Free Republic

GROTON, Conn. -- The commander of a U.S. nuclear submarine that collided with a Turkish cargo ship in the Persian Gulf this month was relieved of command Wednesday and two other officers were reassigned, the Navy said. Cmdr. Steven M. Oxholm put the submarine in a hazardous situation, a Navy investigation found, and he received a letter of reprimand. The Groton-based USS Philadelphia was traveling on the surface of the Gulf on Sept. 5 when it slammed into the bulk carrier M/V Yaso Aysen. Citing a lack of confidence in Oxholm's ability to command, Rear Adm. John Bird relieved him...

Groton — The collision between the USS Philadelphia and a Turkish merchant ship in the Persian Gulf this week left the two ships entangled, unable to separate for more than an hour, Navy sources said. In addition, a preliminary assessment of the damage has shown that it is more extensive than indicated earlier and that some major repairs could be necessary. The worst damage includes a rather large hole in the rudder, scoring on at least one propeller blade, damage to a periscope and damage to the fairwater planes, the large fins on the sail of the submarine that help...

The submarine USS Philadelphia collided with a Turkish freighter on Monday in the central Persian Gulf. Neither ship was damaged seriously and no one was injured, officials said.The accident occurred about 2 a.m. local time while the Groton-based submarine was on the surface headed for Bahrain for a routine port call. The Turkish ship, the Yaso Aysen, was reportedly headed for the United Arab Emirates to take on cargo.Navy sources said the collision is likely to be a career-killer for Cmdr. Steven M. Oxholm, the captain of the Philadelphia, because the large freighter should have been spotted by both radar...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - A U.S. Navy submarine collided early Monday with a Turkish merchant ship in the Gulf, the U.S. Navy reported. No one was hurt on either vessel. The USS Philadelphia was traveling on the surface of the Gulf when it hit the Turkish-flagged M/V Yaso Aysen, a cargo ship, at around 2:00 a.m. local time, the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain reported in a statement. No sailors or merchant seamen were injured, the Navy said. The Philadelphia was conducting surface operations on its way to Bahrain for a scheduled port visit, the Navy...

The Navy and marine wildlife experts are investigating whether the beaching of dozens of dolphins in the Florida Keys followed the use of sonar by a submarine on a training exercise off the coast..... A day before the dolphins swam ashore, the USS Philadelphia had conducted exercises with Navy SEALs off Key West, about 45 miles from Marathon, where the dolphins became stranded.... Navy officials refused to say if the submarine, based at Groton, Conn., used its sonar during the exercise. Some scientists surmise that loud bursts of sonar, which can be heard for miles in the water, may disorient...

Families Brave Icy Temps to Welcome Home Memphis Story Number: NNS040122-05Release Date: 1/22/2004 10:57:00 AMBy Journalist 2nd Class Steven Feller, Commander, Navy Region Northeast Public AffairsGROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor subzero temperatures could keep 300 friends and family members of USS Memphis (SSN 691) Sailors from gathering at Naval Submarine Base New London (SUBASE) Jan. 16 to welcome them home. Memphis returned to port on the coldest day of the year after a regularly scheduled six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Although people lined the waterfront to greet Memphis, they were not left out...