USS Port Royal Grounding

US Naval Institute ^ | 2-2009 | NA

[buccaneer81]

USS Port Royal Gronding Thread from US Naval Institute

[al baby]

well another skipper bites the dust one more to add to the unemployed list

[edcoil]

Daddy drove a desk and had jr. get command.

The reality of today’s military.

[buccaneer81]

I read earlier that they had pumped off fuel, potable water and unloaded non-essential personnel to the tune of 215 tons in order to help refloat her.

[BuckyKat]

Our Pastor today was really having fun with one of our elders who’s retired Navy. The opening song chosen was “Jesus Savior Pilot Me,” and prior to starting the song, the pastor mentioned that it’s too bad the ship’s captain hadn’t known that one. Our church is only a few miles from Pearl Harbor, and we can see the stuck ship from a couple of vantage points nearby.

[Thrownatbirth]

Tow lines broke during prior attempts to free the vessel.

Any linehandler remembers that day forever.

[neodad]

I don’t understand off-loading fuel. CGs have seawater compensation systems. The fuel tanks are always full of some combination of seawater and fuel.

[al baby]

awesome a hybrid fuel CG

[neodad]

LOL. The ship actually has a deeper draft with no fuel.

[buccaneer81]

Any linehandler remembers that day forever.

I bet they check their shorts.

[buccaneer81]

CGs have seawater compensation systems. The fuel tanks are always full of some combination of seawater and fuel.

So if you off load fuel you take on water for ballast?

[neodad]

Aegis ping

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Does the captain get the new nickname “Lead bottom”?

[neodad]

Correct, because the cruisers were so top heavy. I don’t recall if it could be disabled in such a situation.

[Thrownatbirth]

I bet they check their shorts

I always checked the deck for body parts. The physics are against you in a big way.

[GATOR NAVY]

I never liked the entrance channel to Pearl. Glad I wasn’t homeported there.

-Retired QMC

[rlmorel]

I hate seeing that. Bad for everybody.

But you must admit, a ship grounding is drama.

And for Drama with a capital "D", that has to go to the grounding of the USS Missouri in 1950. I read a book on it full of pictures. This was the one that made an imprint on me:

At one point They ended up with I think 12 fleet tugs (actually, the four pulling might be minesweepers or some auxilliary type) four astern pulling for all they've got and four on each side, alternately pushing together all four on one side, then letting off power, and the four tugs on the other side would then push back in unison.

They would try to rock the battleship back and forth. While they did this, they also had navy divers standing on the bottom (wearing the Navy Mark V diving helmets and gear) on either side of the ship spraying between the mud and the hull with fire hoses to break the suction!!!!

Yikes!

Can you even IMAGINE how dangerous that must have been?

It is simply an amazing story, how it happened with the scene on the bridge reminiscent of "The Caine Mutiny" where the helmsman tries to tell the Captain they are on the wrong side of the channel marker, and the Captain first ignores him then tears him a new asshole. Just amazing.

[buccaneer81]

15 Years at sea and never homeported at Pearl? Was that unusual?

[rlmorel]

Wow. I didn't know that. I always thought they were top heavy, but figured they must have had some kind of design feature that made them not as unstable as they appear to be. (not a design feature of depending on your fuel tanks to have to ballast all the time.

What was it like on those in heavy seas? I only have carrier experience, and that doesn't REALLY count in that respect...:)