Posted on 01/27/2005 12:42:24 PM PST by Boot Hill
Depends. But almost certainly the Captain. However, not all the facts are known at this point.
There's also the question of how "dubious" the waters were. There's a difference between "poorly/un-charted" and a chart that's just plain wrong.
We'll know soon enough... but it's certainly likely that the Captain will bear ultimate responsibility (it's part of the job description).
It is the outer hull that buckled, not the inner hull. Had it bee the inner hull, it likely would not have remained intact.
I served on her sister ship the 714 for 4 years. She had her reactor replaced in 2000 and the start of a new sonar upgrade so chances are she will/is being rebuilt. Granted she will be relegated to rabit duty and probably not be making any northern runs.
The San Fran is back at sea with a new home port, Washington. No idea if she's been reduced in ratings.
The Sonar Dome of a Submarine is a bolt-on plastic composite. The buckling that you see is simply where the fittings for the bolt-on have been stressed. That area will be cut away and refitted.
Commander Mooney is a dear friend of mine. He was relieved of command. I found it heartbreaking that the charts provided were not up-to-date and did not indicate a sea mount in the general location of the incident. At the center of the controversy is the track as laid by the Quartermaster on duty and whether the ship was on track.
Nevertheless, a good and brilliant commander paid a price for the inconsistencies and lost of life on that day.
Welcome to Free Republic - thank you for your service.
bump
Despite the heroism of the captain & crew, the captain has some ‘splaining to do. Even captains that run aground get disciplined.
It is a supremely cruel irony that our military personnel are held to such brutally inflexible standards of accountability, while our pompous public elected officials are almost never held accountable at all. The mistakes made as a result of their incompetence and corruption are far more costly in lives and national treasure than any our military have made.
ping
Hope they have good insurance.
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