Hartford expected home Thursday, 21 MAY 09

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Damaged sub Hartford expected home Thursday


By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 20, 2009 13:35:39 EDT
The battered attack submarine Hartford is expected to return Thursday to its homeport of Groton, Conn., after a month-long escorted surface transit from Bahrain, according to Submarine Group 2.
The sub collided with the amphibious transport dock New Orleans the night of March 20 as both were entering the Persian Gulf. Navy officials said the sub was submerged but near the surface at the time of the collision.

Hartford’s sail was bent and partly torn from the hull. A bow plane was also damaged.

New Orleans suffered a 16-foot-by-18-foot gash its hull, puncturing a fuel tank and two ballast tanks. It was repaired in Bahrain dry dock and returned to sea last week after being laid up for 53 days. The total repair bill was $2.3 million, according to Naval Sea Systems Command.

Upon return to the U.S., Hartford will proceed to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard for an assessment of repairs, which are expected to be lengthy and expensive.

The commanding officer and the chief of the boat of Hartford were both sacked in the aftermath of the incident. Mishap and safety investigations have been completed but endorsement reviews are expected to take months, according to 5th Fleet.

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USS Hartford returns

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USS Hartford returns to port

Updated: Thursday, 21 May 2009, 7:27 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 21 May 2009, 7:26 PM EDT

Story by: Tina Detelj
Groton (WTNH) - After a tough month at sea that included a collision with another ship, the USS Hartford has returned home.

Anticipation is always high at these homecomings, but especially so today. The USS Hartford is still showing signs of its collision with the amphibious ship the USS New Orleans while in the Strait of Hormuz, south of Iran.

"It was pretty shocking at the time," said Jessica Geren, the wife of a sailor.

An algae covered water line is evidence of the submarine's monthlong surface journey home. On March 20th it collided with the New Orleans rolling the submerged sub 85 degrees. The sail, periscope and the point bow plane were all damaged. Some initial repairs were done to the top of the sail, which is the top part of the submarine. That was done so the submarine would be seaworthy and could come home. It is still leaning a little to the starboard side.

"As long as they're all home in one piece that's all," said Karen Trulove, wife of a sailor.

Sailor Chris Yaras met his daughter for the first time.

"It was a month ago she was born," he said.

The collision caused a month delay in the sub's return home and injured 15 on board.

"Crew was amazing, through everything the crew was awesome," said Phillip Geis, USS Hartford.

The Hartford is expected to brought over to Electric Boat in July to assess the damages.

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Hartford returns,

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Hartford returns, a bit worse for wear
Sub damaged in March collision scheduled for repairs at Electric Boat

By Jennifer Grogan Published on 5/22/2009


Groton — A wounded USS Hartford returned to the Naval Submarine Base Thursday.

Metal braces supported the sail, which leaned to the right.

Telescopes, decking, railing and antennas were added on top so the submarine could travel on the surface.

The waterline hid the damaged port bow plane.

The Hartford, SSN 768, has been through a “traumatic ordeal,” said Capt. Harvey Guffey, deputy commander for Submarine Squadron Four, the Hartford's squadron.

The Hartford collided with a Navy amphibious ship in the Strait of Hormuz on March 20. The sub's commanding officer and chief of the boat have been relieved of their posts.

Cmdr. Chris Harkins, deputy commander of Submarine Squadron Eight in Norfolk, Va., took command of the submarine in April for the trip back to Groton, which he said was uneventful.

But “it was a long ride,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Chris Yaras of Groton, who met his month-old daughter, Ella, for the first time Thursday.

Many of the crew's families were at the base to welcome the Hartford home. Yaras called it “awesome” to be back.

As the corpsman, Yaras treated the injured crew members after the collision. Most had minor cuts and scrapes, he said.

“It was amazing,” he said. “I went from 'I don't think we're going to make it through this to holy cow, there's no one hurt.' ”

Investigators believe the Hartford rolled about 85 degrees in the collision. Fifteen crew members suffered minor injuries. No injuries were reported on the USS New Orleans, the San Diego-based amphibious ship.

Initial repairs to the sub were done in Bahrain. The Hartford has spent the past month traveling on the surface, with an escort, back to the sub base.

“It's great to have them home,” Guffey said, adding that the “recovery process” to make the ship fully operational again will continue now that the sub is back in port.

In July, the Hartford will go to Electric Boat, which has been awarded a $15.8 million contract to restore it to “full service condition,” according to a Defense Department release on Thursday. The work is expected to be completed by October.

The formal investigations into the collision are still in the endorsement phase, with senior leaders providing their input. The crew has been given a month off.

Harkins said he will soon turn over command of the Hartford to Cmdr. Robert Dunn, who was serving on the staff of the commander for the Submarine Force Pacific Fleet.

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May 21, 2009

Electric

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May 21, 2009

Electric Boat gets $15.8 million contract for repairs to Hartford

General Dynamics, Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $15,800,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for work on the USS Hartford (SSN 768), the submarine that was in a collision with the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) in the Strait of Hormuz, March 20.ed in the aftermath of the incident.

The contract covers advance planning and off-hull fabrication of the replacement hull patch and bridge access trunk, advance planning and material procurement for the port retractable bow plane, and advance planning for the sail for restoration of USS Hartford (SSN 768) to full service condition. Work will be performed in Quonset Point, R.I., (70 percent) and Groton, Conn., (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by Oct. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $15,800,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-08-G-6321).

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New commander for

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New commander for damaged attack sub Hartford

Staff report
Posted : Thursday May 28, 2009 16:00:06 EDT
Cmdr. Robert Dunn took command of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine Hartford on Saturday at Naval Submarine Base New London, Conn., according to a Navy press release.

Dunn relieved interim commanding officer Cmdr. Chris Harkins. Harkins took command of Hartford after Cmdr. Ryan Brookhart was sacked following a collision with the amphibious transport dock New Orleans on March 20 as the two were entering the Persian Gulf.

Navy officials said the sub was submerged but near the surface at the time of the collision. The battered sub arrived May 21 at Groton after a monthlong escorted surface transit from Bahrain.

Dunn, a native of Prairie Grove, Ark., graduated with distinction from the Naval Academy in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Then he attended The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1992.

Dunn previously served as executive officer aboard the guided missile submarine Ohio and engineer aboard the attack submarine Connecticut. His most recent assignment was as a member of the staff for Commander, Submarine Force Pacific Fleet.

Harkins returned to his duties as deputy commander, Submarine Squadron 8, in Norfolk, Va.