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.
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On the Net:
U.S. Pacific Fleet: http://www.cpf.navy.mil
AP-ES-01-08-05 0343EST
There's a valve on that tank to the left of you barcalounger... turn it counterclockwise.
Our sub pass over three fathoms in the Med. It was close when I yelled "red sounding". The captain thanked me later.
Kind of suspected that, thanks for posting the information. When, where, why, how long were you there, and how did you get to, from and around the Carolines? I'm already jealous as hell, so you can't make it any worse by sharing the details.
--Boot Hill
My first thought... >>
Please!
Show a little respect for both the English Language AND for the Submarine Service!
"Someone just lost HIS job!"
Irony of all ironies...
How about blowing the tanks and floating off ? < disclaimer>This coming from a land-lubber...< /disc>
Hey. Shouldn't you be taking part in this thread?
ok ,i don't have time right now to read the 608 replies so forgive me please, but is it true that the sub captain can kiss his navy career goodbye over this unfortunate incident? I mean, this is NOT supposed to happen in the US navy. Perhaps the Tsunami altered the sea floor from the maps?
never mind, my questions were addressed in the first 12 replies.
I hear that all the time, "ex-dolphin" "ex-submariner" etc... Last time I looked on the back of my "fish" (dolphins) there was no expiration date! I qualled as a "Submariner and will die as one.
As to the question of a sub in the path of a tsunami that question was asked on one of the Sub BBS's right after the incident. Several folks replied that they had been aboard subs rithg ove underwater earthquakes and said they got really bounced around. They were too close to feeel the waves.
Give the skipper a chance. We don't know what happened. The trend today seems to be to can the skippers though since you only ever get one Sub Command ever. No going to another boat. You go to squadron or you get out.
SS & SSN sailor
"Injured" could be pretty bad, and given the state of U.S.-supplied media information, A N Y T H I N G could have happened.
"Last time I looked on the back of my "fish" (dolphins) there was no expiration date! I qualled as a "Submariner and will die as one."
Amen!
That Chester Nimitz guy never amounted to sh*t after he ran aground...
The grounding of the USS Guardfish SSN 612 in 1967 are still manditory reading for QM's and skippers. She missed the buoy at Pearl by 150 yards on Christmas Eve and spent 3 days hung up on the reef sucking coral sand up into her main condensors at a 30 degree angle. Funny thing is she had all navigational equipment operational. We followed her in later that day after 60 days out with ½ our nav systems taking an unauthorized vaction and the other ½ not being cooperative. We waved as we went past.
Is this a boomer or fast attack sub? Considering that boomers are at their lowest level in decades (thanks clinton) the fact that this one will be out of commission for awhile could be potentially thrwatening. Boomers in this region keep China from attacking Taiwan or Japan and keep North Korea from attacking South Korea or Japan.
She's a fast boat---
FAS
The names have changed, but the game's the same. I used to make patrols out of Guam (aka Guambodia). Since Guam sits on the edge of the deepest place on the planet, the Mariana Trench, we always had exceptionally short maneuvering watches (Unlike anywhere on the East Coast). As soon as we had topside secured, we'd wave at the Soviet "fishing trawler", pull the plug, and disappear for weeks. The Soviet Union went bankrupt trying to find our Missile Boats. Now, it's the Chinese's turn.
In my experience on several patrols in the north atlantic during the winter (at depths in excess of 200 feet ;) ) the boat rolls baby -in rough storms, sometimes as bad as being on the surface... I imagine a tsunami would at minimum set a HEAVY drift...
Silent Service Bump
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