not be useful.


45 posted on 01/08/2005 4:48:31 AM PST by judicial meanz (Co-Founder of http://projectexodus.com--> A Christian Human Rights Ministry to address Anti-Semitism)
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To: antivenom
to get the sub rocking....

If this sub's a-rocking, don't . . .

Ah, never mind.

46 posted on 01/08/2005 4:48:39 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: reg45

I was thinking that myself - active sonar is a death request. Or perhaps, has technology changed that much since my history reading?


47 posted on 01/08/2005 4:50:44 AM PST by txzman (Jer 23:29)
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To: IMRight

Makes sense. Thanks.


48 posted on 01/08/2005 4:52:47 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Larry Lucido
to get the sub rocking.... If this sub's a-rocking, don't . . . Ah, never mind.

Husband always says: It ain't gay if its underway
49 posted on 01/08/2005 4:53:08 AM PST by submarinerswife
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To: antivenom

Believe it or not, that is one way of changing the trim on a submarine.

Transferring people back and forth works.


50 posted on 01/08/2005 4:54:00 AM PST by judicial meanz (Co-Founder of http://projectexodus.com--> A Christian Human Rights Ministry to address Anti-Semitism)
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To: Elle Bee
but the sea floor may have just change after the earthquake and tsunami

The sub's sonar didn't change any. Wouldn't want to be him.

51 posted on 01/08/2005 4:54:40 AM PST by Caipirabob (Democrats.. Socialists..Commies..Traitors...Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Lokibob

"CLANDESTINE--We don't order our subs to "clandestingly strike the bottom"."

There's a first time for everything. Perhaps he didn't hit the bottom, perhaps he was attacked? The Navy would keep that info close until it wanted to release it. And you don't get canned for being attacked - its what they do.

Sabotage - it can happen. People aren't computers, you can't tell what they'll do.

Malfunction - the captain can't be held responsible for hidden design flaws that realize themselves quickly and out of nowhere. Doesn't mean they can't courtmarshal him for it, but he'll win. And he'll be given back his boat.

stroke - on second thought, for health reasons he'd be relieved.


52 posted on 01/08/2005 4:55:37 AM PST by mudblood
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To: IMRight
From CNN (looks like it's resurfaced):

(CNN) -- U.S. Coast Guard and military aircraft Saturday are en route to the western Pacific, where a nuclear attack submarine ran aground, wounding several crew members -- including at least one critically -- according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The USS San Francisco ran aground some 350 miles south of Guam -- the nearest land mass -- while it was conducting submerged operations. It has since resurfaced and is heading back to Guam, according to the USPF's news release.

"At this point there does not seem to be damage to the (nuclear) reactor," Lt. j.g. Adam Clampitt told CNN, from his base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The accident happened Saturday at noon, Guam time (Friday 9 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. Hawaii time).

The nuclear-powered vessel is a Los Angeles-class "fast attack" submarine. Clampitt says it was carrying four torpedo-tubes, which can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. It is the most common type of U.S. attack submarine in the naval fleet since 2004.

Clampitt said there are 137 crew members on board the USS San Francisco.

The nuclear submarine has a "limited medical staff on board," he said. Most of the wounded suffered head injuries, Clampitt said.

"Our first concern is the safety of the crew," Clampitt said.

The aircraft are bringing medical staff and investigators to assess the extent of the injuries and damage to the submarine.


53 posted on 01/08/2005 4:55:45 AM PST by Quilla
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To: ASA Vet
Some of us are not acting.


54 posted on 01/08/2005 4:56:23 AM PST by geedee (American by birth. Texan by choice and attitude. Conservative by God. Disabled by hubris.)
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To: judicial meanz

"A submerged collision with the sea floor is a serious thing, especially if they were going at high speed."

Yea, I can imagine a lot of soiled underwear as a result.

Two things I decided as a service member: I wouldn't jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and I wouldn't get into a perfectly good sub.


55 posted on 01/08/2005 4:56:27 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: mudblood
Malfunction - the captain can't be held responsible for hidden design flaws that realize themselves quickly and out of nowhere. Doesn't mean they can't courtmarshal him for it, but he'll win. And he'll be given back his boat.

This isn't Matlock, where your view of justice wins out in the end. The CO is responsible for EVERYTHING on his boat.
56 posted on 01/08/2005 5:01:15 AM PST by submarinerswife
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To: Caipirabob

At least the sub didn't disappear down into the Marianas Trench. The trench is deeper than the height of Mt.Everest.


57 posted on 01/08/2005 5:01:53 AM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: Quilla
The USS San Francisco ran aground some 350 miles south of Guam -- the nearest land mass -- while it was conducting submerged operations. It has since resurfaced and is heading back to Guam, according to the USPF's news release

They were in high speed transit submerged. Thats the worst type of grounding incident you can have on a submarine, and it can be potentially fatal to the entire crew. Right now, those guys are in a fight to get the ship into port, because there is most likely damage to the ballast tanks, and they are fighting to keep it afloat

The nuclear submarine has a "limited medical staff on board," he said. Most of the wounded suffered head injuries, Clampitt said

I servd on the sister boat of the San Fransisco. There is one senior corpsman on a 688 class boat, and whoever is qualified as an EMT or whatever in civilian life. This guy is probably workig himself half to death right now

Head injuries infer a high speed collision, resulting in the crew really being tossed around. There are plenty of things on a submarine that your head can hit, and they dont move at all. I still have scars

Pray for these guys folks...they have a long way to get to port..at least another day, or even more if they can't do any speed at all.

58 posted on 01/08/2005 5:02:51 AM PST by judicial meanz (Co-Founder of http://projectexodus.com--> A Christian Human Rights Ministry to address Anti-Semitism)
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To: submarinerswife

"Husband always says: It ain't gay if its underway"

I'll bet submariners can come up with all kinds of good lines at the right time; "Fire the torpedoes" being just one that comes to mind.


59 posted on 01/08/2005 5:05:34 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: IMRight
It would really take an interesting collision to "trap" the sub in three dimensions. Surface ships don't have an "up" option when run aground.

Dang, I hate when other people can think first thing in the morning. How obvious is this?

60 posted on 01/08/2005 5:07:10 AM PST by raybbr
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