What you need to know: In 2005, the USS San Francisco, a U.S. Navy nuclear attack submarine, crashed into an unexplored underwater mountain while traveling at top speed at a depth of 525 feet southeast of Guam. The impact destroyed the forward ballast tank and caused significant damage to the sonar dome.
– Tragically, one sailor lost his life and 98 crew members were injured. Remarkably, the submarine’s internal hull and nuclear reactor remained intact, and the crew was able to surface and return to port in 52 hours. The investigation identified navigational errors and outdated charts, leading to disciplinary action against the captain and several crew members.
-This incident highlights the dangers of underwater navigation and the resilience of submarine crews.
USS San Francisco: Submarine survives collision with underwater mountain
We often hear about how well-built and state-of-the-art the U.S. Navy’s submarines are, and many experts say they are the best on the planet.
Back in 2005, it was tested when a U.S. Navy attack submarine crashed into what many refer to as an “underwater mountain.”
It may sound strange, but the submarine did not sink and was able to return to port. Below is an expert’s explanation of the incident and analysis of how the submarine returned home.
USS San Francisco (SSN 711): A crazy submarine story
It is usually fighter and bomber pilots who need to be careful in mountainous terrain, especially when flying in poor visibility conditions. Tragically, in January 2022, a South Korean Air Force pilot was killed when his F-5E fighter jet crashed into a mountain south of Seoul due to poor visibility.
But “flyboys” aren’t the only ones who need to be careful in the mountains.
Back in 2021, a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine collided with an “uncharted seamount” (also known as an underwater mountain). On October 2, 2021, the Seawolf-class fast attack submarine USS Connecticut collided with an unidentified object at the time in international waters in the South China Sea, resulting in moderate to minor injuries to 11 crew members.
This incident was the first involving a U.S. Navy submarine since USS San Francisco (SSN 711) collided with an uncharted seamount in 2005, and sadly resulted in numerous injuries to the crew and one of deaths. Such collisions are rare, but probably impossible to avoid, as researchers believe there are more than 100,000 seamounts that rise more than 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) above the ocean floor ( Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“New estimates suggest that seamounts cover approximately 28.8 million square kilometers of Earth’s surface,” NOAA explained. “This is larger than desert, tundra, or any other single terrestrial terrestrial habitat on Earth.”
Collisions can be serious
A submarine hitting a mountain isn’t as serious as an airplane hitting a mountain, but it’s still pretty serious. In fact, it is remarkable that the damage to the USS Connecticut was not that great. Additionally, the USS San Francisco reportedly crashed into an unexplored seamount at a depth of 525 feet at approximately 30 miles per hour, making it virtually a miracle that it did not suffer catastrophic damage.
The incident occurred on January 8, 2005, approximately 675 km (364 nautical miles, 420 statute miles) southeast of Guam, while the submarine was traveling at top speed. The resulting collision was so severe that the vessel sustained significant damage, with the sonar dome sustaining severe damage while maintaining positive buoyancy to remain afloat after the forward ballast tank was destroyed. I had a hard time. A total of 98 crew members were injured, suffering fractures, lacerations, and back injuries. Machinist Second Officer Joseph Allen Ashley, 24, of Akron, Ohio, died the next day from head injuries.
Fortunately, the interior of the ship was not destroyed and, more importantly, the ship’s nuclear reactor was not damaged. Indeed, thanks to the efforts of the command staff and crew, USS San Francisco was able to surface, escorted by USNS GYSGT Fred W. Stockham (T-AK-) of USCGC Galveston Island (WPB 1349). I returned to the port. 3017), USNS Kiska (T-AE-35), an MH-60S Nighthawk helicopter, and a P-3 Orion provided additional support. The submarine traveled at only 16 miles per hour and took approximately 52 hours to reach Guam.
The ship underwent temporary repairs in Guam before being sent to Pearl Harbor for more extensive refurbishment. The USS Honolulu was scheduled to be retired in 2007, but the USS San Francisco was scheduled to remain in service until at least 2017, so the US Navy decided to remove the nose from the former ship and give the latter a much-needed “modification.” Selected. ”
USS San Francisco finally returned to service in April 2009.
Sailors are blamed and others are praised.
An investigation found that San Francisco’s commanding officer (CO), Commander Kevin Mooney, was responsible for the incident due to poor judgment that caused the collision. A Navy investigation found that the ship’s crew did not use up-to-date nautical charts to plan its course.
The U.S. Navy relieved Mooney of his command and issued him a letter of reprimand. However, he was not charged with any crime and was not court-martialed. In addition, six crew members were also found guilty of endangering the vessel and neglect of duty at their own non-judicial disciplinary hearings (‘Captain’s Mast’), and were demoted in rank and given punitive letters of reprimand. It was done.
More importantly, 20 other officers and sailors received awards for their actions during this crisis, including the Citation, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal. That’s true.
“Although the grounding incident forced me to punish him and remove him from command, in my opinion that does not negate his 19 years of exemplary service,” said Jonathan, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet.・Lt. Gen. W. Greenert said in his report.
“Prior to the grounding incident, the USS San Francisco was showing a trend of continued improvement under Mooney’s leadership, with impressive results. In addition, under his direct direction, the crew was highly successful in its post-grounding response. This was commendable and enabled the submarine’s recovery and safe return to port.”
Expert background
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than 40 magazines, newspapers, and websites and published more than 3,000 pieces during his 20-year career in journalism. He writes regularly about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes magazine.
All images are Creative Commons.
