Nuclear Submarine Runs Aground South of Guam

The Associated Press ^ | Jan 8, 2005 | The Associated Press

[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.

---

On the Net:

U.S. Pacific Fleet: http://www.cpf.navy.mil

AP-ES-01-08-05 0343EST

[judicial meanz]

Gentlemen, I'm convinced we have witnessed a miracle in the last few days. That was a terrible, terrible casualty, and it could have been a lot worse if it wasnt for the courage and dedication of these men. I dont think there is a submarine casualty on record that compares to this one.

The Skipper is a hero, no doubt about it. Anyone claiming he messed up or did wrong is way off base. CDR Mooney acted in the finest tradition of submarine skippers and brougt a very badly damaged boat back against the odds. The legal actions aside, he kept that ship from sinking, even though it very well could have done so. He earned the respect of every man on the crew by doing so.

The COW hit the chicken switches and put them on the surface, even though he was injured with a broken arm. if he had not done so, they could have had much more damage. He's a hero.

The Diving officer kept the ship stable on the surface, in open ocean, even though the trim calculations must have been worse than Chinese Arithmetic, and keeping it there was a full time job. If he had failed, they would have sunk even though they made it to the surface. He's a hero.

The crew kept the ship floating, even though the San Fran was obviously in very bad shape. They hardly slept a wink from the time of the accident until the ship tied up. Every guy on that ship is a hero. No doubt about that.

The Corpsman and his helpers are also hero's in every sense of the word. Unless you have been there, you cannot imagine the situation they had to endure to treat the wounded. It wasn't a sterile hospital. It was damaged submarine in the fight of her life.

The crew member that died is also a hero. He was one man in a one hundred year tradition of past submariners who willingly gave his life so we could live free. He drew hazardous duty pay for most of his career, and lived an entire lifetime in only 24 years. God bless him, and keep him.

So when the anti-military media starts their feeding frenzy on these guys, remember the actions of this submarine crew in the face of danger. The media isnt even fit to shine their shoes, much less walk a mile in them.

I'm an old submariner. I stand behind their actions every step of the way. I'll stand beside them if necesary. They did the best they could with what they had in a bad situation, and they did a fantastic job in all respects.


J/M
Submariner
1978-1987
Atlantic and Pacific fleets
BTDT

[Robert A Cook PE]

These photo's show what "normal" surfaced position of the bow is: Look at how high out of the water 688 usually rides at.

http://navysite.de/ssn/ssn688.htm

Losing the tanks fwd came close to dropping the whole boat: If two more cracked, or if the LP blower failed, they'ed have been in trouble of sinking anyway.

[SS Guy]

J/M
Submariner
1978-1987
Atlantic and Pacific fleets
BTDT


EITHER YOU ARE QUALIFIED,
OR YOU'RE NOT!

BTDT too.
Pacific fleet
1964 -1970
SS Guy

[judicial meanz]

You rock!

[Nukie]

EITHER YOU ARE QUALIFIED,
OR YOU'RE NOT!


Yep

Lots of good info on here once I dug thru the uninformed civlant conjecture. Thanks folks!

ex-MM1(SS) here myself

[Doohickey]

Thanks. Pinging the entire crew to #1001.

[Doohickey]

Welcome. We've attracted the best of the best to this thread, unlike some others.

RM1(SS)

[null and void]

Has the subs' depth at the point of impact been posted already?

CNN reports 575 ft. 30 kts.

[Ace_Bebop]

Actually the SAN FRANCISCO is a Flight I 688.

[Eaker]

Excellent post, thanks.

[fastattacksailor]

No doubt it was a very near deal.

The debrief said she was drawing 5 feet less aft than normal. The pic of her coming into Apra speaks for itself for the MBT damage.

Those guys did outstanding work--every one of 'em.

Any word if there if a fund has been established yet?

[mad_as_he$$]

Thanks. The "bio" said she went in for a major retrofit in 1989. I figured that was to make her "improved". Saw the picture after the post.

[Nukie]

Any word if there if a fund has been established yet?




Give it a day or 2 and the Groton Base of USSVI will have something in place

[HipShot]

Thanks JM.

This a-ganger that crossed the bar went from one good crew to another.

They saved each other, their boat, and themselves.

We're in good hands.

I'll stand for them too.

[RebelTex]

"Lots of good info on here once I dug thru the uninformed civlant conjecture."

Welcome to FR.

You might notice that a lot of threads have speculation about their subject by those who don't have any knowledge or special insight of the subject.   Don't let it bother you.  It's just the way 'group think' (as some have called it) works, distilling all the possibilities down into probabilities and then eliciting the facts from the more knowledgeable.

Wild speculation and obvious misinformation is quickly caught and deep-sixed by those who have more accurate info, more common sense, or better powers of reasoning.  That's what makes this place so interesting.  You can learn so much.   I know I have.

We try not to have many flame wars, and lots of people have a great sense or humor, using sarcasm, satire, puns, etc.   I hope you enjoy FR, but be forewarned - it has a definite 'Conservative' flavor to it.   ;^D

Here is a good link to a fundraiser for the SF on a submariner's BBS site:

USS SAN FRANCISCO Fundraising

BTW - I'm  a civie, not military - just never got the call.  Tried to enlist in the Marine's PLC program when I was in college, but my eyesight was so bad they would only take me as enlisted.  I decided to finish college first, then I got married in my Senior year and waited for the draft to call me up - never happened.

Prayers for the fine crew of the SF and for the MM2(SS)Ashley and his family.

FReegards,

RebelTex

[fastattacksailor]

Thanks!

[El Gran Salseron]

I question the thought of posting your son's name on a public forum.....especially since he is aboard a boat.

Maybe you can get the mods to delete his name and substitute it with xxx or something.

[steve86]

Maybe you can get the mods to delete his name and substitute it with xxx or something.

Good point. They should do that anyway.

[SmithL]

"Lots of good info on here once I dug thru the uninformed civlant conjecture."

But in all fairness, they have read Clancy.

heh heh heh

[B-Cause]

Thank you to you and your son for his service to our country.