This was recently published by investigative journalists. For those interested.
https://features.propublica.org/navy-ac ... h-crystal/
https://features.propublica.org/navy-ac ... h-crystal/
USS Fitzgerald Investigative Report
- Thread starter homerjack
- Start date
Thanks for the link--difficult reading on many levels. There are many stories of heroism, and dereliction on different levels. It brings out some very personal stories. Our military is not prepared if incidents like this happen in "peacetime".
$10,000 and a visit to West Marine, would have given the ship's officers more information than they seem to have from hundreds of millions of dollars worth of electronics. (one functioning 24 mile dual image Radar, an AIS transceiver, and a good chart plotter would have given more information than they had.).
I have a friend who does yacht deliveries. He has a portable setup--his own Radar, MDF, GPS, 25 watt VHF with antenna, & AIS receiver, he carries with him "just in case". Also a fuel polishing setup...All can be taken aboard airliners in their cases.
But--personal interactions--especially between the female officers on the Bridge and the Combat Information Center were very lacking. There are some questions answered for me. I have a read most of the formal report released. Not mentioned before was why there was no starboard lookout. (She was helping another sailor with training on the port side--and rarely crossed over to the Starboard--from which side the Crystal came.)
The lack of maintenance of critical radars, no use of AIS are unforgivable.
I live in a community where many are retired Navy-- Their opinions of course are varied, but all say it isn't the way it used to be.
Sailing a small boat across oceans is so much different than what these folks go thru--that I don't think you can compare. Yet the basics are the same. You don't get a lot of sleep/rest. You are on duty 24/7, and you are all responsible for the ship and your shipmates. You have to be fully aware when you are standing watch.
$10,000 and a visit to West Marine, would have given the ship's officers more information than they seem to have from hundreds of millions of dollars worth of electronics. (one functioning 24 mile dual image Radar, an AIS transceiver, and a good chart plotter would have given more information than they had.).
I have a friend who does yacht deliveries. He has a portable setup--his own Radar, MDF, GPS, 25 watt VHF with antenna, & AIS receiver, he carries with him "just in case". Also a fuel polishing setup...All can be taken aboard airliners in their cases.
But--personal interactions--especially between the female officers on the Bridge and the Combat Information Center were very lacking. There are some questions answered for me. I have a read most of the formal report released. Not mentioned before was why there was no starboard lookout. (She was helping another sailor with training on the port side--and rarely crossed over to the Starboard--from which side the Crystal came.)
The lack of maintenance of critical radars, no use of AIS are unforgivable.
I live in a community where many are retired Navy-- Their opinions of course are varied, but all say it isn't the way it used to be.
Sailing a small boat across oceans is so much different than what these folks go thru--that I don't think you can compare. Yet the basics are the same. You don't get a lot of sleep/rest. You are on duty 24/7, and you are all responsible for the ship and your shipmates. You have to be fully aware when you are standing watch.
Good comments, Bob. It's a remarkable piece of reporting and a testament to the continued need for first rate journalism at a time when it's disappearing by the minute.
To my mind, what is most striking is the long term dereliction of the 7th Fleet in regards to manpower, maintenance and training. That is an institutional failing. The accident was waiting to happen, it just took the right situation. The subsequent accident involving the USS John McCain is further evidence of this dereliction.
While it may have felt good to fire Admiral, Captain, etc. I doubt that the underlying cause of dereliction resides at the 7th Fleet Command level alone. We can quibble about who did or did not do what that tragic night and all the immediate contributing factors. But as one who was trained in and taught accident investigation, one of our most basic techniques is to keep asking the very simple question "why?" until the ultimate root cause is tracked down. That inquiry would lead you far beyond the confines of this particular destroyer.
To my mind, what is most striking is the long term dereliction of the 7th Fleet in regards to manpower, maintenance and training. That is an institutional failing. The accident was waiting to happen, it just took the right situation. The subsequent accident involving the USS John McCain is further evidence of this dereliction.
While it may have felt good to fire Admiral, Captain, etc. I doubt that the underlying cause of dereliction resides at the 7th Fleet Command level alone. We can quibble about who did or did not do what that tragic night and all the immediate contributing factors. But as one who was trained in and taught accident investigation, one of our most basic techniques is to keep asking the very simple question "why?" until the ultimate root cause is tracked down. That inquiry would lead you far beyond the confines of this particular destroyer.
That is a very interesting read, with great graphics. What a story. Terrible, unfortunate situation and a lot of people who took a stick for decisions made way farther up the tree, and back in time. I sure hope that the Navy has learned something from this and that maintenance now has a higher priority.
One thing that bothers me. Was the lap top using an actual AIS receiver, or were they relying on a web based AIS for positioning of other vessels?
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
One thing that bothers me. Was the lap top using an actual AIS receiver, or were they relying on a web based AIS for positioning of other vessels?
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
thataway":2u0ljyu7 said:
Bob, the "Olympic Venture" disappeared from John Wayne about 4 years ago. Hated to see that, and I don't know where it went. I always seriously enjoyed watching them dock that boat. It's about 90 feet long, single screw, no thrusters, and they backed it into position from outside of the marina entrance. It was always fun to watch, and usually done very well with perfect precision and communication. I don't know about AIS on board. I did run across it on the water a couple of times, but don't believe I had an AIS target on my plotter.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
One if the boats which was used had a direct reversing diesel. There is no transmission. The engine was stopped, then using compressed air, started (often only.a few turns of the screw) in reverse--stopped and started in forward--to dock or leave. Yes, very entertaining--and always done perfectly!
Thanks
Thanks