LineInTheSand said:
I don’t know why I am doing this. Attempting to help you grasp a rudimentary understanding of the Navy is like beating one’s head against the wall. First, it is futile; and secondly, it feels so good when one ceases. And additionally, you will probably eventually decide the absurdity of your position and delete all your posts anyway.
Getting underway and coming into port accounts for the majority of man overboards. In addition to the obvious fact that more sailors are working on deck, there are several other factors. First is the lovestruck E-1 who cannot fathom leaving the barmaid he has just met after swearing undying love. In the back of his mind, he also is questioning her monogamy. Whether love or jealousy, about the three mile mark, he feels he has to act and heads for shore. Second, there is a particularly potent brew made while underway consisting of raisins and apple juice. It causes one to do super human things. Trust me, I have first hand experience. The last batch is always uncorked the night before entering port. Most who leave the ship before it gets pierside think they can actually walk on water. Can’t remember the name of it but perhaps subsquid can help. And then there is the same E-1 who, not having had a letter from his sweet little barmaid in three months, has to return ashore as quickly as possible just to confirm that she is in a full body cast and, therefore, unable to write to him.
Secondly, it may be hard for someone with a 10’ draft and a mud puddle mentality to grasp, but deep draft Naval vessels are confined to the channel. Even after exiting the channel, there are still shoals which would prohibit a normal recovery. They do not have the luxury of a Williamson turn. Given winds, tide, and traffic, each rescue attempt is unique. A ship’s commanding officer is responsible in all ways for each and every member of his crew, whether they accidentally slip overboard or are an example of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in action. I would offer that should he lose a sailor in these situations and the board determines that he had never practiced such an evolution, he would be relieved of command for incompetence. Pardon me if I discount the observations of someone who admittedly has a bias against all things Navy but I am most positive the CO of the ship in question was performing the necessary drill in a safe and orderly fashion. He was simply doing what both the Navy and the family and friends of every sailor on board expected of him.
And yes, when driving a real ship when the victim isn't already astern when he hits the water, the first thing to do when there is a man overboard is to kick the stern (prop) away from the victim by doing a full rudder evolution.
Nope, LITS, one cannot practice restricted maneuvering drills 200 miles at sea. As an airdale, allow me to interject an analogy with which I am very familiar. Learning to land is critical to success as an aviator. You are the type who, on a quiet Sunday afternoon, bought the house immediately adjacent to the Naval air station which had been there for 50 years and, now having endured the Sound of Freedom for a week or so, suggests the Navy do practice landings at 3000’ altitude.
I, like most of the members of this forum, unlike you, realize that you are totally unexperienced and don’t know everything yet. Since we do understand, it is not really necessary to go back and delete all your posts once you grasp the absurdity of your position.
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Negative Ghost Rider. My area of concern is regular open ocean steaming, which is where the original situation occured. Movement of a Navy ship is not classified and a US Navy ship, outbound or inbound typically makes a "Securite" call using their hull number. Those hull numbers are not classified, and can be found in numerous publications, with the corresponding ship name.