Unrep

Unrep

Friday, August 16, 2024

Friday Film: "Submarine Salvage" - Some Russians might want to see this.

U.S. Navy operates two rescue and salvage ship through the Military Seaflift Command - see here, capable of doing 14 knots which means going somewhere across the Pacific takes a few days. One ARS is based in Pearl Harbor, the other on the East Coast. Both ships are nearly 40 years old.



Friday, August 02, 2024

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: Burns and Allen "Gracie Runs for President" (repeat from 2016)

From the more or less innocent days of 1940, when some candidates were more fun than others, here are a couple of hours of comedy genius which I think I have in the right order:














As noted here:


During the election year of 1940, Gracie represented the fictitious Surprise Party and advocated nonsense as part of her platform. The "campaign" was successful enough for Gracie to actually receive write-in votes on election day.
"Advocating nonsense" as part of a political party platform?

I guess things haven't really changed all that much in 76 84 years.

Friday Film: "Day 957" War Loan Movie

Thursday, August 01, 2024

Remember the USS Forrestal Disaster 57 Years Ago

USS Forrestal Disaster

On 29 July 1967, Forrestal (CVA-59) experienced a severe fire while operating on Yankee


Station off Vietnam that killed 134 Sailors and aviators, injured 161, and destroyed 21 aircraft. This was (and remains) the second worst loss of life on a U.S. Navy ship since World War II. The disaster resulted in a very long list of lessons learned (many of which were “lessons forgotten” from carrier conflagrations during World War II), which transformed the U.S. Navy’s approach to firefighting, damage control, and ordnance handling in the decades since. In recent years, articles have appeared on the internet that are extremely inaccurate and generally intend to unfairly tarnish the reputation of Senator John S. McCain III, who survived the fire.

At 1050, Forrestal commenced early launch of two KA-3B tankers, an EA-1, and an E-2A in preparation for an 1100 launch of a 24-plane Alpha Strike, the second of the day. At that time, a VF-11 F-4B (No. 110,) was spotted on the extreme starboard quarter of the flight deck. As the pilot of F-4B 110 shifted from external to internal power, multiple electrical malfunctions ignited one of the four 5-inch Mk-32 Zuni unguided rockets in a pod on external stores station 2 (port inboard station), which fired across the flight deck and struck VF-46 A-4E No. 405, piloted by LCDR Fred White, rupturing its fuel tank, igniting the fuel, and initiating the fire. Although the board of investigation reached the opinion that the Zuni rocket hit 405, there is some ambiguity in eyewitness accounts as to whether the rocket hit 405 or the plane next to it, 416, piloted by Lieutenant Commander John McCain. The rocket itself actually impacted the ocean beyond both aircraft. Regardless, shrapnel ripped into both aircraft, and both were immediately sprayed by fuel; a pool of fuel ignited between and under the two aircraft. Both pilots initially escaped from the flames around their aircraft.

The impact of the Zuni rocket dislodged at least one, probably two, 1,000-pound AN-M65A1 bombs, which fell into the flames. The outdated AN-M65s were being used because of an acute shortage of Mark 83 general-purpose 1,000-pound bombs resulting from the intense Navy bombing campaign in North Vietnam, which expended bombs faster than they could be produced. The AN-M65 bombs had been brought aboard the day before, were over a decade old, in very poor condition, considered an extreme safety hazard by the commanding officer of Forrestal, Captain John Beling, and, according to the ship’s ordnance officer, were an imminent danger to the ship and should be jettisoned overboard. Doing so, however, would have necessitated scrubbing that day’s combat mission over North Vietnam, so Captain Beling reluctantly accepted the risk.

While those old bombs did not cause the initiating event, they certainly exacerbated what followed. Of the many lessons learned from this horrendous fire, one point needs to be repeated: Old munitions can be very dangerous. Firefighting training and skill are vital for every sailor to master.

An excellent book on the fire is Sailors to the End.

And, in case you don't understand what the truth has always been, none of what happened was John McCain's responsibility.

 

Friday, July 26, 2024

Friday Films: "The American Navy in Vietnam" (1967), U.S. Coast Guard in Vietnam (1967), and "The U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War: The Ten Thousand Day War at Sea"

A reminder that the US Navy in and off Vietnam went on for about 6 years after this first film was made.

The second film, also from 1967, is about the U.S. Coast Guard serving in Vietnamese waters.

Finally, a later film "The U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War: The Ten Thousand Day War at Sea"

Sunday, June 16, 2024

Father's Day

When I was in 4th grade we moved. We moved a bunch that year and I ended up attending 4 very different schools.

Somewhere along the way, the multiplication tables eluded me - to the extent I flunked math in my final school of that year.

My dad was an engineer and Air Force navigator and quite adept at things mathematical. He was not happy with my math status - not one bit. So over the summer he took on the challenge of tutoring me on those "times tables."


While I resisted, his quiet patience soon had me reciting the tables to his satisfaction. More than that, I got to know him in a different way. Over the years, I have come to look back on that summer as a very important part of my life. The discipline of sticking to things that seemed hard at the time, the idea that all things were possible with effort, the knowledge that he cared about me - those things I learned from my father that summer all of which carried me forward in life.

In fact, that math work helped me with learning to appreciate statistics and earning a National Science Foundation grant when I was an undergraduate. Math skills helped when I was a ship's navigator. Helped me when I got a Masters in Management. Later on, statistics helped by analyze risks in the corporate legal work I did. It also helps me appreciate the widespread misuse of statistics for exploitive purposes. Some of these things my dad knew about, and I hope that he knew how much that summer of re-direction meant in my life.


Dad during the Korean War  

For you, Dad, on this Father's Day - thanks again.

Saturday, June 15, 2024

Friday, June 14, 2024

Friday Film: D-Day +11 "The Creation of the Artificial Harbors"

A British idea, delivered to Omaha Beach under the guidance of Seabees. This harbor was later destroyed by a storm, but the British Mulberry harbor at Gold Beach in Arromanche, France, carried the load until real ports could be opened.

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Memorial Day Films: "Trial by Fire" (1973) and "I Relieve Your, Sir" (1975)

Two films involving accidents resulting the deaths of sailors and incredible displays of courage. A reminder that every day at sea is full of danger demanding well trained people and constant vigilence. This weekend is a time to remember all who have died in service to their country.

Saturday, May 04, 2024

Saturday Is Old Radio Day - Box 13 "Actor's Alibi" (1948)

Next Generation Force Protection Boats



New wave of patrol and security craft as reported at WorkBoat:

The days of creating patrol boats by outfitting general-use motorboats and fishing trawlers with machine guns and obsolete naval weapons are long gone. That was World War II.

Jump ahead 80 years, and patrol boats have evolved into platforms that have the latest navigation, communications, and propulsion systems while being designed and built with highly efficient hulls that move easily and rapidly through the water and can carry out multiple missions in locations across the globe.

Three cases in point: MetalCraft Marine is building 65 patrol boats that will mostly operate in foreign waters; a high-speed 35-footer from Moose Boats that’s outfitted with fire-fighting systems; and Inventech Marine Solutions’ 40' patrol boat for a sheriff’s department in Florida, which hits 72 mph.

Friday, May 03, 2024

Friday Films - Fighting Kamikaze Attacks "The Fleet that Came to Stay (1945)" "Death Awaits - Kamikaze in Color" (2001)

If you think people are expendable and the people involved think dying is an honor, then you get suicide planes, suicide vest wearers, and the like.

Monday, April 29, 2024

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report, 27 March to 24 April 2024

Referenced MARAD advisory here

U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operating in these areas are advised to remain as far as possible from Yemen’s coastline without compromising navigational safety. Crewmembers should be especially vigilant when at anchor, operating in restricted maneuvering conditions, loitering, or proceeding at slow speeds.

U.S.-flagged commercial vessels should coordinate voyage planning with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) and consider their recommendations and guidance whenever possible. NAVCENT NCAGS stands a 24-hour watch and has the latest information on the current maritime security threats and the operational environment in this region.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval ... by lawofsea

Friday, April 12, 2024

Friday Films -" All About Naval Boilers"

Back before gas turbines and currently in some older large deck amphibs - long ago we all got trained on the operations of the steam plant.

Monday, April 01, 2024

When Does China's "Water Cannon" Weapon Use Become an Act of Armed Conflict?

China's bullying of the Philippines may trigger a defense agreement with the U.S. as set out in China’s Attacks on Philippine Resupply Missions Test 70-Year-Old Defense Pact

Six days after China Coast Guard cutters blasted out the windows of a Philippine resupply ship with a water cannon, Manila is weighing whether a 70-year-old mutual defense pact could compel the U.S. military to defend Filipino forces in the South China Sea as a result.

***

The attack, the ninth and most aggressive since Chinese cutters restarted a campaign blocking the monthly resupply runs to the World War II-era Sierra Madre, is prompting politicians, analysts and lawyers across the Pacific to weigh the U.S. obligation to come to Manila’s aid under a 1951 mutual defense pact.

Both the U.S. State and Defense departments issued statements this week pledging commitment to the treaty.

“The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,” reads the statement from Foggy Bottom.

While the worst-case scenario under the defense treaty could lead to open war with China, the agreement has options for the U.S. to support Manila diplomatically short of armed conflict. However, the 1951 treaty’s application in the 21st century raises questions about whether the Chinese use of water cannons constitutes an armed attack or if the resupply missions are categorized as civilian or military, opening up several legal interpretations.

Read the whole article.

The question of whether such use of water cannons by China constitutes an "armed" attack sufficient to trigger the defense pact has been frequently raised on our Midrats podcast. China's assertion of entitlement to vast areas of the South China Sea and its aggressive efforts to enforce those claims despite a lack of legal justification are an interesting test case in how close to a line it can walk before triggering similar counter activities or more. However, it is vital that the U.S. support, in every way possible, our allies and treaty partners in the region.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: "The Monitor and the Merrimac" from You Are There (1948)




The battle that forever changed naval warfare.

An account of the Battle of Hampton Roads begins here:

At ten minutes before ten, on the morning of the 30th of January, 1862, an iron floating battery, designed for the Government of the United States by John Ericsson, and named, at his suggestion, the Monitor, was launched at Green Point, Long Island, and at three p.m., on the 25th of February, formally taken possession of by the Navy Department, and put in commission at the Navy Yard, New York.

On Thursday, the 6th of March, this novel float, concerning whose fate many gloomy predictions had been hazarded, left the Lower Bay in tow of the steamer Seth Low, and, with a fair wind and smooth sea, steered for Hampton Roads. . . .

Update -Had some early coding issues which now seem to be fixed.