San Fran Cmdr Disciplined

[Guest]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The captain of a U.S. submarine that hit an undersea mountain last month in the western Pacific, killing one sailor and injuring 23 others, will be relieved of command, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Navy Cmdr. Kevin Mooney will not be charged with any crime and will not be court-martialed.

He received a nonjudicial punishment, most likely in the form of a letter of reprimand from his commander, this week, officials said. Such punishment typically ends an officer's career.

Mooney was reassigned pending an investigation after the severely damaged the USS San Francisco returned to its home port in Guam. Details of the investigation were not available.

Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley, 24, of Akron, Ohio, died of injuries suffered in the accident, which occurred when the attack submarine was en route to Brisbane, Australia.

The nuclear-powered submarine's bow was severely damaged when the submarine struck an undersea mountain 350 miles south of Guam on January 8 while traveling at a high rate of speed.

In late January, a Navy official said it appeared the mountain was not on the navigation charts the crew was using.

Although the outer hull was ripped open, the inner hull was not compromised, and water did not get into the working and living quarters.

The USS San Francisco carried a crew of 137.

[anonymous]

I don't think they are

I don't think they are being fair here at all. If indeed the the mountain wasn't charted then why relieved him of duty and his boat?

Steve

[anonymous]

Here's a little more detail

Here's a little more detail as to the "why" question...


San Francisco Skipper Relieved of Command
Story Number]www.navy.mil[/url].

[anonymous]

The problem is we weren't

The problem is we weren't there and only have the government's side of the story. I would never believe them without proper facts at hand. We all know how often they lie to us about everything to save their tails.

I would love to hear Mooney's side of the story. But what tells me we never will.

Thanks for the post.

steve

[mike byers]

Six Disciplined in Submarine Crash
Thursday,

Six Disciplined in Submarine Crash
Thursday, March 24, 2005


HAGATNA, Guam — Six crewmembers of an attack submarine that struck a mass of undersea rock in the western Pacific earlier this year have been disciplined, a Navy (search) spokesman said Wednesday.

All were found guilty at a hearing Tuesday of hazarding a vessel and dereliction of duty, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Davis, public affairs officer for the Pearl Harbor-based (search) Pacific Fleet Submarine Force.

Punishment included reduction in rank and punitive letters of reprimand, Davis said.

The identities of those involved will not be released because it was a nonjudicial punishment, Davis said. He also would not say if any of the six were reassigned to other duties.

The punishments were first reported in the Navy Times.

The skipper of the submarine, Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, earlier was relieved of his command and reprimanded. The Navy does not exect any other disciplinary action, Davis said.

The USS San Francisco (search) was on its way to Australia Jan. 8 when the undersea grounding occurred. The submarine was conducting underwater operations about 350 miles south of Guam, and the rock obstacle that was not on the ship's charts.

One seaman died of injuries suffered during the crash. Twenty-three crewmembers who were injured in the accident have recovered and returned to duty, Davis said.

The submarine is in drydock at its homeport on Guam, where temporary repairs are being made so it can travel on the ocean surface under its own power to another location for comprehensive repairs, Davis said.

Associated Press