Posted on 02/13/2005 10:23:15 AM PST by NCSteve
The captain of a submarine that hit a seamount Jan. 8 in the western Pacific Ocean, killing one crewman and seriously injuring 23 others, has been found guilty of operating the submarine unsafely and has been issued a letter of reprimand, effectively ending his career.
Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, the captain of the USS San Francisco, was permanently relieved as skipper after an administrative proceeding known as an admiral's mast. The proceeding was convened by an order of the commander of the Seventh Fleet, Vice Adm. Jonathan Greenert.
Cmdr. Ike N. Skelton, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan, said late Friday night that Greenert determined during the investigation that Mooney failed to follow “several critical navigational and voyage planning” standards.
“By not ensuring those standards were followed, Mooney hazarded the vessel,” Skelton said, reading from a statement issued by Greenert.
The mast concluded that Mooney's crew had access to charts that showed there might have been an underwater obstruction in the area, and that a sounding taken just minutes before the accident did not correlate with the charts that were in use at the time, which should have prompted him to be more cautious.
The news stunned several Navy sources who have been following the accident investigation, particularly because Mooney's actions after the accident were characterized as heroic by everyone familiar with the situation. Despite extensive damage to the ship, he and his crew got it to the surface and kept it floating long enough to limp back to its homeport of Apra Harbor, Guam.
The San Francisco was heading to Australia when it came to periscope depth a little more than 400 miles southwest of Guam to fix its position accurately. Minutes after diving, and while traveling at a high rate of speed, the submarine slammed into a seamount in an area where official Navy charts list 6,000 feet of water.
Other charts of the area, however, show muddy water in the area, which normally indicates shallowness, and other government agency charts show evidence of the seamount less than 150 feet below the surface. The grounding destroyed three of the four ballast tanks in the submarine's bow, shattered the sonar dome and smashed the sonar sphere. In addition, a bulkhead at the front end of the ship was buckled.
Machinist Mate 3rd Class Joseph Ashley was killed when he was thrown more than 20 feet and struck his head on a large pump. Almost two-dozen others were injured so badly they could not perform their duties, though they have all since been treated and released from the hospital in Guam. Seventy-five others received less severe injuries.
The crew saved the ship by constantly running a low pressure blower meant for only intermittent use to force water out of the badly damaged forward ballast tanks, as well as using exhaust from the ship's diesel motor to augment the blower.
Despite the force of the blow, the nuclear reactor and the ship's turbine generators continued to operate normally, and even sensitive electronic and navigation gear continued to function.
On Jan. 20, Mooney was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 15 in Guam, pending the results of an investigation to determine the cause of the sub's grounding. Cmdr. Andrew Hale, the squadron's deputy commander, assumed duties as captain of the San Francisco.
The mast means that Mooney will not face a more serious proceeding known as a court martial, but the letter of reprimand and the decision to relieve him of command “for cause” means that his promising career is over, the Navy sources said.
In a related development, Lt. Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a spokesman for the Pacific submarine force commander, said late Friday night that assessment of the damage to the San Francisco is proceeding and that shipyard workers in Guam are planning to make temporary repairs to the bow of the ship so it can be moved under its own power to a shipyard where it can be repaired.
Although the location where it will be repaired has not been determined, Navy sources said it would likely be Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, or Bangor, Wash.
“These temporary repairs will be engineered to ensure a successful transit,” Davis said. “As part of having on-hand materials for potential use in these temporary repairs, a large steel dome about 20 feet high and 20 feet in diameter will be arriving at Guam in the next few days. As of now, no decisions have been made about when USS San Francisco will depart Guam, where it will go, or what her final disposition will be.”
Other Navy sources said that if the assessment determines it makes sense to repair rather than scrap the San Francisco, the Navy will likely use the entire bow section from the recently decommissioned USS Atlanta to replace the badly damaged bow of the San Francisco.
fyi
After speaking with a very high level source and seeing pictures concerning this matter. I was advised that the corrected charts were available, but were not used. Outdated charts were used. Thus the mountain was there, but was not on the old charts. From time to time different routes are taken thus an old chart not needed to be updated was on file. When it came time to use this chart, the navigator did not make all corrections to update it. He is responsible for this, then the CO & XO. They will take the fall with him, but they can not do everyone's job. They must rely upon the trust and workmanship of others.
Not so. With modern prop designs and running deep you do not cavitate.
Navy photos of Submarine USS San Francisco in Dry Dock (you won't believe the extent of damage!)
It is thought that the Captain's mast has headed off possible Courts Martial and Civil suits.
If the parents of the deceased sailor pursue it, then he is subject to civil suit.
But I read from a submariner on another thread that the Captain's Mast was likely held to ward off the Courts Martial. I hope it has.
CDR Mooney was given this sub to turn around the morale, and he did it. Re-enlistments were way up after his assignment to the boat. Clearly he's a motivator and a great Captain. Sigh - too bad. He'll now be washed out. I can only say that I hope he has his "20" in so that he gets retirement.
I feel so sad for him - clearly we've invested a lot of training in him. His was a bright and rising star. But going at flank speed in the waters he was in was probably not the most terrific idea. (Yes, I have my tongue in my cheek.) But I agree with those who say that it was mentioned that he had older charts onboard that showed "muddy water" in the area - how are you supposed to check every chart you have onboard?? And if the operational charts weren't updated, what about the NOA? Doesn't anybody else on the boat share responsibility because of the charts? Or does all of the responsbility start and end with the Captain of the boat?
I also think that what he and the crew did, to get that highly damaged boat safely to port probably deserves a bunch of medals. How on earth did they do it? With so many injured, he was running with skeleton crews, and I read that some didn't sleep for 36 hours, until the boat was safely berthed in Guam (besides the Medic who stayed up, taking care of those who were injured).
Fair winds and high tides, CDR Mooney.
My sympathy is ALL for the dead sailor.
Good point. I wonder why the author chose that wording?
As a matter of fact, you can.
You took the words right out of my mouth. Been there, done that. *grin*
Have we heard whether it was a Yellow sounding?
Not to mention that single beam fathometers ain't all that good at 30 knots.
It means if he ever saw command again, it would likely be on an oiler in the North Sea or a fleet maintenance billet on Diego Garcia. He would likely get passed over a couple of times for promotion and after that, if he was smart, he would resign his commission and hope some corporation with less than scrupulous HR policies would pick him up.
As it is now, the military justice technicalities would likely be lost on someone in the private sector so he may be able to put this behind him, professionally that is. I doubt he'll get a good night's sleep any time soon, if ever.
ping
Not to mention that single beam fathometers ain't all that good at 30 knots.
Well now that the skipper is gone, looks like gilligan will sent in to turn around the boat.
Repeating this important piece of information for those who keep asking "but what about the discrepancy with the charts" or "why weren't they using sonar" or any of the other questions.
This is the failure of the Captain to pay attention to the information that the sonar ping gave him.
As I said before, "Fair winds and calm seas", CDR Mooney.
Of course the AOW, Machinery Room Watch/Diesel Operator and the like more than likely never operated, or had to lineup the Low Pressure Blow system like that before. I'm sure that ever crew in the submarine fleet has brushed up on the procedures and reviewed the snorkel safety circuit.
Commander Mooney will not be Court Martialed. Neither will he ever be subject to a civil suit.
Everybody.
Finally, a question I can answer!
Thanks. I knew the Captain's Mast has forestalled the Courts Martial, but wasn't sure about the civil suit.
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