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Uss Fitzgerald Collision


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The collision was caused by the last ship having the chance to avoid. Therefore it cannot yet be known. The inquiries will be fierce.

 

Seven sailors died as a result and the captain and two others were injured. It was the Navy's worst accident at sea.

 

 

Does not make sense.

 

The modern USN has suffered worse 'worst at sea' accidents:

 

CVL HMAS Melbourne rammed DD USS Frank E. Evans on 3Jun69, cutting the Evans' in half. 74 Evans sailors died.

 

USS Wasp (CV-18) did the same to DD USS Hobson on 26Apr52; 176 died, ship sank.

 

Even the CG Belknap collision with CVA Kennedy on 22Nov75 had one KIA more.

 

Evan's remaining afloat section was sunk in 1969 by gunnery practice. This pic is the day after the collision:

1024px-USS_Frank_E._Evans_%28DD-754%29_p

 

 

For numbers of ships lost by the USN, the Honda Point disaster of 1923 is tops:

 

300px-NH_66721_Honda_Point.gif

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Does nobody do research anymore?

 

This is the masthead of that 'news' source:

 

The Washington Free Beacon is a privately owned, for-profit online newspaper that began publication on February 7, 2012. Dedicated to uncovering the stories that the powers that be hope will never see the light of day, the Free Beacon produces in-depth investigative reporting on a wide range of issues, including public policy, government affairs, international security, and media. Whether it’s exposing cronyism, finding out just who is shaping our domestic and foreign policy and why, or highlighting the threats to American security and peace in a dangerous world, the Free Beacon is committed to serving the public interest by reporting news and information that is not being fully covered by other news organizations.

Edited by Ken Estes
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Just as a matter of interest, any idea how the KIA on the Kennedy happened? You kind of think being on a carrier of that size you are fairly secure against collision with anything smaller.

 

One more for the list, im not sure if it counts if these were civilian sailors or not, but clearly horrific. Reminds me of the Bombay explosion of 1944.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mount_Hood_(AE-11)

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Just as a matter of interest, any idea how the KIA on the Kennedy happened? You kind of think being on a carrier of that size you are fairly secure against collision with anything smaller.

 

One more for the list, im not sure if it counts if these were civilian sailors or not, but clearly horrific. Reminds me of the Bombay explosion of 1944.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mount_Hood_(AE-11)

 

I was not going to count wartime operations, otherwise Halsey's sailing into the Typhoon in 1945 caused ~800 dead

 

 

Belknap's mast was snapped off by the carrier's flight deck overhanging, falling on the carrier, severed a Kennedy fuel line spilling fuel onto Belknap. So no place was particularly safe.

 

Damage to Kennedy:

 

uss_jfk_damaged_deck_after_collision_wit

 

Investigation report:

http://www.jag.navy.mil/library/investigations/USS%20KENNEDY%20AND%20BELKNAP%2075%20PT%201.pdf

 

Indicates [p. 728] the Kennedy KIA was a yeoman who exited the Fighter Squadron 14 personnel office in search of a safer place. His body was located not far from that office, asphyxiated due to smoke inhalation.

Edited by Ken Estes
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Just as a matter of interest, any idea how the KIA on the Kennedy happened? You kind of think being on a carrier of that size you are fairly secure against collision with anything smaller.

 

One more for the list, im not sure if it counts if these were civilian sailors or not, but clearly horrific. Reminds me of the Bombay explosion of 1944.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Mount_Hood_(AE-11)

 

I was not going to count wartime operations, otherwise Halsey's sailing into the Typhoon in 1945 caused ~800 dead

 

 

Belknap's mast was snapped off by the carrier's flight deck overhanging, falling on the carrier, severed a Kennedy fuel line spilling fuel onto Belknap. So no place was particularly safe.

 

Damage to Kennedy:

 

uss_jfk_damaged_deck_after_collision_wit

 

Investigation report:

http://www.jag.navy.mil/library/investigations/USS%20KENNEDY%20AND%20BELKNAP%2075%20PT%201.pdf

 

Indicates [p. 728] the Kennedy KIA was a yeoman who exited the Fighter Squadron 14 personnel office in search of a safer place. His body was located not far from that office, asphyxiated due to smoke inhalation.

 

Ok, fair enough.

 

Thanks very much for that, thats very interesting.

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Didn't know about that one.

 

From what I gather, it happened on October 27th 2009. JS Kurama was about 20 to 30 meters behind an ROK container ship while going through the Kanmon Strait that goes between the main islands of Kyushu and Honshu. JS Kurama collided with the rear of the container ship. Initially, the Japan Coast Guard and traffic control took responsibility but it was later reported that the Korean crew gave false information and that they intentionally slowed down their container ship to rear end the destroyer. The destroyer made a quick turn to the left but collided with the container ship. Six crew members on the destroyer were injured. No injuries on the container ship :)

Edited by JasonJ
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Belknap, the next day

220px-USS_Belknap_collision_damage.jpg

Before collision

300px-USS_Belknap_%28CG-26%29.jpg

That's why the Burke class and later have steel superstructures. It is truly an Exhibit A.

 

ISTR it was quite the scandal at the time. Damage/losses during the Falklands War provided a pretty conclusive Exhibit B.

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Yeah, like as not if we hadnt already been building the Type 21's we might have had second thoughts after that.

 

Nice ships the Belknaps though. Ive tested the basic configuration in CMANO and they seem highly combat effective. Right up to when they start burning I guess.

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Didn't know about that one.

 

From what I gather, it happened on October 27th 2009. JS Kurama was about 20 to 30 meters behind an ROK container ship while going through the Kanmon Strait that goes between the main islands of Kyushu and Honshu. JS Kurama collided with the rear of the container ship. Initially, the Japan Coast Guard and traffic control took responsibility but it was later reported that the Korean crew gave false information and that they intentionally slowed down their container ship to rear end the destroyer. The destroyer made a quick turn to the left but collided with the container ship. Six crew members on the destroyer were injured. No injuries on the container ship :)

No pix of the container ship?

 

Made me go back and check the accident with JS Kurama, I read a little too fast.

This was what I read, google translate will show for the most part what I described. I made the mistake in thinking that "cargo ship" and "container ship" were just two words describing the same ship, but "cargo ship" was describing a 3rd ship.

 

 

衝突事故[編集]

2009年10月27日19時56分頃[10]関門海峡において大韓民国コンテナ船カリナ・スター」に衝突された。この事故で乗員6名が負傷、本艦は艦首を損傷・出火したが、10時間半後に鎮火に成功した。この事故により揚錨部(アンカー巻上げ部)も含む艦首部分がほぼ全壊し単独航行は難しい状態になった。「カリナ・スター」側に負傷者はなかった[11][12]

この事故では、護衛艦くらまおよび誘導していたとする海上保安庁関門海峡海上交通センターの責任問題が大きく報道されたが、海上保安庁による後の調査によれば、カリナ・スターの韓国人船長が事故について虚偽の供述をしていたことが明らかとなっている。AIS等による航跡の解析などにより、コンテナ船は事故直前まで減速せず、貨物船の後方わずか20-30メートルの距離まで近づき追突寸前となった。そのため左に急旋回し、前方から航行してきたくらまに衝突した。この事故で門司海保は船長の供述が翻ったことから、事故の主因はコンテナ船にあったと断定した[13]

事故後は佐世保に自力で帰港していたが、付近で護衛艦を修理のできる造船所が限られることから11月9日に随意契約による修理を発注し2010年初頭から長崎市に所在する三菱重工長崎造船所で修理され、同年6月9日に修理が完了した。この事故での損害は約9億4,000万円と見込まれている[14]

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%BE_(%E8%AD%B7%E8%A1%9B%E8%89%A6)

 

There was a 3rd cargo ship in front of the Korean container ship. It was the container ship that made a quick turn from the cargo and hitting Kurama in the front. As shown in the picture:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pBz9bgIvCl8/WVJcmv1CeGI/AAAAAAAAFdc/Uvk5PhkjfyYxErpJGO5GvAJYNN0u4XqUgCLcBGAs/s1600/kanmonjiko1.jpg

 

A CG was made of accident as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-c8pvsFgtg

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You know, I knew exactly what you were going to post Gargean before I read the thread. It was funny the first half dozen times, but....

 

Same for me, pal, same for me... Just I think you too can see this dumpness in "HACKED" tags on more and more accidents. What's next? Train crashes? Plane falls? Tesla malfunctions?
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I had a similar thought when seeing the crew outside on deck as their ship came to port.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1BN_zxMOw

It was interesting to see signal flags being used. What is the message they are making?

 

 

The 8 flags hoisted along the mast seem to mean the following:

 

Flag that follows is from the International Code of Signals.

I have a pilot on board.

Absence of flag officer or unit commander (Inport)

All personnel return to ship; proceeding to sea (Inport).

 

No or negative.

I am disabled; communicate with me.

Do not pass ahead of me.

I require a tug.

 

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/communications/flags/flags.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Code_of_Signals

 

 

Single letter meanings only apply when flags are hoisted singly. Otherwise they represent a group of letters where the group together has a meaning, or they spell something.

 

Starboard outer:

Code and answering pennant + HOTEL = Hoist below is from International Code of Signals + I have a pilot on board

Only warships routinely hoist the code and answering pennant to indicate that other flags constitute a signal from the International Code. Merchant ships are assumed to be using INTERCO when signalling with flags. Warships could be using INTERCO or more commonly naval signals.

 

Starboard inner:

First substitute + PAPA = not certain of this one, probably requires ATP-1 Vol 2. (NATO naval signal book) to decode. I suspect it is to indicate that the CO is not in command, with PAPA representing an amplification.

 

Port outer:

NOVEMBER FOXTROT TANGO ZULU = NFTZ, USS Fitzgerald's international callsign, commonly hoisted when entering port. Some nations (e.g. Germany) paint it on in signal flags.

Edited by Anixtu
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It reminds me of an incident that occurred with HMS Ark Royal in 1970. The Kotlin was frankly behaving a bit like a cock and diving under the bows of the ark trying to interfere with flight operations. The last time he did it he mistimed, and he got run over. Fortunately his ship survived, with damage, and 7 Soviet Sailors ended up in the sea, 2 of them lost. The thing was, when the Ark hit her, it was right above the SA-N-1 mount. And a Phantom pilot, whom was sat on the cat at the moment ready to go suggested later, though the missile was conventional, if it had ruptured not only might it have had enough energy to kill the Kotlin, it might just have had enough to take the bow off the Ark with similarly fatal results. It would certainly have started an on board fire, starting with his Phantom probably.

 

Not aware the RN had an incidents at sea agreement with the Soviets, though if we did not we probably should have done...

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205165554

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Not aware the RN had an incidents at sea agreement with the Soviets, though if we did not we probably should have done...

We do.

 

I looked up ATP-1 and I still can't make sense of 1st Sub + PAPA, but I'm not a signaller.

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I had a similar thought when seeing the crew outside on deck as their ship came to port.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1BN_zxMOw

It was interesting to see signal flags being used. What is the message they are making?

 

 

The 8 flags hoisted along the mast seem to mean the following:

 

Flag that follows is from the International Code of Signals.

I have a pilot on board.

Absence of flag officer or unit commander (Inport)

All personnel return to ship; proceeding to sea (Inport).

 

No or negative.

I am disabled; communicate with me.

Do not pass ahead of me.

I require a tug.

 

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/communications/flags/flags.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Code_of_Signals

 

 

Single letter meanings only apply when flags are hoisted singly. Otherwise they represent a group of letters where the group together has a meaning, or they spell something.

 

Starboard outer:

Code and answering pennant + HOTEL = Hoist below is from International Code of Signals + I have a pilot on board

Only warships routinely hoist the code and answering pennant to indicate that other flags constitute a signal from the International Code. Merchant ships are assumed to be using INTERCO when signalling with flags. Warships could be using INTERCO or more commonly naval signals.

 

Starboard inner:

First substitute + PAPA = not certain of this one, probably requires ATP-1 Vol 2. (NATO naval signal book) to decode. I suspect it is to indicate that the CO is not in command, with PAPA representing an amplification.

 

Port outer:

NOVEMBER FOXTROT TANGO ZULU = NFTZ, USS Fitzgerald's international callsign, commonly hoisted when entering port. Some nations (e.g. Germany) paint it on in signal flags.

 

 

Not surprising its that complex. This website looks like it might be a handy translator.

http://www.wingood.com/flagselect.asp

 

But I'm not even sure about what order the letters of the flag signals might be in or how many letters might be for one set expression. So almost pointless for me to try using it.

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