Jan 8, 2005
Nuclear Submarine Runs Aground South of Guam
The Associated Press


HONOLULU (AP) - A nuclear submarine ran aground about 350 miles south of Guam, injuring several sailors, one of them critically, the Navy said.

There were no reports of damage to the USS San Francisco's reactor plant, which was operating normally, the Navy said.

Jon Yoshishige, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor, said the Friday afternoon incident is under investigation and the 360-foot submarine was headed back to its home port in Guam.

Details on the sailors' injuries were not immediately available. The sub has a crew of 137, officials said.

Military and Coast Guard aircraft from Guam were en route to monitor the submarine and assist if needed, the Navy said.

Guam is a U.S. territory about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.

---

On the Net:

U.S. Pacific Fleet: http://www.cpf.navy.mil

AP-ES-01-08-05 0343EST

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBIRJXJP3E.html

# Go Back To The Story

Once submerged these vessels are pretty much blind and navigate by where things are supposed to be. Undersea earthquakes and volcanoes can change the landscape and methinks that's how these kind of things normally happen.

I'm not sure if he has or will see this, but if you PM ETC1966 methinks he can tell you a lot more about this than I can. I'm not a bubblehead and he is.

Flydangler, I saw a news report about the earth quake that caused the tsunami, it said that in the western Indian ocean, the floor of the ocean at one point rose over a thousand feet, what will the sub’s do if there charts are rendered useless by the changes in undersea topography.

Probably they'll either run shallow or run aground a lot until we get deep ocean hydrographic surveys of the area done and new charts made. Methinks this will be a big problem for a while.

The story cited said the San Francisco ran aground about 350 miles south of Guam. If I remember my oceanography methinks that would have been in the area of the Mariana's Trench, and would be significant.

That big a shift in ocean depth in that area, well away from the site of the quake, would probably indicate the floor of the whole Western Pacific may have changed. I'd be betting the Navy will be activating the bulk of the hydrographic vessels moth balled in the mid and late 1990's to get this done quickly.

Update: Sailor Dies After Nuclear Submarine Mishap from Providence Journal 8:23 AM EST Jan 9, 2005

HONOLULU (AP) -- A sailor injured aboard a nuclear submarine that ran aground about 350 miles south of Guam died Sunday, the Navy said. Twenty-three other crew members were being treated for injuries.

The USS San Francisco was headed back to its home port in Guam after sustaining severe damage on Saturday. The incident was under investigation, said Jon Yoshishige, a spokesman for the Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor.

The name of the sailor who died was being withheld pending a mandatory 24-hour waiting period, the Navy said. The sailor's next of kin had been notified.

Lt. j.g. Adam Clampitt of the Pacific Fleet offered condolences early Sunday, saying "anytime we lose a shipmate, it's a loss to the Navy."

Officials said there was no information on what the submarine struck, but Clampitt said the submarine had been conducting submerged operations, and that it was headed to Australia for a port visit.

There were no reports of damage to the 360-foot submarine's reactor plant, which was operating normally, the Navy said. The extent of the damage would not be known until the vessel arrived at Guam Monday, Yoshishige said.

Navy and Coast Guard aircraft from Guam were sent to monitor the submarine and assist if needed, the Navy said. The sub has a crew of 137, officials said.

Located west of the international date line, Guam is a U.S. territory about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.



In this photo released by the US Navy the attack submarine
USS San Francisco (SSN 711) is escorted by two harbor tugs returns
to Apra Harbor, Guam, after a five-month deployment June 4, 2004.
The USS San Francisco ran aground about 350 miles south of Guam,
injuring several sailors, one of them critically, the Navy said late Friday
Jan. 7, 2005.
(AP Photo/US Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio)

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/islands_oce...nesia_pol99.jpg

Looks like this mishap occured in the Caroline chain.

I remember in reading about the WW2 Pacific campaign that a lot of the charts of this part of the world dated back to the US Navy Ex Ex headed by Captain Wilkes of Antartica fame.

If there was no damage to sub or nuclear plant then how did the sailor die?

How were so many injured without sub damage?

Go find a bus, stand up in the center aisle, then request the driver to lock up his brakes. Your body might damage the bus windsheild, a sub don't have that problem.

Quote from the story I posted: "The USS San Francisco was headed back to its home port in Guam after sustaining severe damage on Saturday."

Yah gots to read carefully to get the benefit of the story, eh?

Saw on local TV news broadcast tonight that the San Francisco ran into a sea mount that wasn't supposed to be there. 'Tweren't on any of the charts, and it was on the well mapped route between Guam and Australia.

Here is the latest on the incident from the NY Times. I'm a little curious how they obtained the source documents for this story. Methinks the fact that they didn't mention how these e-mails were obtained raises some flags, not that anyone would ever accuse the Times of having a credibility problem, eh?

Okay, here be the latest update. Methinks there be lots more damage than I'd imagined and it be surprising there weren't more deaths and severe injuries.


Apra Harbor, Guam (Jan. 27, 2005) - The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS San Francisco (SSN 711) in dry dock to assess damage sustained after running aground approximately 350 miles south of Guam Jan. 8, 2005. The Navy former dry dock known as “Big Blue” is capable of docking ships that weigh up to 40,000 Long Tons. The Navy certified Big Blue for the one-time docking of San Francisco. San Francisco is the second fast-attack submarine to be attached to the forward-deployed Submarine Squadron Fifteen, home ported on board Naval Base Guam. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Mark Allen Leonesio (RELEASED)


Apra Harbor, Guam (Jan. 27, 2005) – The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS San Francisco (SSN 711) in dry dock to assess damage sustained after running aground approximately 350 miles south of Guam Jan. 8, 2005. The Navy former dry dock known as “Big Blue” is capable of docking ships that weigh up to 40,000 Long Tons. The Navy certified Big Blue for the one-time docking of San Francisco. San Francisco is the second fast-attack submarine to be attached to the forward-deployed Submarine Squadron Fifteen, home ported on board Naval Base Guam. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Mark Allen Leonesio (RELEASED)

It looks like a shear off - didn't judge the "curve" - they first reported it as a headon crash-unless it "bounced" to one side...

There was also a report earlier this week about an Australian sub that "grounded" also (couldn't remember exactly wherebut in the Atlantic - is the earth growing around that ringoffire area?

Methinks a little update is in order, eh?

Thoroughly consistant with what I expected Doc. The Captain is held absolutely responsible for the well being of his ship.

In the civilian world there would be howls of protest for the "unfair" treatment of Comander Mooney for this unforeseeable accident. It has to be this way though because the man is in charge of the welfare of several hundred lives and United States Naval vessel entrusted to him by his superiors.

It's part of the job being a Naval officer, all Naval officers know it, and all Naval officers accept it.