The USS Port Royal, based in Honolulu Hawaii ran aground while entering the harbor on Thursday night, February 6th. All crew members are safe and there is no evidence of a terrorist act or hostile cause. Read the details and see video footage from the ship.
The ship is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser which ran aground on a sand spit just offshore from Honolulu International Airport. Tug boats were dispatched to the scene but have been unable to lodge her free. There are 360 crew members aboard.
The USS Port Royal cost $1 billion dollars to build, the 27th ever built and last one made in her class. Of course $billion apparently is not a lot of money anymore. Obama’s stimulus bill could build 1,000 of them while employing millions of workers to make more navy boats.
The ship made international news in 2008 as one of three ships that were threatened by small Iranian machine-gunners. Radio threats received from the Iranians included “I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes.” The ship had authorization to fire on the threat but the Iranians fled at the last second.
The USS Port Royal is mentioned in a Tom Clancy novel, but it did not run aground in the book. Someone is going to be in trouble for this…
USS Port Royal (Video)
February 7th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
The CO will probably be relieved. That is the normal outcome. The Commanding Officer is responsible for everything that happens aboard a ship of The United States Navy. Those on watch at the time will see some form of punisment as a result of a board of inquiry. Whether that is NJP or letters of reprimand, remains to be seen. For a young officer, a letter of reprimand is a career killer.