USS Connecticut Hits Underwater Object

I got extended in the IO/Persian Gulf in 1984 when the USS Kitty Hawk, the Battle Cat, decided to do ASW ops. She collided with a Russian submarine keeping Battle Group Alpha, the USS Midway, on station. We only did 110 days straight at sea. A walk in the park by today’s standards.
 
Devil Doc said:
I got extended in the IO/Persian Gulf in 1984 when the USS Kitty Hawk, the Battle Cat, decided to do ASW ops. She collided with a Russian submarine keeping Battle Group Alpha, the USS Midway, on station. We only did 110 days straight at sea. A walk in the park by today’s standards.
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I got to tour the Kitty Hawk in Norfolk summer of '91....
 
nypost.com

Sailors hurt when Navy submarine collides with object in South China Sea

The US Pacific Fleet said in a statement that the fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut struck the object while submerged on Oct. 2.
nypost.com nypost.com

"The collision is not the first unfortunate incident to befall the USS Connecticut. Earlier this year, crew members on board the sub complained of a months-long bedbug infestation and alleged that commanders had been slow to fix the problem. A Navy spokeswoman denied that any bedbugs had been found on board the sub before February of this year."

o_O:eek::confused2:
 
I'm curious-- if the seamount was uncharted, why would the Navy fire the top two officers and the SEL? I'm not naive enough to think that heads don't have to roll, I'm just hoping someone with experience can explain how those three people are ultimately at fault.
 
Heatherg21 said:
I'm curious-- if the seamount was uncharted, why would the Navy fire the top two officers and the SEL? I'm not naive enough to think that heads don't have to roll, I'm just hoping someone with experience can explain how those three people are ultimately at fault.
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The detailed findings of the investigation may not be publicly available. Apparently the Navy concluded that everything that could’ve been done to prevent this accident was not being done. If, for example, the sub was not in stealth mode, they could have periodically turned on their active sonar to check the way ahead. I am not a submariner and I do not know what the rules are for operating in the waters where they were. Perhaps they were not following prescribed protocol.

The Navy has always come down very hard on captains for running ships aground or colliding with another ship no matter what the reason or excuse. Not always “fair.” But that is the way it has always been, at least from what I have read. I have no service experience.

P.S. - Chester Nimitz was court martialed for running a ship aground in 1907. He was convicted of hazarding a ship. Despite that, his Navy career survived. Unlikely that would happen today.
 
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NJROTC-CC said:
The detailed findings of the investigation may not be publicly available. Apparently the Navy concluded that everything that could’ve been done to prevent this accident was not being done. If, for example, the sub was not in stealth mode, they could have periodically turned on their active sonar to check the way ahead. I am not a submariner and I do not know what the rules are for operating in the waters where they were. Perhaps they were not following prescribed protocol.

The Navy has always come down very hard on captains for running ships aground or colliding with another ship no matter what the reason or excuse. Not always “fair.” But that is the way it has always been, at least from what I have read. I have no service experience.

P.S. - Chester Nimitz was court martialed for running a ship aground in 1907. He was convicted of hazarding a ship. Despite that, his Navy career survived. Unlikely that would happen today.
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Thank you for that insight. I am patiently awaiting a submariner to weigh in here. I wish my ‘39 grandfather submariner were around to ask. Although the subs he served in certainly didn’t have the tech available today.
Interesting info on Nimitz. Thank you.
 
I wondered about this as well. Why no second chances absent serious bad behavior or judgement - or are these always present in collisions/groundings?

Wondered the same thing about the captain of that aircraft carrier down in San Diego where the helicopter crashed and killed all those air crew a few months ago. Is that also an automatic removal/forced retirement?
 
JP4 said:
I wondered about this as well. Why no second chances absent serious bad behavior or judgement - or are these always present in collisions/groundings?

Wondered the same thing about the captain of that aircraft carrier down in San Diego where the helicopter crashed and killed all those air crew a few months ago. Is that also an automatic removal/forced retirement?
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It will depend on the findings. If the carrier crew was not responsible probably a pass.
I don’t know if they still do, but for a while the Army was blacking out O-1/O-2 fitness reports once an officer made O-3 for just this reason. They found officers were not being selected for BN and BG command (O-5 and O-6 commands) due to one poor fit rep as a JO. The feeling was that officers shouldn’t be punished 20 years later for LT mistakes. I know I shake my head at my younger self, so I understand.
 
One can never underestimate the value of a PT belt.
 
THParent said:
One can never underestimate the value of a PT belt.
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I once took my kids to an indoor pool on post. There happened to be a unit there doing drown proofing for PT.
No kidding. They were all wearing reflective PT belts. In the pool.
 
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