Navy photos of Submarine USS San Francisco in Dry Dock (you won't believe the extent of damage!)

U.S. Navy ^

[Boot Hill]

The amount of damage is simply staggering!

That this boat ever made it back to port is a tribute to its designers, builders, and especially to the crew and captain. How does America keep finding men like these?

High resolution version here

High resolution version here

[WildTurkey]

The sub is salvageable. IIRC, the reactor stuff is in the back of the sub. But it depends on if it is cost-effective to strip out the front half of the sub and repair/replace it. It also depends on if there is a political will to fix it.

Just because the reactor "stuff" is in the back, does not mean that there was no damage. A lot of thought and examination will have to be done before this baby can be considered salvageable.

[RightWhale]

Notice also that there is a safety rail installed along the narrow spine of the boat. When I built subs, there was no safety rail, and the walkway was narrow, and even narrower at night in the icy winter. Still, we lost only a small percentasge of engineers due to slipping off into the water.

[reagan_fanatic]

[Tempest]

no you're correct. I was just being irreverent.

[E.G.C.]

BTT!!!!!!

[Bahbah]

I was just being irreverent.

Part of the spice of life and the fun at FR.

[Happy2BMe]

How does a ship float? - ping.

(Photos of the aftermath of the U.S.S. San Francisco in dry dock after she collided with an unmapped undersea mountain.)

[pke]

There's a technical Navy term for this type of accident: Career Ender.

[Martin Tell]

Very interesting.

Thanks for the link.

Cheers.

[Professional Engineer]

PING SMACK

[SAMS]

Uh-oh, now you've done it! Senators are going to be telling us that Bush doesn't care about the military...and demand that seat belts be installed in all subs!

[davidosborne]

BTTT

[IMRight]

Man oh man, have you seen this. I have to think that the Captain and the crew of this vessel did an incredible job.

You mean apart from running it aground I assume? :-)

But you're right... that's one heck of a damage control effort. And only one fatality?

[Mudboy Slim]

"That's classified."

LOL...I could tell ya, but then I'd haveta kill ya...MUD

[Boot Hill]

"How can you tell it is the pressure hull that has buckled..."

I can't, that's why I said "hull", not "pressure hull".

--Boot Hill

[R. Scott]

Kudos to the constructors and crew.

Well, it was built in Newport News …

[Redcloak]

That warping is just the outer hull. The pressure hull looks to be in fair shape. I'd be surprised, however, if there's anything salvageable in the forward sonar suite.

[Long Cut]

Without resorting to "bashing" the skipper, it IS probable that he is finished commanding a sub for a while.

The Navy is EXTREMELY unforgiving of damage to a nuclear submarine, and all responsibility rests in his hands.

Here's the thing...the mountain was uncharted. Okay. However, there were many OTHER charted mountains in the area, and he should have been aware of this fact. He also should have been cognizant of the fact that the area had a lot of "holes" in the charting. Given this, trucking along at flank speed would seem a bit unwise.

That, at least, is my estimation of what the accident review will focus on, and use in the inquiry.

If indeed he performed well in the aftermath in getting the ship home, that will weigh in his favor. He might NOT see his career ended, but he will almost certainly be relieved.

Those are just a few of the things in play. The Navy's bias, for good or ill, will be to hammer the skipper. We take VERY strictly the resposibilities and accountability of a sub skipper. Seldom, if ever, is slack granted.

[HamiltonJay]

30 knots + mountain.. frankly its quite amazing to me there was only 1 death in this whole thing.