23 September 2008

USS Nebraska

Ok, so for those who have read this post already, I was asked to change the original post because the details were inccorect, however noone has offered the "real" story yet either. Anyway, here is the latest report from NaveTimes:
"Sailor killed after getting caught in rudder ram
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writerPosted : Tuesday Sep 23, 2008 16:07:36 EDT

A sailor who died Saturday after he was injured aboard the ballistic-missile submarine Nebraska had become “entangled and pinned” in the rudder ram during a cleaning evolution, according to the Naval Safety Center’s Web site.
The Navy was notifying the sailor’s next-of-kin and, as of Tuesday afternoon, had not yet released the victim’s name. The safety center Web site identified him as a third-class machinist’s mate.
Navy officials have not provided any details about the “apparent accident” as the boomer was operating off Oahu on Saturday.
“There was no damage to the submarine,” Lt. Cmdr. Dave Benham, a spokesman for Submarine Force Pacific, said Monday evening. “None of the other crew members were injured. The crew was brought into port to address the needs of the crew because of this tragedy” and to help in the investigations into the incident, Benham said.
He said it was premature to discuss what types of investigations will be conducted. Nebraska crew members rendered medical assistance before the sailor was taken off the submarine by medevac helicopter, but he died en route to the hospital, said Lt. Kyle Raines, a spokesman with Submarine Group Trident in Silverdale, Wash."
Fatal accdients on submarines are very rare, the most recent being the one sailor killed when the USS San Francisco hit an underwater mountain, and the two sailors killed on the USS Minneapolis-St Paul when they were washed overboard. The Navy has not lost any nuclear subs since the USS Thresher in 1963 and the USS Scorpion in 1968. But these incidents as well as the many close calls over the years serve as a grim reminder that what we do is dangerous. This post is dedicated to all of the men lost in submarine accidents, past and present. Please remember them for the sacrifice they have given.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for putting this out there. Im sure it will put many peoples minds a little at ease just knowing.

Pastor Ian said...

One of my shipmates on the Alabama was crushed by the ram back in the mid 80s. Praise the Lord, he was not fatally wounded, but his injuries resulted in a medical discharge. The rudder ram received a modification shortly afterward that painted the indicator arms in a candy striped fashion as well as placing a chain across the area.

Submarining is a dangerous job that dedicated sailors do day in and day out. Tragedy is never easy to deal with. I rode Big Red several times when I was on the staff of CSS-16.

My thoughts and prayers as well as the prayers of my church go out to this family and the crew of the Nebraska.

Pastor Ian M. Dent
MMCM(SS) USN Retired