General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKorea...just learned that a 3rd destroyer has been deployed...and
because this is the first time in history 3 such ships have been sent to an area....this feels so serious.
Each destroyer is accompanied by 30 smaller ships, which means 90 ships plus the big ones will soon be standing watch in the waters near Korea.
I learned this from a business conference call I was auditing today, as one of the members of the call was the wife of a sailor who was assigned to the 3rd destroyer now sailing for Korea, and not returning until Oct. 11th....in telling us, she became upset.
None of the folks on the conference call knew what to say or how to respond, because her remarks were out-of-the-blue and somewhat anti-Obama as she was asserting that he was mis-handling Korea.
Most of us on the call are associates that share the same politics. I was very grateful that the response was mostly silence, and thankfully, no one tried to "set her straight".... or paper over her concern. I quickly emailed one of the participants suggesting that a softly delivered comment about how we hope that "diplomatic work is being done around the clock and that sending 3 destroyers may be a part of the strategy we don't have the privilege of knowing"...might be reassuring to her....the remarks were made...but she was too far gone in her weeping to hear.
Oh man. I am now more nervous about Korea than before.......what a world.
hack89
(39,171 posts)You are thinking aircraft carriers - which now days just have 5 or 6 escorts.
These destroyers are capable of shooting down ballistic missiles - which is why they are being deployed. They are based in Japan so it is not that big a deal.
When they start sending carriers is the time to worry.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)Normally it's the carriers that have the full fleets around them - several destroyers, a couple cruisers, a few frigates, an attack submarine, and several oilers and supply ships.
Destroyers normally are the escorts, rather than being escorted.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)When they arrive, that is as you stated, time to worry.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm
MindPilot
(12,693 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Interesting
maryellen99
(3,782 posts)Do you think the military wife would be as upset if it would been Romney sending her husband?
Ninga
(8,266 posts)because I do not understand.
I am glad no one commented, it was the right thing to do as she was so upset.....I think sometimes silence says more than words....
maryellen99
(3,782 posts)Aristus
(66,096 posts)Does she think he was going to pick up litter and help old ladies across the street?
He enlisted to serve. And sometimes that means going into dangerous places.
When I landed at King Fahd before the Gulf War, and the prospect of getting killed became very real, I remember thinking "Shit! I could die!" But I never said anything like "How did this happen?" Simple. I enlisted.
And President Obama is doing exactly what a President should be doing. No, not dressing up in military costumes, and railing about an "Axis Of Evil", but anticipating trouble, and taking appropriate measures, including diplomatic ones.
maryellen99
(3,782 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)during that wonderful adventure in 2003, but not because he enlisted, but because it was a BS war.
This is not really a BS one, and we are going out of our way to try to avoid it. My evidence... really, the US Media is NOT preparing the people for the inevitable. Once CNN and MSNBC go into scary music\graphics\breaking news I will say they are. But right now, war restarts, first question, where is NK?
Here in DU we are (some) paying close attention and watching twitter feeds and foreign media, but the MSM on the TV is on a Basketball Coach who got fired?
Aristus
(66,096 posts)all day, every day, with, as you said, scary music and graphics, and solemn narration by blow-dried newsmodels, we're probably okay.
President Obama is doing well, I think.
Flora
(126 posts)This is not a BS war, we have been directly threatened and our President is acting accordingly. As a military widow, I can tell you that I would much rather have my loved one deployed over a direct nuclear threat than a grab for oil..
maryellen99
(3,782 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)and you do know we have a veterans group here on DU right?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1179
Welcome to at times our crazy family.
Flora
(126 posts)I've actually been a DUer for some years now, just very rarely post. Hence my ridiculously low post count. But I read here every day!
Ninga
(8,266 posts)Ninga
(8,266 posts)the conference call should have perhaps, said something that exactly mirrors what you just wrote?
Nah....I didn't think so.
So the next best thing in such an awkward situation is silence and being supportive...to chose to be human.
YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...from yesterday, SOS Kerry:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/311864-1
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)I'm going to cut her some slack.
My son is Air Guard with a very particular job that he just reached the level where he can be deployed. Korea was a topic of conversation at Easter and he was feeling like if they do attack there is a good chance he might have to go.
Logically I know that he is good at his job and that this is what he signed up for in exchange for a good education and career, but my gut still twists at thinking about my "child" being in harms way.
Ilsa
(61,675 posts)Well said.
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)I did not know that.
That is a huge amount of ships and sailors.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)Usually, it's aircraft carriers that have lots of escorts, not destroyers, which are a good bit smaller.
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)thanks!
premium
(3,731 posts)they are the escorts.
go west young man
(4,856 posts)go west young man
(4,856 posts)Duer 157099
(17,742 posts)I couldn't stop laughing. Jon knows how to defuse a tense situation.
OldDem2012
(3,526 posts)octothorpe
(962 posts)oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)bluedigger
(17,077 posts)Unless you count life rafts...
Seriously, the next size down are frigates. We have 22 of those commissioned, in the entire Navy. We have 4 littoral combat ships, 13 coastal patrol ships, and 14 mine countermeasure ships. We probably have a bunch of Boston Whalers and odds and ends scattered around, but that's it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_ships
Ninga
(8,266 posts)ships accompany each-what-ever....
premium
(3,731 posts)This is a typical Carrier Task Force, not quite 30 ships, there is also a fast attack sub. guarding the front door.
bluedigger
(17,077 posts)A supercarrier, which is the centerpiece of the strike group and also serves as the flagship for the CSG Commander and his/her staff. The carrier is commanded by aviation community captain.
A carrier air wing (CVW) typically consisting of up to nine squadrons. Carrier air wings are commanded by an aviation community captain (or occasionally a Marine colonel).
One to two Aegis guided missile cruisers (CG), of the Ticonderoga classa multi-mission surface combatant, equipped with BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles for long-range strike capability, each commanded by a surface community captain.
A destroyer squadron (DESRON) commanded by a surface community captain (O-6) who commands the escort destroyers, with two to three guided missile destroyers (DDG), of the Arleigh Burke classa multi-mission surface combatant, used primarily for anti-aircraft (AAW) and anti-submarine (ASW) warfare, but which also carries Tomahawk missiles for long-range strike capability. A destroyer is commanded by a surface community commander.
Up to two attack submarines, usually of the Los Angeles-class used to screen the strike group against hostile surface ships and submarines, but which also carry Tomahawk missiles for long-range strike capability.
A combined ammunition, oiler and supply ship (AOE/AOR), usually Supply-class (T-AOE); provides logistic support.[6]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_strike_group#Typical_CSG_composition
They could have been including ROK naval assets, I suppose, but we are talking small coastal vessels at most, I think. Our entire Navy is only 288 ships, and they are spread out pretty much all over the world at any given time, with a good number always in the Gulf, or in home ports refurbishing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)magical thyme
(14,881 posts)Since she was upset, it seems entirely possible she wasn't articulating clearly. Possibly she meant 3 aircraft carriers, each accompanied by 30 ships...
I guess we'll find out soon enough. Sorry some are being rude in their replies.
sgsmith
(398 posts)The USS Guardian was grounded on a coral reef in the Philippines and has been dismantled and struck from the register. Wiki has the information on the ship specific page, but not on your link.
bluedigger
(17,077 posts)I suppose that means we have a 287 ship navy for the time being as well. I'm surprised nobody has updated the wiki, but close enough for the purposes of discussion, eh?
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)The brainwashing goes that deep.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Carrier group there. Even then, until weapons goes hot, everything is still just gunboat dipolamacy, sabre rattling.
Ninga
(8,266 posts)Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)China is not going to a shooting war on it's borders.
In fact its moving troops to the NK border as a signal likely to NK.
If war occurs Korean leadership would likely end up very dead.
War is to be avoided. Creates to many variables.
China does not want millions of starving NKs streaming across it's border.
If anything they might like to see SK saddled with that problem.
No I am not overly worried. Yet.
premium
(3,731 posts)Those Chinese troops aren't there for us, they're there as a warning to little Un.
The Chinese don't want to get into a shooting war with the US, it would be bad for business to be killing the troops of their largest trading partner, and China is all about business these days.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)of a battlegroup...
The US Media is playing this way too cool... which tells me we really do not want a war, or are seeking one.
Ninga
(8,266 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)really.
The fact that we have not told NK that we are moving assets into place is not that unusual, Unless the Chinese or the Russians are sharing Satellite info, the DPRK has no way to know... really.
So telling them particular assets is a calculated thing.
Yes I say this as a wife of a retired Navy Chief who found himself on every hot war, expect Bosnia, over his 21 year career. We joke that if Bosnia had a coast, he could have.
Ninga
(8,266 posts)hack89
(39,171 posts)it is an aircraft carrier and eight escorts. This is not a big deal.
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)Was the battlegroup "underway"?
Are carriers part of a battlegroup and how many ships make up a battlegroup?
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)on a target, err... carrier. It looked to him like a regular carrier battle-group, he told me about it last night. I was all but shocked. My husband and I have been speculating where the Seventh Fleet is at the moment.
Oh and just breaking, SecDef is now saying that "The US has no choice but to take the threat seriously."
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)He's just recently retired LCDR Navy at Whidbey NAS. He was on carriers all his career taking care of their Prowlers (except for 2 stints at Bagram)
He still works on base, though in a civilian capacity now. I'm wondering how "retired" he will remain if this hits the fan.
BTW, Whidbey has all kinds of birds in the air these last few days and they are making racket over me like never before. Where I live is not usually under their flight pattern so it's got my attention!
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)though Hubby retired a few years back, and has had zero contact... if this hits the fan, seriously hits the fan...
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)BTW...sorry you had to delete your other post. I agree that was some fine writing.
Man some people... you just have to wonder how they get through the day without attacking, mocking or arguing. WTF ???
Oh, and my nephew was based on Guam for years too, I forgot about that!
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)either fifth or seventh are based at Yokuska, I just don't remember which
From horse's mouth, they are based in Yokuska and Guam
http://www.c7f.navy.mil/forces.htm
As to some people, well if it is FOX it is automatically suspect.
longship
(40,416 posts)Thanks, Nadine.
Er, does that mean a carrier?
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)destroyers, frigates...
longship
(40,416 posts)But I wouldn't be surprised if the US does have a carrier there.
The only worry I would have is that it could push a delusional DPRK leadership (whoever that might be) into doing something foolish.
I imagine that the lights are burning bright all night at the Pentagon and White House throughout this. Langley, too, come to think about it.
They pretty much have to take this seriously in spite of NK's long history of saber rattling.
A carrier would mean that they truly take it seriously. But I guess that I would like to see that confirmed.
Thank you for your response.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)sucks, so have been following this fun and games though other media as well.
It could be a file picture and my BIL, who's spanish is all but good, could have misunderstood.
But really, our media is stuck on a basketball coach when we have a potential guns of august scenario.
longship
(40,416 posts)As always.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)I haven't heard real news saying that a carrier strike force was headed to the waters off of North Korea, but they're routinely not too far away.
premium
(3,731 posts)Here is a typical Carrier Task Force, also known as a battle group.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)I will actually pay attention once we start sending aircraft carriers.
talkingmime
(2,173 posts)premium
(3,731 posts)backscatter712
(26,355 posts)One Nimitz class carrier has more fighters than most other countries' entire air forces. They've got enough munitions to rain death and destruction on the country 24/7 for weeks. On top of that, the escorts have artillery, cruise missiles, various other weapons.
When a strike group is deployed to the waters by the Koreas, the tension level goes way up.
talkingmime
(2,173 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)4Q2u2
(1,406 posts)4.4 Acres of America sitting on your door step when you wake up in the morning. Could wind up being a very bad day. I hope China can convince Little Lord Fauntleroy he is in way over his head. I really would not like to see hostilities. Cooler heads to the front please.
That said, if they are going to do something, let our people do what they need to do to end it quickly.
MindPilot
(12,693 posts)the caption is "90,000 tons of diplomacy..."
Love that. But please point that thing somewhere else, I have no idea where it has been.
ashling
(25,771 posts)on the Carnival Triumph drifting across the river in Mobile.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=443454