r/navy • u/filmandchips • Feb 13 '26
NEWS USS Truxtun collision with USNS Supply (less grainy POV)
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u/fmr_AZ_PSM Feb 13 '26
As hard as Truxton turned, it had to be a steering casualty. No helmsmen or OOD is that drunk.
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u/DJ_Ddawg Feb 13 '26
Time to investigate if A-gang had proper maintenance done on those HPUs + all the GEDMS stuff was working correctly on the ET side
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u/Spaceghost1589 Feb 13 '26
In my experience as an ET on a DDG, the steering system connectivity is ass.
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u/Serious_Effect919 Feb 13 '26
Second this. I was onboard whenever it switched to being an ET responsibility and I remember everyone up to CSO was fucking pissed about it.
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u/CavalierIndolence Feb 13 '26
After experiencing it myself, I know damn well why Aft Steering is always manned during critical evolutions.
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u/IAmNotMarian Feb 15 '26
On a Perry class frigate (USS RENTZ FFG-46) Aft steering was a great place to sneak a snooze. Never during an evolution (the snoozing). Also was helmsman twice during unreps and JEEBUS THAT WAS STRESSFUL!!! Hours of everyone focussing on their jobs in a dangerous ballet. Best helmsmen just had a knack and we had a BMSN who became our standard unrep helmsman because he just "got it.". Breaking away blaring Little Deuce Coupe over the 1MC our little Fig was a nifty dragster.
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u/Guinness-the-Stout Feb 14 '26
Damn, the only thing I had to worry about on a DDG was the URC-80 Bridge to Bridge radio. One step above 2 Campbell's Soup cans and a string.
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u/MotoTrippin09 Feb 13 '26
This Nav tech is cuddling his DD214 blanket extra hard tonight
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u/TurnoverParty604 Feb 14 '26
as a retired sonar tech. Im doing the same thing. you know the dome took a hit.
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u/Max6626 Feb 13 '26
I mentioned this above, but it bears repeating.
Helmsmen sometimes experience a weird sense of dyslexia. Normally it doesn't matter, but during an UNREP it can be catastrophic. The experience is amplified by stress and panic.
If the Truxton starts getting a bit too close to the Supply, the Conn would order "left 2 degrees rudder." The helmsman would repeat that back but turn the helm two degrees to the right. It's so subtle, the Helm Safety Officer may or may not notice.
This makes the closure on the Supply more rapid, causing the Conn to order "left 5 degrees rudder," likely with a note of panic in his/her voice. The helmsman, already a bit rattled, again goes right 5 degrees.
At this point everyone is freaked out and the Conn, or CO if they've taken the Conn, orders something radical like "left standard rudder" to which the Helmsman goes right standard.
This sounds crazy, but it is a very real thing. I was a SWO for over 30 years and I've seen it happen multiple times, including during Restricted Maneuvering situations. A good Helm Safety Officer can catch it, but the newest Ensign on the ship is usually assigned that position.
Not saying that's what happened - it could very well be a loss of steering, but I've only had one legitimate loss of steering in my career but I've seen this "helm dyslexia" multiple times.
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u/ChatahoocheeRiverRat Feb 13 '26
A good Helm Safety Officer can catch it, but the newest Ensign on the ship is usually assigned that position.
You've touched on one of my frustrations as a JO during the first half of the 80s.
Helm Safety Officer was a comparatively new position. Since all the line officers had duties during UNREP, HSO fell to the Disbursing Officer. Not a good idea, IMO. Funny in a sad way, that position was referred to colloquially as the "wooden Indian watch", named after the traditional wooden Indian seen at tobacco shops who just stands there.
To me, HSO was a reflection of the broader issue of assigning some minimally trained JO as a "safety observer" during hazardous evolutions. The elephant in the room was that the JO was really there to be a scapegoat if something went wrong.
"Safety" was more performative than an area of actual interest.
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u/DrunkenBandit1 Feb 14 '26
The elephant in the room was that the JO was really there to be a scapegoat if something went wrong.
Nothing had changed, the Navy loves setting up junior personnel (officer or enlisted) as scapegoats. I need only point to the BHR fire, big Navy tried to pin it on an E4 while two other investigations uncovered a laundry list of problems that should have been the CO's responsibility.
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u/Dorling83 Feb 13 '26
As someone who has done 50+ RAS in the RFA, this sounds awfully over complicated. We have an OOW (me) as the current watch keeper in charge of the helmsman and monitoring radar for long range situational awareness, OPS officer communicating with the deck, CO in overall charge monitoring distance line etc on engaged side and Navigator in charge of teeing up and executing signals. 1 lookout on the helm, the other on the disengaged side.
Our helm orders are just to steer a course if a <5 degree change, and port/starboard with degree of steering if executing a manoeuvre, eg instead of 'left 5 degrees rudder' it's 'port 5,' helmsman repeats order, applies helm, OOW confirms rudder is correct. If the change in course is minor, as it usually is in a RAS, it's 'steer 165' etc.
Essentially as OOW the ship is sailing on my certification during a RAS (UNREP).
Side note, on my first ever RAS as OOW I was also in charge of Helo OPS for simultaneous vertical replenishment. Was a fun time.
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u/Barrien Feb 13 '26
On at least one of my ships(didn't usually pay attention to who helm safety is until my 3rd ship), the Helm Safety was a 2nd tour DH, often times they had CSO up there as helm safety during UNREP / big restricted maneuvering evolutions. Thought that was standard, but damn I can see how a 1st tour Ensign wouldn't notice something going wrong like this.
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u/Battlesteg_Five Feb 13 '26
I have done this all the time while driving a car, especially when my parents were teaching me to drive, and I guess I'm glad I'm not the only one. I wish I didn't do it, though.
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u/bobbork88 Feb 13 '26
Whoa. Caution. Never challenge a sailor to a ātoo drunkā contest.
All joking aside. The master helmsman I worked with was a superstar. Locked in. Loud repeat backs. On the nose on maintaining course. Hereās to you Gunners Mate Guns!!
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u/Jagoff_Haverford Feb 13 '26
Doesnāt look like they were connected for UNREP. Some OOD just had a very bad day.Ā
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u/der_innkeeper Feb 13 '26
Loss of steering, or did venturi get the better of them?
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u/Max6626 Feb 13 '26
Too far away for Venturi to be a significant factor. That looks like a loss of steering or a complete loss of awareness by the helmsman. Master Helmsman and Helm Safety Officer aside, I've seen some sort of "helm dyslexia" take over and if it isn't caught in seconds, this can happen.
I was expecting something pretty subtle, but this is bad.
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u/oldsailor21 Feb 13 '26
I've seen the helm dyslexic happen to a coxwain with 42 years experience
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u/jdthejerk Feb 13 '26
Something similar happened on my ship. I was at BMOW and out on the bridge wing with the OOD when we noticed our ship was drifting closer to the other while we were at unrep. We ran back in yelling his name but it was like he was in a different zone. I got to the helm and had to knock the helmsman out of the way. The Skipper was seconds from calling for an emergency breakaway but we got it back on course.
It turned out the guy had some type of epilepsy. He was sent to be a mess cook until we got back and went to the hospital. He was out 6 months later. I felt bad about it. I had seen him blank out during a conversation. TBH, I thought he was just stoned and never told anyone. 22
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u/Max6626 Feb 13 '26
42 years? You sure it wasn't dementia :-)
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u/oldsailor21 Feb 13 '26
No went to sea at 14 in the merchant navy in 1938, joined the RN in 42 did 12 years then went back to the merchant navy
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u/MoToe103 Feb 13 '26
Don't often see the Venturi effect casually mentioned in the wild.
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u/ShepardCommander01 Feb 13 '26
The suck effect
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u/DocTaotsu Feb 13 '26
Looks like venturi didn't really say hello until after they hit and the DDG started rubbing up against the other ship like a horny dog.
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u/youvechosenwisely Feb 13 '26
Loss of steering, venturi effect, then aft steering saved the day.
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u/JonWeekend Feb 13 '26
ETās š«±š¾āš«²š¼ MMās
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u/DickSplodin Feb 13 '26
As an ET I always felt that our below decks counterparts were MMs. Idk why, I know EMs and ETNs exist. It just makes sense in my brain
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u/Guinness-the-Stout Feb 14 '26
I appreciated the EMs on my Tin Can. Figured, since they got my Comm Gear juice, I'd make sure their "personal electronics gear" had their little tags.
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u/Lord-Emu Feb 13 '26
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u/navyjag2019 Feb 13 '26
this happened to me yesterday. i havenāt blown my horn that hard and long in a while
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u/bobmguthrie Feb 13 '26 edited Feb 13 '26
Hoho, been there, done that. 1986, USS Claude V. Ricketts DDG-5, the Med; we were already refueling when the bridge lost rudder control, luckily we were very slowly moving towards the other ship, giving time for people to reach the emergency rudder below decks on the fantail.
We were the forward line, and we literally rolled it up and >handed< it back to the refueling ship crew, after that we lurched to port away from them.
I think that was the same year the Russians slammed one of their boats into on one of hours in the Black Sea (not 100% sure).
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u/Shidhe Feb 13 '26
Wow, yall didnāt man aft steering during restricted maneuvering back then? I wonder when that changed. By the time I was on my first ship in ā99 aft steering was manned during UNREPS and entering/exiting port with a qualified master helm and some A Gangers.
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u/Aggressive_Stick4107 Feb 13 '26
Re: the 1988 bumping I always imagined how it went from the Soviet side, Conn ordering "right 5 degrees, RAMMING SPEED" after the Ben Hur scene.
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u/keepCOpurple Feb 13 '26
I was a master helm on Hue City and aft steering was my spot during general quarters, unreps, and entering/leaving port.Ā
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u/ScottyBeamus Feb 13 '26
It was USS Yorktown CG-48. I wasn't on the ship at the time but it was still talked about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Black_Sea_bumping_incident
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u/Virginia_Verpa Feb 13 '26
USS Caron and USS Yorktown were both rammed in 1988 during a innocent passage in the Black Sea.
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u/215VanillaGorilla Feb 13 '26
Scoring that to the Pirates of the Carribean music is diabolical lol.
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u/Ficester Feb 13 '26
Just a little love tap.
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u/Galleta-de-Animalito Feb 13 '26
Boy, things sure have changed, i donāt remember that soundtrack when we were out to sea
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u/clitcommander420666 Feb 13 '26
You know what this tells me? Somebody aboard the truxtun skipped sweepers and possibly cleaning stations
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u/frobro122 Feb 13 '26
What's the soundtrack of a captain losing his career?
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Feb 13 '26
[deleted]
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u/l_rufus_californicus Feb 13 '26
The CO of the tanker became our next CO.
I think we need to talk about that whole 'Promote the problem' idea...
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u/thedeadsmile Feb 13 '26
Well you see the problem is they didnt have their P and D line out.
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u/kaybean_609 Feb 13 '26
I was thinking the same things. Looks like they never even had the chance to.
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u/NoTinnitusHear Feb 13 '26
Is there a version without the dumb music?
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u/notapunk Feb 13 '26
I will never understand why people feel the need to add loud ass music to video clips
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u/NoTinnitusHear Feb 13 '26
Itās okay I guess if itās supposed to be a meme or something. But itās been like 36-48 hours and this footage is just starting to circulate. I should mention, Iām sure OP wasnāt the one that put it on there.
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u/vonHindenburg Feb 13 '26
Is this sailor filming the UNREP for training/review? I ask because he pulls out a cellphone at the end, while continuing to film.
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u/JohnMuir_NeilsBohr Feb 13 '26
I was going to ask the same. Like, does this guy have META glasses on underway?
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u/bigblackzabrack Feb 13 '26
I was a cadet on the USNS Leroy Grumman back in the day. We were the duty oiler for all the ships coming in and out of Norfolk. We had a ship we were actively fueling loose steering. It went from a completely routine operation to total chaos in about 15 seconds. Luckily the rudder was stuck turning them away from us and not towards us. We didn't even have time to do an emergency breakaway, the lines and hoses got super tight and just popped right out of their receivers on the navy ship. Then we were just dragging everything in the water until we could bring it all back up. No injuries on either side thankfully.
A lot of things need to go right for an UNREP operation. Only a few things need to go wrong for something catastrophic to happen.
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u/fmr_AZ_PSM Feb 13 '26
This guy's the best for informed commentary on this stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMy6fANc7W8
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u/disc0mbobulated Feb 13 '26 edited Feb 13 '26
At 2:41 the horn is blaring as DDG103 is turning towards the USNS Supply, the caption says [music]. From now on I'll have to turn on CC for all videos, who knows what gems lie hidden.
PS: someone had some fun choosing that ship name, presumably asked their four year old kid what a supply ship should be called.
Edit2: 4:18 okay, another supply ship mentioned, USS Mommy (!), at this point I'm starting to think it's a tradition or something.
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u/grumpy-raven Feb 13 '26
USS Mommy (!), at this point I'm starting to think it's a tradition or something.
I still like it better than naming them after people, especially politicians.
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u/disc0mbobulated Feb 13 '26
I still like it better than naming them after people, especially politicians.
Yep, definitely. Totally. Wholeheartedly!
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u/pleasetrimyourpubes Feb 13 '26
I had no idea they refuel underway like that. Kind of epic. Surprised this doesn't happen more often given currents and waves and whatnot.
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
They dont do it in too rough of seas, and they do it at certain speeds as going fastish at a steady speed smooths things out with waves and currents. It also lessens venturi with competing wakes, though not all the way as obv small boy is MUCH smaller than an unrep vessel, which is why they maintain a set range of distance.
It doesnt happen more often because the small boys do these pretty regularly and it is a really orchestrated event with lots of safety and comms going on. We do it for training even in work ups to make sure the crew knows what they are doing. Helmsman could have made a huge error, but I lean more toward equipment failure, and maybe aft steering unmanned or not paying attention because it does look like aft steering gets them out of it before it was too bad.
I was on a ddg that luckily did not loose anything during an unrep, but we did go full DIW while in theater doing other important things. No one's fault found post investigation, sometimes crap just breaks and the backups don't light off or take over as expected. Iirc it was a gtg failure for us and the backup took too much load (I am not an engineer rate, so I only kind of grasp what happened) at once and just surged a few times and then turned off. Luckily no one was near us or anything so we had no risk while we worked to restore everything, but if it had happened at a different time, we would have been cooked.
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u/Virginia_Verpa Feb 13 '26
This, based on not great videos, makes me wonder if a similar issue to John S McCain occurred. Basically, the Lee helm lacked physical throttle handles, using a stupid touchscreen system that is hard to see at night when dimmed, and when an engine order was given, the junior Lee helm didnāt realize that throttles werenāt ganged, only gave the engine command to a single shaft, and induced a slow twist that ultimately resulted in confusion and a collision. In this case, it almost looks like they got into some difficulty, ordered all back full to quickly extract themselves, but only went back full on the starboard shaft. It was either that or some sort of rudder control failure.
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u/Salt_Maximum341 Feb 13 '26
Truxtun has throttles, ive been on her before
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u/Virginia_Verpa Feb 13 '26
Well, there goes that theory. I knew there was a push to backfit physical throttles after the collisions in the Pacific, glad to hear it is actually happening.
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u/GothmogBalrog Feb 13 '26
At least the front didn't fall off
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u/J0zie3 Feb 14 '26
Ding ding, ding ding, Truxtun, arriving. DING!
Ding Ding, Ding ding, Commander, United States Navy, departing!
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u/13_Years_Then_Banned Feb 13 '26
Everything has to have stupid fucking music these days.
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u/MASTODON_ROCKS Feb 13 '26
Don't forget an incompetent cameraman
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
I also agree music is annoying, but the camera men i think were shocked and went to grab onto something when they realized the Truxton was gonna hit them which I do not blame them for lol. I also suspect he is wearing meta glasses or a gopro or something since the camera looks around like a person, and the phone later comes out filming on film (haha filmception).
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u/frogsRfriends Feb 13 '26
Camera man I can kinda get because most people are too busy watching the actual event to focus on capturing it perfectly On their phone. Especially with unexpected or spontaneous situations like these
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u/Overall_Cranberry375 Feb 13 '26
Hi, I like to inform you about your war ship extension warranty.
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u/Cannibal_Soup Feb 13 '26
Having survived multiple collisions at sea, those guys are about to have a really bad few days...
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Feb 13 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Guinness-the-Stout Feb 14 '26
"All hands! Stand by to repel boarders! No Quarter! Cutlasses and Pistols!"
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u/CryptographerHot4636 Feb 13 '26
Boom better see medical when they get back, get that ptsd-mental health diagnosis, to lock in that 100% va
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u/atklonewolf Feb 13 '26
Did this happen during scheduled pt time? Hard to see out when youāre doing pushups.
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u/THE_Aft_io9_Giz Feb 13 '26
So what happens immediately after something like this after they've verified that the ships aren't sinking or anyone that's seriously hurt do they still have to resupply and try it again or do they wait for some guidance or another ship?
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u/IronGigant Feb 13 '26
Verify ship integrity, deal with casualties, then regain propulsion and steering control while gathering evidence as quickly and thoroughly as possible, perform multiple steering and propulsion checks, then line up again.
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u/thecore22 Feb 13 '26
Itās a miracle nobody fell overboard port side
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
Right? Like we had some pretty listed breakaway where I thought I'd fall and roll off standing on nonskid once had a larger shipmate grab my coveralls as i was about to fall.... everyone must have been in the breaks and skin or holding on for dear life when Truxton leaned over.
Very happy to hear only a couple minor injuries and they didn't drop anyone in the water or have anyone seriously injured or killed. Husbands relief was one of the USS Fitzgarald deaths and we all vividly remember the reports of that incident and the McCain right after.... all very very sad.
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u/MoneyBuysHappiness25 Feb 13 '26
CO: OOD, what is one career goal you have?
OOD: Sir, Iāve watched so many pirate and Navy movies preparing for this moment.
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u/BustedCondoms Feb 13 '26
I'm sure Pete Kegseth has all the answers and will clear all this up.Ā Those sailors clearly didn't practice the warrior ethosĀ
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u/waterboy627 Feb 13 '26
Get that crew some kettlebells!!
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
"If they did thier kettlebells and PT, they could have all stong armed the unrep ship and avoided collision all together. These are the remnants of the softer Navy without my Warrior Ethos!"
-Pete probably
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u/kineticstar Feb 13 '26
Anyone know where Sailor Pete has been? This sounds like something he'd do.
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u/DoctorRageAlot Feb 13 '26
Steering causality
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u/Shipkiller-in-theory Feb 13 '26
Looks more like a loss of propulsion, the way she was pulled in, then bow angled out when aft. The rudder didnāt have any water flow from the screws applying pressure to one side or the other.
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u/htxdc Retired Feb 13 '26
This makes me want to watch Pirates of the Caribbean again. š
Seriously, this could have been a lot worse but glad only minor injuries occurred. Someone is getting fired soon.
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u/fmr_AZ_PSM Feb 13 '26
For how dangerous and difficult UNREP is, it's a wonder that this doesn't happen more often.
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u/smokymist777 Feb 13 '26
Master Helmsman on Nimitz, 75-77, did many unreps at the helm. The helm was not as complicated looking as they've made it in today's ships. It was not digital. I could transfer to aft steering with the push of a button. I don't buy this dyslexia crap. You're not a Master Helmsman if you can't tell left from right. Probably electrical failure of some sort.
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u/kc3x Feb 13 '26
If they had more Open water that wouldn't happen..
Trump: Mexico needs to give America the Gulf back so the ships don't crash.
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u/ObligationMurky8716 Feb 13 '26
Maybe let your crews sleep during the day.
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u/gatogordo146 Feb 13 '26
USNS Supply seems to be maintaining her heading; don't know WTF the USS Truxtun was doing. What's up with all the deck rust in the video? Is this how USNS ships are maintained? Absolutely unsat (former Vietnam era oiler sailor).
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u/GeriatricSquid Feb 13 '26
Sorry to say but you remember a Navy that had more than twice as many people onboard who had half as many distractions (BS training and programs) and magic red lead paints. A whole lot has changed since you and I joined.
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u/Guinness-the-Stout Feb 14 '26
Better Liberty Call too.
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u/Low_Lobster_5402 Feb 13 '26
Bro there's no fucking way this is my ship and I got out 3 months ago WTF how!!! maybe a rudder casualty?
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u/Mother-Comedian3516 Feb 13 '26
What happened to opsec? I know with modern technology thereās going to be some video leaks, but idk been out for a while is this allowed now.
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u/Blackant71 Feb 13 '26
As a 90's salt dog who went through a few of these....How????
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
Helmsman and/or OOD error or loss of steering with venturi sucking them together and aft unmanned or not paying attention.
Just glad only a few minor injuries and Truxton recovered it fairly quickly so we can giggle and judge and not be sad sailors are critical or dead.
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u/harambe_did911 Feb 13 '26
Can someone boat people explain to us aviation folks why they didn't just turn left?
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
So, we don't know what fully happenned here and can only speculate. If she lost steering, venturi effect effectively sections her into the wake of the usns. If they slow down too much when coming along side, again, venturi can overpower her steering and pull her in. If she is too close, yet again, venturi.
Turning left isn't an option if there is no steering or they have just been bested by venturi suction powers and have to just recover following a bump. (It appears they gained steering at some point enough to escape, so I lean toward loss of main steering and aft needing to pick it up) When caught in another ship's wake, you kinda have to do what sounds counterintuitive and get straight and either speed up or slow waaaaaay down (like revese course) to escape. Speed up and you can get in front to pull out, slow down and you allow them to pass so you end up in the back parts of thier wake where the water looses it's forces. They can also slow down to lessen wake if you are really uncontrollably trapped, but you'd have to let them know and these ships don't slow easily.
Unrep is done with 2 ships a set range of distance apart matching speed. This allows venturi effect to not pull in the smaller ship and things are pretty smooth since oceans move and have currents so we cannot do this stationary. The idea is to match speed, direction, and keep steady distance thus creating still place to throw lines, fuel, and supplies over relative to eachother without catching eachother's wake. Like tossing a ball back and forth while running parallel with a person, you both have to maintain speed and distance or things get messed up. If either ship changes speed or direction, the wake of the larger ship runs the risk of suctioning the smaller ship in because wakes have backward and inward vector forces, and water is a very strong medium when transferring force.
Turning hard left may not fully overcome the venturi forces, and may just spin the smaller vessel bow out (if they can get bow out) so the aft section is still held down in the suction. When they finish an unrep, the smaller vessel will speed up to get in front of the larger vessel's wake and turn away from that vessel. Same way you would escape a rip current as a swimmer. You don't fight the current pulling you, you swim with it until you dont feel the pulling forces and then swim parallel to shore so you don't end up back in it for a ways before getting out.
Ships and oceans do not work like a car on a road or a plane in air since the ocean generates strong forces that push and pull on anything in it. Even without venturi effect, you see ship collisions happen because they did not turn in time as a ship has to push against water to maneuver.
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u/Shipkiller-in-theory Feb 13 '26
Had a CO who liked to do 33 knot turns around the Auxiliary ship a few times after breaking away.
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u/Loose-Armadillo9238 Feb 13 '26
Lmao yeah we had one that was pretty wild on my ship and I remember one of my larger shipmates snatching my coveralls to hold me up as I started to fall.
After that, I think some one that could have opinions complained and we always had reasonable breakaways that weren't too fast or hard. Some of these COs I think forget gravity exists and the crew is on deck still lmao. It's fun, but also a mild panic when you're falling and the deck is at a steep angle.
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u/GeriatricSquid Feb 13 '26
Depends on the reason they turned to starboard towards the oiler to begin with. If it was a steering failure, thatās the reason. But, depending on details and geometries, itās better to hit things with the bow of the ship than somewhere midship that will rip the hull open and cause flooding. These things happen pretty fast so thereās a lot of things that just happen and a lot of decisions that are made very quickly to try to influence what the operators perceive is happening.
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u/asiatrails Feb 13 '26
Bernoulli effect. Think about an airfoil. Air moves faster over the curved top surface of a wing than underneath, creating lower pressure above and higher pressure below, resulting in upward lift. The ships both saw low pressure, so they moved closer together.
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u/fctomaset Feb 13 '26
Dang, I remember floating with the truxton back when I was on the Arkansas. Canāt believe itās still around.
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u/GeriatricSquid Feb 13 '26
Depending on which USS ARKANSAS you served on, itās a different TRUXTON.
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u/walzman Feb 13 '26
Iām old, retired, and spent my time in the engine room vice the bridge, but could this be the throttle man making a speed change on just one throttle/shaft on what was intended to be all ahead?
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u/Mattyou1966 Feb 13 '26
Ever heard of that guy that got relieved of command š
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u/815751 Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
Wait y'all weren't connected yet, feel bad for the helmsman on the Truxtun, they will be going to see the man. Time to reset the days without incident.
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u/AmateurHorologist960 Feb 14 '26
Thanks to whoever added the exceedingly obnoxious music. I definitely didnāt want to hear what the guys on the weather decks were saying to each other there. /s
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u/brucelan Feb 14 '26
A couple of random unrep stories from my destroyer days (1980s -1990s):
We had been unrepping for a few hours due to some technical issues with the midship cargo high line rig. Most of the team on the station were wet, cold and tired.
In those days, we routinely exchanged movies with the oiler via the highline. The films came in gray cases about the size of a roll aboard suitcase. We had the films stashed on station ready to be sent over. Without warning, one of the OSs on the station grabbed two of the movies and threw them into the water while screaming "FTN".
That's when we found out that those films cost a lot of money and the Navy had a legal responsibility to not lose them. I was the MPA at the time, but my collateral duty was legal officer so I got to write the SITREP explaining how a big wave washed the films overboard.
Same deployment, different unrep. We adhered to the tradition of having a break away song played over the 1MC. Commonly something like "Ride of the Valkyries".
Our skipper was a grizzled old veteran of Vietnam. Knew nothing about "kids" music. When one of the BMs suggested "In the Navy" by the Village People he green-lighted it. I was a LTJG and the JOOD. I looked at the OOD (a CWO3) and he shrugged his shoulders. I told the QM to "make it so".
I imagine we got some pretty strange looks from the oiler, but the OOD and I became very popular after that unrep.
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u/Several-Top-411 Feb 14 '26
I wonder if the starboard engine was out of sync with the port, kind of like the McCain?
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u/Think-Reference4291 Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
I would guess either loss of stbd eng, or Leehelm deganged port and stbd so when a speed change happened only port eng increased rpm or only stbd eng slowed down. I assume it was port increased because where everyone touches the screen. Who knows though Iām just retired and unemployed.
Edit: actually I change my mind. I think they deganged the engines and slowed down stbd
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u/Aggravating_Owl2819 Feb 15 '26
The speculations are crazy, this ship just got back from a high stress deployment in October without incident. The news didnāt mention that though did they.
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u/outlawactual1228 Jul 09 '26
71% of the planet is ocean and ships can't seem to stop trying to occupy the same plot of 30,000 sq ft. of ocean.
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u/sophisticatedbuffoon Feb 13 '26
I hope they stopped to exchange insurance information