Posted on 02/25/2009 3:43:29 PM PST by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2009 Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean last week, sailors aboard the Trident strategic missile submarine USS Maryland prepared to start a series of underwater practice maneuvers known as angles and dangles.
Trident strategic deterrent submarines -- nicknamed Boomers -- carry as many as 24 Trident II D-5 nuclear ballistic missiles. Were there on the front line, ready to go, Grimes said. Important missions, he said, are happening every day in the deep, blue ocean. Tridents are nuclear-powered, Ohio-class submarines. At 560 feet long and 42 feet wide, they are the largest submarines in the U.S. Navys inventory. Meanwhile, in the control room, Petty Officer 3rd Class Lamar Johnson, 23, sits calmly at the helmsmans station as he adroitly manipulates the yoke control that adjusts the submarines depth and direction. At about 400 feet under the waves, the Maryland leveled off, then began ascending. After the exercise, Johnson, who hails from Chicago, said piloting the Maryland underwater is a matter of paying attention, making sure youre tracking the gauges. Sailors volunteer for submarine duty and are among the top performers across the Navy, McLauchlan, a 26-year veteran, said. There is a pretty rigid screening process to get a guy to come into the submarine force, McLauchlan said. New submariners are subject to stringent qualification criteria when they report to their first boat, he said, while submarine veterans experience continued certifications during their careers. During their first year while assigned to their first submarine, enlisted members are required to earn the coveted silver dolphins pin that says theyve learned how to function as a team member aboard their boat. Dolphins-pin recipients also must demonstrate knowledge of basic submarine operations, as well as the ability to work as a team member to put out fires and control flooding. They kill themselves to try to get those dolphins, because its very important to them, McLauchlan said of enlisted sailors aboard their first submarine. And we make it very special when we present them. Once they get those dolphins, its just the start for more and more for these kids. Commissioned-officer submariners also must qualify to wear golden dolphins. About a week earlier, the Marylands Gold crew under Grimes command embarked on its 53rd patrol from its home port at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga. Trident submarines have two crews, called Blue and Gold, which rotate patrols. One crew is at sea for 60 to 90 days, while the other trains ashore. In this way, the vessels can be employed at sea 70 percent of the time, when not undergoing scheduled maintenance in port. The USS Maryland is a platform that is undetectable, that cannot be found, and yet, is in constant connection with the national command authorities, Grimes explained. The submarine, he added, possesses the stealth and power needed to respond to a global crisis with devastating force. The Marylands crew routinely performs damage control exercises - consisting of flooding and fire scenarios -- as well as mock battle and strategic-deterrence drills during its patrols, so that if the real event should ever occur, were ready to go, Grimes said. As the Marylands commander, its important to impart to the crew how they fit together on the ship as a team, Grimes said. They realize the mission is relevant and they feel the importance of their job, Grimes said. They leave their families at home. They work long hours for me when we have the boat in for refit. Its all about the mission, Grimes said, adding that Trident submarine sailors stay in the Navy because they like what they do, and they are true patriots. The Navys attack and strategic-deterrent submarine force is safe, secure and reliable and ready to perform its mission, 24/7, said Navy Capt. Kevin R. Brenton, who was along for part of the Marylands patrol and is preparing to take command of Submarine Squadron 20 at Kings Bay. We couldnt do it without the extraordinary young men that man these submarines, Brenton said. Theyre Americas best and brightest. Besides its 160-member crew, the Maryland also was carrying a group of journalists, who early on Feb. 15 had been conveyed by tugboat to the Maryland for a two-day orientation tour. During the journalists visit, the submarine would be submerged for 24 hours. A nuclear-powered Trident submarine like the Maryland produces its own drinking water and oxygen, and, therefore can remain submerged nearly indefinitely, Grimes said, needing to surface only to take on food. The Marylands lead culinary specialist, Chief Petty Officer Tony L. Thompson, 40, said he and his staff prepare food for about 120 crew members during the course of the day. Submariners, he said, enjoy the best food in the Navy. We do all we can to make them comfortable down here, Thompson said of his teams efforts to provide the best meals possible for the Marylands crew. Thompson, a 20-year Navy veteran, said he enjoys the close-knitted camaraderie thats part of duty aboard submarines such as the Maryland. I could walk around and talk to anybody around here, said Thompson, as he enjoyed a plate of prime rib. Everything is one crew because youve got to depend on everybody. Im a cook, Thompson said, but at the same time, I can go and put out a fire. Near the end of the journalists visit, the submarine surfaced to make its rendezvous with the tugboat that would return them to shore. A cloudless, bright-blue sky stretched across the horizon as Lt. j.g. Eric S. Spurling, Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle G. Fulmer and Seaman DeAngelo Jackson Adams pulled watch duty on the bridge atop the Marylands sail panel, or uppermost structure. The days temperature was unseasonably mild. Submariners belong to a real tight community of sailors who perform a vital, unique mission, said Fulmer, 23, from Dillon, S.C. You have to be able to trust everybody with your life. Any time, anything could go wrong, and if youre beside it, you have to be ready to act on it, Fulmer said. Adams, a 21-year-old sailor from Detroit, cracked a sliver of a smile at his machine-gun station as the breeze batted at his orange windbreaker. Adams said he loves the sailors life aboard the Maryland. The mission of being out to sea, under water, is just cool, you know? he said. |
Related Articles: U.S. Seeks Successor to Trident Submarine Senior Leaders Salute Milestone Trident Submarine Patrol Kings Bay Training Facility Prepares Trident Submariners |
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One Ping Only!
The Boomer Navy is on a PR blitz. Three knots to nowhere *yawn*
“The Boomer Navy is on a PR blitz.”
I’ve noticed that, too. Much of what is said also applies to the fast attack subs.
My son’s submarine went through an angles and dangles drill during my Tiger Cruise in December 2007. I was very impressed at how intense and focused they were during the drill.
My son’s discharge date was set for tomorrow. Last fall they asked him what were his chances of re-enlisting. He said 0%. They asked what if they promoted him to Chief. He said 10%. They asked what if they gave him a $90,000.00 re-enlistment bonus. After thinking long and hard, he decided to re-enlist.
Interesting story, but they don’t give “Chief” away as an incentive to re-up. But glad your son is re-enlisting.
Below is a "Cut & Paste" version of the email. (Sorry I don't know how to highlight the links either, so you'll have to cut & paste them yourself).
SKCM(SS) Russ Snyder, USN, Retired
COB, USS Philadelphia, SSN690 1987-1988
...here, from the Historical Naval Ships Association: http://www.hnsa.org/doc/subreports.htm
In addition to the operational and mission stories, the administrative details are fascinating. I've placed some samples on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhorvath/sets/72157614289899254/
If you had to sail into danger...wouldn't you want to do so with these guys?
1550 reports, 63000 pages, 14 GB worth of current digital data. The information technology path is: these are Flash files of microfilms of hardcopies of documents prepared more than 50 years ago. You may need to update your Adobe flash player (free) and you have to give them time to load and come into view, but the quality is very high. Like the OP below, I also don't know how to save them locally. I learned about this this from a Marine History Information Exchange Group listserv post yesterday: http://lists.queensu.ca/cgi-bin/listserv/wa?A0=MARHST-L Original post for the Marhhist group follows:
Subject: U.S. Submarine War Patrol Reports
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:39:19 EST
The Historic Naval Ships Association website has the text of many U.S. Navy manuals and reportsof historical interest. Within the last few days they have uploaded what appears to be every patrol report filed by U.S. submarines in World War II. It can be a little tricky to get them to come up at first; you might have to download the Adobe Flash Player as stated on the site. I am not sure what format the files are in, but I have not figured out any way to print them. But most of them are quite readable when they do come up.
“they dont give Chief away as an incentive to re-up”
Perhaps I didn’t tell the story quite right. My son had been qualified for Chief for over a year. Shortly before he was asked about re-enlisting, he was selected to be Chief but had not yet received his promotion. I’m not sure exactly how it works, but he said just because you are selected doesn’t mean you will receive the promotion right away. At any rate, he was promoted as an ETC(SS) to the rank of Chief Petty Officer on September 16, 2008, and signed his re-enlistment papers at the same time.
Okay, sorry about that, I understand now. Congratulations to your son.
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