Posted on 10/27/2021 10:01:52 PM PDT by algore
The U.S. Navy still isn’t positive what one of its most powerful attack submarines hit in the South China Sea, as repair assessments continue in Guam, four sources familiar with the results of the preliminary investigations told USNI News this week.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the undersea object that damaged the forward section of USS Connecticut (SSN-22) had not been definitively determined as part of several investigations into the Oct. 2 incident, the sources said.
Early indications were Connecticut hit a seamount in the South China Sea, two defense officials familiar with the Navy’s examination of the submarines told USNI News, but that has not been confirmed by investigators. Politico first reported earlier this month that the boat may have hit an undersea feature.
Cmdr. Cindy Fields, a spokesperson with Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, told USNI News the command had nothing to add to its initial statement on what the submarine hit. She said two investigations – a safety investigation board convened by COMSUBPAC and a command investigation overseen by the Japan-based U.S. 7th Fleet – are currently looking into the incident.
“Connecticut struck an object while submerged on the afternoon of Oct. 2, while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region,” PACFLEET said on Oct. 7.
The impact to the forward part of the attack submarine damaged the submarine’s forward ballast tanks and forced the boat to make a week-long trip on the surface to Guam, two defense officials told USNI News this week.
The four sources confirmed the Navy’s public statement that the reactor compartment of the submarine was undamaged from when the boat hit the object.
Since returning to Guam, the boat is still under evaluation for the scope of repairs by Naval Sea Systems Command, personnel from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39), Fields told USNI News on Tuesday.
The teams will first determine what repairs Connecticut needs to leave Guam safely and then follow-on repairs, Fields said. The closest dry dock for major submarine maintenance is in Hawaii. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, which is near the attack boat’s homeport in Bremerton, Wash., is the second closest dry dock.
While repairs and several investigations continue, Chinese officials have accused the U.S. of concealing details of the incident from Beijing.
“The Chinese side has repeatedly expressed grave concerns over the matter and asked the U.S. side to make clarifications,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday.
“We have seen nothing but a brief and vague statement issued by the U.S. military with procrastination, and a confirmation by a so-called informant that the incident did happen in the South China Sea.
Such an irresponsible, cagey practice gives regional countries and the international community every reason to question the truth of the incident and the intention of the U.S.”
It was a big pile of Trump ballots.
Have heard that the SCS has scrap left over from offshore oil platforms, many sunken ships, containers and is just trashy in general for undersea activity.
Once we find out the depth that the sub was stricken, then a lot of possibilities go away.
China knows where and when the ship was struck thru their sonar net. No sense in them acting as though they don’t know what happened.
Except to further embarrass the Xiden administration.
Very similar
Longer ago then it seems....
They hit the wall at the edge of the Earth and the mermaids pushed them back...with whales and dolphins helping. That lazy leviathan just floated and laughed.
They should have released the Kracken!
Not nearly as exciting and only distantly related, but yours triggered a long-forgotten memory.
1952, WWII Fleet Boat in the Caribbean, where BIG oil tankers plowing through were two-a-penny. I was also in the forward torpedo room and could clearly heard the "Clear the bridge! Clear the bridge!" through the open bulkhead doors. Waited for the oogah oogah of the klaxon.
Instead, hear the high-pitched siren of the collision alarm. Pucker factor shoots to 4.0 as I could see a big tanker cutting us in two. Instantly there was the "thump thump thump" as bulkhead doors and flappers slammed shut. Manned the phone and heard all compartments report they were on line. A tight few minutes, then All Clear.
It turned out our new ensign was handling his first dive and seconds after the collision alarm went off, he stuck his head down in the hatch with a huge Daffy Duck grin and said "hit the wrong button".
The skipper was not amused, but admitted that he never saw the crew move so fast in all his life.
Good one.
As to the collision. What the ‘Ell is the Kraken doing in the SChina sea? Did someone forget to feed it?
Cool story. The misadventures made things exciting.
1952?! My goodness! How old at the time?
Were you outta Key West?
Weeks of being bored to death interrupted by a few minutes of urgent, emergency action. Life on patrol.
Why was it even reported, and by whom?
Indeed. We were in an area escorted by a couple of small minesweepers with warning flags flying, indicating a boat was down in the area.
Unknown to us, a high-speed DMS (Destroyer converted to a Mine Sweeper) came boiling through. All we knew was that, in 3,000 feet of water, we hear a BANG!, a quick heel 30 Degrees to port, followed by what sounded like a banshee howl go down the side of the boat. Major WTF? Hit an unknown undersea mount, reef, whale, etc.??
The DMS was towing a paravane whose cable slammed into us. It scraped along our hull and took out all our exterior antennae.
Good times, good times.
1952?! My goodness! How old at the time?
19 years - just pegged 88 this month.
Were you outta Key West?
Yes. Some wargames, but mostly an 8-5 job. Lived in the barracks aboard the base and went out each morning, dove down to 100' at 2 knots on a steady course and let the surface craft sonar school trainees hone their skills.
88...good goin sub sailor. Salud!
I was on the Grenadier (SS-525). ComSubRon 12, Key West (1972-73). After boot, training and such I went to sea at 17 years, 9 months.
Boat was in such bad shape we were in port over half the time. Made a 6 week stop in GTMO. Hit Haiti, Jamaica, P.R., Gulf Coast. Had a barracks room on base.
Cuban gunboats harassed us as we sailed 12 miles off the Cuban coast. Got to see the skyline of Havana through the scope.
We decommissioned in May of ‘73 and sold it to Venezuela. Poor bastards. They operated that damn thing into the ‘90s.
Caught the Bancroft (SSBN-643 Blue) out of Charleston/Rota after that, did 3 patrols in the Med (1973-75). That was enough for me.
TM/LT 3 (SS). Made E-5 but had been picked up by the shore patrol for drunk and disorderly in Rota after my last run and was busted down to E-3 (suspended). I was barred from getting it while the suspension was in place. It was worth it! lol
Got out in August 1975 at 21 years and 3 weeks old.
3 years, 11 months and 1 day.
Its still great being a sub sailor. I still remember some of the old salts on board., Real characters.
Again sir, salud!
A good book on the subject of submarine crashes is “Blind man’s Bluff”. Describes several sub misshaps incuding one I was on in April 1966 aboard the Barbel.
I remember when the U-boat went deeper than it was designed to and rivets began shooting like bullets inside the sub. Great movie. BMW diesel power.
Horrifying. The only time I’ve been beneath the waves was in a diving Bell type submarine in Mexico. Complete terror. I was happy to get out of that thing.
Mine were the USS Cobia (SS-245) and USS Picuda (SS-382). When the Cobia was decommissioned, went to Portsmouth, NH for converting the 382 boat to a Guppy and went aboard the U-505 just a few berths away. Our boats were like Cadillacs compared to theirs - grudging respect for the Krauts going to war in them.
Hit Cuba in the pre-Castro days, Passed by Santiago Bay and saw a couple of beached hulks from the Spanish-American War - nothing but shells remained. Neat bit of history.
Didn’t really feel old until I saw the Cobia was a floating museum up in Wisconsin (!!) Went aboard her in 2003 and the smells were still there - memories came flooding back. The guide let me sound the diving alarm and I confess I felt a thrill ripple through me.
When I signed up, I was staying in for 30 - everything was an adventure at age 17. The last duty station in Key West turned chicken-shit, so I bailed after 3 years, 8 months and 24 days. Got out early as Eisenhower said that anyone who enlisted in ‘51 could get out if under 21.
Was at sea when I heard that and was all hyped up. Then the French lost at Dien Bien Phu and all enlistments were extended. Was in a purple snit until I found out it was scuttlebutt.
Shipmates are all gone now but still live in my memory.
Nice recounting. I’d like to get inside one before I go sometime.
Key West was still a pretty sleepy place when I was there in ‘72-’73. Hadn’t really been “discovered” yet.
It must have been quaint when you were there.
I recall Duval street and everyone going to the west side of the island to watch the sunset and then head to the bars for the night. Picturesque place to be at 17 and 18.
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