Lt. Veronica Colbath said. This time, the Coast Guard used 50 mm shells.
"Did we give up when the Germans attacked Dutch Harbor?"
Posted on 04/05/2012 6:34:25 PM PDT by matt1234
The U.S. Coast Guard unleashed cannon fire Thursday at a Japanese vessel set adrift by last year's tsunami, stopping the ship's long, lonely voyage across the Pacific Ocean.
A Coast Guard cutter fired on the abandoned 164-foot Ryou-Un Maru in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and more than 150 miles from land, spokesman Paul Webb said.
Soon after the cannon fire started, the ship burst into flames, began to take on water and list, Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow said.
About two hours later, the vessel hadn't sunk and the cutter resumed shelling, Lt. Veronica Colbath said.
The vessel poses a significant hazard and the Coast Guard has been warning mariners to stay away, Wadlow said. Aviation authorities are also advising pilots to steer clear of the area.
Officials decided to sink the ship rather than risk the chance of it running aground or endangering other vessels.
(Excerpt) Read more at mynorthwest.com ...
We should’ve towed it back to Iron Bottom Sound off Guadalcanal.
It looks a bit rusty, but I wonder why they didn’t board, tow, and salvage it?
At the least, it’s quite a bit of scrap metal.
>It looks a bit rusty, but I wonder why they didn’t board, tow, and salvage it?
Because salvage makes sense.
Cost of salvage towing (manpower, fuel, etc) probably far exceeds scrap value.
“About two hours later, the vessel hadn’t sunk and the cutter resumed shelling, Lt. Veronica Colbath said. “
Why can’t the coast guard sink an abandoned vessel? Should we be concerned about this?
Article says a Canadian ship attempted salvage but was unsuccessful.
This may be a stupid question, but do we know whether or not there are human remains onboard?
Granted, they would be close to 90 years old by now but in tropical climes, they are probably still in reasonably good health. My advice is to stay away from those islands because if they saw some Americans walking around, they would probably be pissed. Especially if they were attired in tourist garb, like Hawaiian shirts, Bermuda shorts and deck shoes.
I was troubled by that, too. Sounds like the gunners need the practice. I bet it was fun.
They should have waited another week before trying to sink this ship.
Valid question. A boarding party should have searched the vessel before sinking her. Not sure if that was done.
The vessel was waiting to be scraped when it was in Japan.
I did see a video clip of what looked like a USCG RHIB alongside for inspection.
Who you gonna call?
And once the search was done they could have placed a shaped charge that would have blown a nice hole in it for a lot less money than a bunch of artillery shells.
"Did we give up when the Germans attacked Dutch Harbor?"
I thought that would be a fun thing to own if you had the resources and knowhow to navigate and maintain it. Immediately thought houseboat.
If explosives are AN option then explosives are THE answer.
25mm and 50mm can sink a vessel that size....with hundreds of rounds. If I were the Skipper, I’d challenge my Gunners Mates...3 rounds, 5/54=3 days shore leave, no curfew; Chief, and, or Officer of the Deck carte blanche to provide bail IF THE SHIP IS SUNK!
It's actually harder to sink a ship than it looks. I've done this... I was a Coastie in a former life, many years ago. I got to personally put some holes in and sink a few things out there. Derelict vessels are not uncommon, and we'd routinely sink them to keep them from becoming hazards to navigation. That-- and it was just plain fun.
Ships are designed to float and they have lots of spaces that trap air... From watertight working compartments to various voids and tanks. A little bit of air has enough bouyancy to support an enormous amount of ship. Sinking a ship that large will mean poking lots of holes in lots of places. They're probably in no hurry either. May as well drag it out as long as possible and use it as a great gunnery exercise.
My ship had a 3" deck gun (big, big fun!) and a couple of 50's. It only took the tiniest excuse to tune up the guns and play a bit. "Gee, cap'n... That there looks like a hazard to navigation to me... What do you think...?". :-)
No photos? No Video?
Boooo!
Because expending munitions is more fun than salvaging.
Anoreth woulda sunk it on the first try...
Sinking it deep is the only option.
Towing is not an easy operation. It's a way to lose two ships instead of just one.
“Cost of salvage towing (manpower, fuel, etc) probably far exceeds scrap value.”
Scrap is going for at least $300/ton currently so it would be proftable to scrap it.
My Son’s Destroyer sank a drifting yacht after they retrieved the dead captain!
My Son’s Destroyer sank a drifting yacht after they retrieved the dead captain!
My Son’s Destroyer sank a drifting yacht after they retrieved the dead captain!
My Son’s Destroyer sank a drifting yacht after they retrieved the dead captain!
My Son’s Destroyer sank a drifting yacht after they retrieved the dead captain!
My Son’s Destroyer sank a drifting yacht after they retrieved the dead captain!
Oh sorry !
He stood down in 1974 and only after his commanding officer traveled to the remote island in the Philippines and gave the order in person. His last orders were to never surrender and do anything necessary to keep the enemy off the Island indefinitely, even without any communications as often happened in island warfare. He did just that and sabotaged the natives for 30 years by burning rice, destroying airfields and docks. When relieved of duty, he still had his uniform, the original rifle in working order and hundreds of rounds.
Upon returning to Japan, he wept after seeing so many traditional Japanese values lost in the modern culture...
LOL! Keyboard jam?
That’s pretty lame! LOL
You don’t say!
There was a ship off Coos Bay Oregon that was hit with at least one Mk 48 and didn’t sink. Cant remember the name of it.
If that is the cutter on scene it looks like a 110 (110ft cutter). 110’s don’t have big deck guns. IIRC they have a 20mm on deck and some 50’s. That’s gonna mean lots and lots of little holes.
*snort* Boys and their toys!
The article says the derelict ship is 164 feet. The cutter looks comparable. What do you think?
No, there wasn’t anyone on the vessel when it was taken out to sea. It was in a yard, ready to be scrapped.
The New Carissa. If I remember correctly, after she was abandoned she was headed in around Tillamook, then towed out farther to sea with the idea that she would sink on her own, then the Navy or Coastguard was called to finish her off, and then she ended up on the North spit. It may have been even slightly more complicated than that. I was long gone by then (I’m originally from Coos County) but my Dad was one of the locals initially most involved on the ground after she hit.
I don’t make 164 feet on that ship. That looks like a 110 cutter to me. Probably the CGC Cuttyhunk, out of Port Angeles, WA or the CGC Orcas, out of Coos Bay, OR.
“It’s actually harder to sink a ship than it looks.”
So perhaps we could use this as the new motto for the Coast Guard. “This Job Is Harder Than It Looks - Go Coast Guard!”
That was my first thought too, then I thought it probably has a hold full of rotted fish.
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