Sub skipper to lose command

CNN ^ | 2/12/5 | Mike Mount

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The captain of a U.S. submarine that hit an undersea mountain last month in the western Pacific, killing one sailor and injuring 23 others, will be relieved of command, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Navy Cmdr. Kevin Mooney will not be charged with any crime and will not be court-martialed.

He received a nonjudicial punishment, most likely in the form of a letter of reprimand from his commander, this week, officials said. Such punishment typically ends an officer's career.

Mooney was reassigned pending an investigation after the severely damaged the USS San Francisco returned to its home port in Guam. Details of the investigation were not available.

[SmithL]

Damn!

[CedarDave]

Crosslink:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1341625/posts

[writer33]

Come on, Smith. I liked the windows idea. :)

I know. Too much pressure.

[SmithL]

I want to be on the record. Commander Mooney is one of the good guys, and I would proudly go to sea with him. This is an outrageous injustice, and I have absolutely no sense of humor about this.

[SmithL]

It's not quite windows, but I did get a little periscope liberty from time-to-time.

[rawhide]

"I want to be on the record. Commander Mooney is one of the good guys, and I would proudly go to sea with him. This is an outrageous injustice, and I have absolutely no sense of humor about this."

You are right in what has been published, however, there may be reasons we may never know why the Navy decided to do this.
But this commander did a heck of a job when crunch time came. He deserves a medal for that.
But like I said, there may be some unexpained reasons why he is being relieved.

[infowarrior]

I want to be on the record. Commander Mooney is one of the good guys, and I would proudly go to sea with him. This is an outrageous injustice, and I have absolutely no sense of humor about this.

Since you are a member of the submariner's community, I take your evaluation at face value. It is perhaps unjust that the Commander's record has been thus marked, and his promising career cut short, but we do not live in a perfect world, and the actions of our military are under scrutiny such as they have rarely faced before, given the totality of our current situation. I am reminded of the injustice perpetrated on Admiral Kimmel, in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor.

Perhaps, in time, Commander Mooney's reputation, like that of Admiral Kimmel, will be restored, although I am acutely aware that provides little solace at the moment...

the infowarrior

[July 4th]

unexpained reasons why he is being relieved.

The other link says there may have been "discolored water" on one of the older charts.

Either way, the result of all of this was highly predictable the moment after the accident. No matter who's fault the accident, the commander gets the axe.

[writer33]

:)

[SmithL]

Updated Info

[joedelta]

You could well be right. I've seen some dumb $hiite myself.

A first sergeant I knew broke his neck on a jump. Didn't know til AFTER the 1 month field problem was over. The docs put him in one of those "Darth Vader" rigs & on serious profile. Then, he got booted cause he was over weight- never mind that he couldn't exercise.

A sergeant I knew broke his ankle, so bad they had to fuse it together. Did he get a medical? Oh no. Lets boot him 'cause he failed the 2 mile run (by less than 30 seconds 3 times).

[Doohickey]

Ping again

This is a shame, but this is probably the best outcome CDR Mooney could hope for.

[microgood]

I worked for the Navy for quite a few years and just about every ship/boat that ever got broken except the result of an act of God resulted in the CO getting canned. I know when that Carrier (I think the Enterprise) beached in San Fran harbor that C.O. was canned even though it was under the Tug Boat Company's control.

This was terrible but I do not think he is being singled out. It pretty much happens this way every time with the Navy. They do not like you breaking their ships.

That said, a tragic incident and God bless those brave men that gave their lives and those that saved that boat, including the C.O.

[ArmyBratproud]

At least they did not try and charge him with anything.

I thank him for his service. I don't know a lot about subs...so I give him the benefit of the trust.

Any man that can go down in one of those subs and not go nuts......is OK in my book.

[BykrBayb]

Just Damn!!!

[dandi]

From what I recall of my time in there, it's pretty much a given. If there's a collision or a boat runs aground the CO is relieved. Doesn't seem fair but that's the way the Navy does things. A sad way for an otherwide distinguished career to end.

[75thOVI]

Back in the early 80s, when the Dallas went aground at AUTEC they relieved her CO. We studied the case at advanced QM school in New London. The CO did everything right, conducted the port briefing, left detailed night orders, and verbally instructed his nav team on the procedures to arrive at Site One right at dawn. And the went to bed. The OOD, Nav, ANav, and QMOW,(that one hurt!)Working in four part harmony, and full orchestration, put the Pig on the rocks. The class conducted a moot court martial. We found the captain not guilty and recommended keel-hauling for the nav team. The instructors gave us the low down on the real verdict. We weren't far off on the nav team, some may even be out of Portsmouth by now. The CO was relieved of command and was "allowed" to retire at his current pay grade. Unfair! Travesty Of Justice! Where's Danl' Webster when you need him? Then our instructors shook their heads, (They'd seen this from every class, since they'd started teaching the lesson.)and told us, "The CO has ultimate responsibility."

I have no doubt that Capt. Mooney is one of the "Good Guys". After the Admiral's Mast and the sure to ensue Court Martial, (remember that a Court Martial can clear as well as convict, more than one officer has requested one to clear his name.) Capt. Mooney may come off rather well. From all accounts he displayed all the Highest Traditions of the Naval Service that they do go on about at awards ceremonies. He may have lost a man, but it seems his quick actions saved his boat and the rest of his crew. But, whatever happens Capt Mooney will never again stand on the bridge of a boat again and call it "his". In the end he may have just been unlucky.

Adm. Charles W. Lockwood, COMSUBPAC in WWII may have the final word on the matter, when he told one of his very highly thought of, but unsuccessful captains, "I can't use you if you're not lucky."

(Nota Bene) Throughout this post I've referred to Cdr Mooney as Captain. In theory, as he no longer commands a ship he no longer rates that honorific. I've read the accounts of the accident. Capt. Mooney, It would be an honor to serve with you, Sir. (I was never very good at theory.)

[Arkinsaw]

I said this would happen when it ran aground and I got called a moron. The Navy is the Navy.

[Arkinsaw]

I want to be on the record. Commander Mooney is one of the good guys, and I would proudly go to sea with him. This is an outrageous injustice, and I have absolutely no sense of humor about this.

He knew it when he joined up, run your ship aground, even if its not one iota your fault, you lose your command. Too many folks and not enough sea duty stations. Be perfect, or be cast out.

[SmithL]

One can be a moron, and still be right from time-to-time.
; )
BTDT