U.S. nuclear sub runs aground in Pacific..........huh?

[Dover]

I was not around on Friday so don't know if this story was posted. Seems very strange to me...how does this happen?


U.S. nuclear sub runs aground in Pacific
20 crew members injured

Saturday, January 8, 2005 Posted: 2034 GMT (0434 HKT)

(CNN) -- U.S. Coast Guard and military aircraft Saturday are en route to the western Pacific, where a nuclear attack submarine ran aground, injuring at least 20 crew members -- one critically, U.S. Navy sources said.

The USS San Francisco ran aground some 350 miles south of Guam -- the nearest land mass -- while it was conducting submerged operations. It has since resurfaced and is heading back to Guam, according to the USPF's news release.

"At this point there does not seem to be damage to the (nuclear) reactor," Lt. Adam Clampitt told CNN, from his base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii..cont'd

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/01/08/nuclear.submarine /

And other related articles, more details:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_San_Francisco_ (SSN-711)

http://globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/ssn-711....

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Br...

http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16...


_______



Injured sailor aboard U.S.S. San Francisco dies

Jan. 9

Number of injured onboard nuclear submarine now 23

Friends and relatives are mourning the death of a Navy sailor aboard the U.S.S. San Francisco, after the nuclear submarine ran aground during a submerged operation. The sailor, whose name is being withheld pending a mandatory 24-hour period, died from critical injuries he sustained when the submarine ran aground 350 miles south of Guam Saturday afternoon.

"Our sincerest condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of the sailor," stated in a media release from the commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Marianas.

The number of injuries from the incident has gone up from 20 on Saturday to 23 on Sunday. Injuries range from broken bones, laceration bruises, and a back injury. Currently medical personnel, including a doctor, remain on board and are treating the injured crew....cont'd

http://www.kuam.com/news/12137.aspx

[charlie]

1. Republican donors

joyriding again?

[BlueEyedSon]

3. My thoughts exactly! nt

[Joanne98]

22. Hahahahahahaha!!!!!!! good one!

[AngryAmish]

2. I suprised it does not happen more

The windsheilds on those things really suck.

[NoSunWithoutShadow]

4. I thought I read they hit an underwater mountain. eom

[Florida_Geek]

5. What I am hearing is because of the earthquake

the maps that they use are no longer true in some cases.

[havocmom]

6. Yeah, there were reports that shipping channels had changed here and there

Sounds like the subs may be busy re-exploring the underwater terrain and updating charts.

[Dover]

7. Don't subs have all kinds of sensitive sonar/radar/sensors?

Even if a new land mass appeared (whatever the cause), it sure seems like it should have been detected.

[Ezlivin]

9. Yeah, but we don't use 'em

You don't want to ping (use active sonar) a target because that just tells everyone where you are.

Passive sonar doesn't do a damned thing to detect a solid, unmoving mass.

And all the other sensors are basically used for intercepting the other guys messages and for the sub's communication needs.

[Ezlivin]

8. Uncharted undersea mountain

That's one guess. Piss poor navigation is another.

I was stationed at Pearl Harbor and we sailed the Pacific Ocean without a mishap. (Thankfully)

I often went up to Upper Level Ops when we were underway (submerged) to look at the navigation charts. They were peppered with undersea mountains. Of course, those were the ones we knew about. Many times it was really like flying blind. You just hoped there wasn't something in your way.

<sea story> A Soviet destroyer just about sank us one time; we had to do an emergency dive and guys in Upper Level Ops said they could hear the screws passing overhead. (I was sound asleep in my bunk, the hero that I am.)</sea story>

That's why they paid us Sub Sailors a little extra money in the form of hazardous duty pay.

[Dover]

10. Why wouldn't the land mass be detected by radar/sonar sensors?

Not sure why these aren't used in unison with maps? I can't imagine they allow a nuclear sub to just operate blindly....

[MemphisTiger]

12. That's the point of a submarine

when you don't ping your radar, which tells enemy subs your location, you are basically driving your car with a blindfold on relying on your maps. From what I've heard, it is possible that the change in underwater geography due to the earthquake can mess up the electronic maps that subs use. I don't really know how that works though.

[Ezlivin]

14. Sailors use charts, not maps

They may be electronically displayed now, but I believe they still have the old-fashioned paper chart on deck.

After all, when the power goes out and all you have is a flashlight you can still read a paper chart.

[MemphisTiger]

18. If you lose your reactor, which provides power

you're pretty much still. Right? Thanks for the terminology correction, the person I knew in the Navy was a pilot, not a sailor per say. He knew some people alot of people on subs though

[Ezlivin]

19. Lose the reactor, fire up the diesel

Well, that's what they did on my boat. Perhaps the very latest boats only have a reactor.

Our powerplant was damned reliable. Don't need that reactor going out on you when you're under a few feet of ice.

PS: I'm an alumni of MSU (Memphis State University). I'm used to thinking that a tigers do not come from LSU but from MSU (University of Memphis now, eh?).

[MemphisTiger]

31. Go tigers

[OxQQme]

25. re; pinging

What 'enemy' would be in the middle of the Pacific that they would not want to alert by pinging ?

Also, anybody have more history of nuclear sub accidents for, say, the last 10-15 years ?

[Blue_Roses]

11. that's one occupation

I could not handle. I have severe claustrophobia and I would literally go NUTS in that small space. My hat goes off to you

[Ezlivin]

15. We used to say that they only picked the crazy ones

for submarine service.

But, man, could we party when we got ashore!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

27. President Carter served on a submarine

[me b zola]

16. Female submariners

There are none. The DOD will not allow it.

I am a female that believes that females must pass the same PRT standards as males. Once they do, they should not be discriminated against in any billet that they are qualified for. Period. Any "problem" beyond that belongs to the men. if they cannot control themselves...they should be held accountable.

You question a womens ability to be a warrior???

[Dover]

17. ...I think it's more about men's inability to control themselves and their

...ahem.."little warriors", than it is a question of women's abilities. And my guess is that being in such close quarters for so long would likely raise that potential.

[Cronus Protagonist]

20. I'm sure there's still plenty of "potential" raised in subs with no women

And quite a bit of it is sure to come out, if you know what I mean...




http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

[me b zola]

26. Every male sailor I've talked to confirms this, openly & bluntly

..it's always about the.."little warrior".. isn't it?

[Blue_Roses]

29. Not sure what you mean here

but the word "clautrophobia" means unable to be in small, closed in areas.

[lazarus]

30. The Norwegians do it

They have women on subs. I agree, people just need to respect each other and it's all fine.

Of course, the women have been known to take advantage of the situation, too. Not everybody on a ship acts like a professional, unfortunately.

[me b zola]

13. Thanks for being here

So often, it seems, that progressives overlook the military progressive.

[theresistance]

21. I hope Homer Simpson wasn't the captain...

"Full steam ahead Mr Moe!"

[Joanne98]

23. Isn't this an Arab conspiracy theory. US nuke causes tsumai ?

[Joanne98]

24. Here it is! I stole it from Minstrel Boy!

Tsunami bomb NZ's devastating war secret

30.06.2000
The New Zealand Herald
by Eugene Bingham

Top-secret wartime experiments were conducted off the coast of Auckland to perfect a tidal wave bomb, declassified files reveal.

...

Professor Thomas Leech's work was considered so significant that United States defence chiefs said that if the project had been completed before the end of the war it could have played a role as effective as that of the atom bomb.

Details of the tsunami bomb, known as Project Seal, are contained in 53-year-old documents released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Papers stamped "top secret" show the US and British military were eager for Seal to be developed in the post-war years too. They even considered sending Professor Leech to Bikini Atoll to view the US nuclear tests and see if they had any application to his work.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=14727

Thankyou Minstel Boy!!!!!!!

[Dover]

28. Latest update on this incident from the NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/12/national/12sub.html?p...