Navy Reaffirms Carriers Florida Move

Howard · Chief

RE: GW sails Monday for new homeport

Howard · Chief

Six sailors disciplined for May fire on aircraft carrier
Punishments don't include discharges ASSOCIATED PRESS .date>September 9, 2008 SAN DIEGO The Navy has punished six sailors for their roles in a fire that caused $70 million in damage to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington, a newspaper reported yesterday.

U.S. Pacific Fleet officials say the six were given nonjudicial punishments, meaning no sailor was discharged from the Navy, according to the Navy Times. The Navy did not release the names or ranks of those who were punished.

The punishments come two months after the Navy relieved the carrier's commanding officer and executive officer of duty over the fire May 22. The fire injured 37 sailors. All were soon returned to duty.

The crew of the carrier was temporarily assigned to shore duty in San Diego during the nearly three months of repairs needed after the fire.

Pacific Fleet public affairs officials did not return repeated phone calls by The Associated Press seeking comment.

Officials told the Navy Times in an e-mail that the sailors were punished for their involvement in the chain of events leading to the fire.

One sailor was found guilty of willful dereliction of duty, and three others were found guilty of disobeying a lawful order for hiding hazardous material, the newspaper reported. Two noncommissioned officers were found guilty of negligent dereliction of duty for failing to properly supervise a work space, it said.

The Navy expects to release a report Oct. 1 on the investigation into the fire.

The carrier, based in Norfolk, Va., was en route from Chile to San Diego when the fire began. Officials have said smoking near improperly stored chemical containers appears to have started the fire.

Navy officials say it took about 12 hours to extinguish the fire because of the location and size. Flames and heat damaged electrical cabling and components running through 80 of the 3,800 compartments across several decks.

The ship is expected to arrive in Japan late this month or early October to replace the Kitty Hawk.

The two ships spent much of August in San Diego while the Kitty Hawk transferred equipment and personnel to the George Washington. The Kitty Hawk left Aug. 28 for Bremerton, Wash. It will be put in storage and is scheduled to be decommissioned in January.

Howard · Chief

2008

On 7 April 2008 George Washington, with CVW-17 and Carrier Strike Group 8 embarked, departed Norfolk, VA for the transit around South America, en route to Yokosuka, Japan to replace USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). During the transit, the Washington Battle Group participated in US Southern Command exercises Partnership of the Americas and Unitas, a joint military exercise between the US Navy, Brazilian Navy and Argentine Navy. On 22 April 2008, George Washington arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for its first port visit to that country.

After the turnover with Kitty Hawk, CVW-17 and Carrier Strike Group 8 will return to their home ports in the US and will be replaced by Carrier Air Wing 5 based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan and Carrier Strike Group 5 based at Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan.^[4] The Carrier Strike Group Five Staff is also double hatted as CTF-70 Battle Force Seventh Fleet.

USS George Washington will be the first US nuclear powered aircraft carrier ever permanently based outside the continental US. In an attempt to explain the carrier's mission to the Japanese public, the U.S. Navy printed a manga about life aboard GW, titled "CVN-73".^[5]

On 22 May 2008 a fire occurred on the ship off the Pacific Coast of South America that burned one sailor and injured 36 others. There were no fatalities on the ship. The Navy defined the incident as 'serious'.^[6] According to a statement from Naval Air Forces' public affairs office, the fire broke out in the ship's air-conditioning and refrigeration space and an auxiliary boiler room. The fire spread via a cableway and caused extreme heat in some parts of the ship. It took several hours for the ship's crew to contain and extinguish the fire.^[7]

On Tuesday, 27 May, the USS George Washington made a stop in San Diego, California, en route to its new home port located in Yokosuka, Japan. Navy officials announced that the aircraft carrier will assess and repair damage caused by the recent fire aboard the ship. ^[8]

On 20 June, the Navy announced that the damage from the fire was more serious than previously thought and that repairs would take until at least August and would cost $70 million. The turnover with the Kitty Hawk was postponed and will take place in San Diego instead of Hawaii. George Washington was scheduled to depart San Diego 21 August and arrive in Japan sometime in September.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

On 13 July, 13,000 Japanese protested in Yokosuka against the basing of George Washington in Japan, saying that the onboard fire showed that the nuclear-powered carrier was unsafe.^[13] The US Navy said that Rear Admiral James Kelly, commander of US Naval Forces Japan, is planning to meet soon with Yokosuka Mayor Ryoichi Kabaya, who has requested that the US military fully explain the fire and what preventive measures the Navy plans to take.

On 30 July the Navy confirmed that improperly stored flammable oil, namely 90 gallons of refrigerant compressor oil, was a major factor in the seriousness of the fire, and that the blaze was likely triggered by unauthorized smoking. It was also simultaneously announced by Admiral Robert F. Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, that the carrier's commanding officer, Captain David C. Dykhoff, had been relieved of his duties citing "a loss of confidence in his ability to command and his failure to meet mission requirements and readiness standards." The ship's Executive officer, Captain David M. Dober, was also relieved for "substandard performance." The ship's new skipper is Captain J.R. Haley and new executive officer is Captain Karl O. Thomas.^[14]^[15] Six other sailors were disciplined with nonjudicial punishment. Four sailors were found guilty of violating a lawful order and hiding hazardous materials in direct violation of safety regulations. Two noncommissioned officers were found guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty for not properly supervising the workspace. The Navy's Pacific Fleet refused to name the sailors disciplined.^[16]

On 21 August, George Washington departed NAS North Island for Japan, marking the first time the carrier embarked Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW 5).^[17]

Howard · Chief

Just to bring this thread up to date......
GW was sailing to San Diego had a serious fire aboard costing untold millions. The Ship underwent repairs in San Diego in late April to Aug. The Kitty Hawk remained on station in the Pacific. Pulled RIMPAC exercise.
The CO & XO of GW were releived of command in July.
On Aug 08 the Kitty Hawk sailed into San Diego & commenced a cross deck transfer of equipment & men to the GW. The GW sailed to the Pacific on 8-21-08. The Kitty Hawk sailed to Bremerton Wa for decommissioning in January on 8-27-08.
Howard usa

dadurst · Second Class

Midway Sailor wrote:

GW sails Monday for new homeport

By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Apr 6, 2008 8:53:52 EDT

The carrier George Washington is to sail Monday for the last time from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., its homeport since the ship was commissioned, on the cruise that will take it to its new assignment in Japan as the only U.S. forward-deployed carrier.

Just to set the record straight, this should read "forward
home based carrier vice forward deployed carrier. //d:)

gogogarfield · Chief

Midway Sailor wrote:

The Kitty Hawk, which is the Navy's last oil-fired carrier, will mark the 47th anniversary of its commissioning April 29.

I should be at it's decommissioning, it was commissioned just 25 days after I enlisted in the Navy.

Midway Sailor · Forum Admin

GW sails Monday for new homeport

By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Apr 6, 2008 8:53:52 EDT

The carrier George Washington is to sail Monday for the last time from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., its homeport since the ship was commissioned, on the cruise that will take it to its new assignment in Japan as the only U.S. forward-deployed carrier.

The ship is relieving the conventionally powered carrier Kitty Hawk, scheduled to return to the United States for decommissioning this summer. On the way, the Washington is scheduled to participate in the annual Partnership of the Americas exercise with South American navies, then continue around the continent and arrive in Japan by August.

Before the ship crosses into the Pacific, its escorts the frigate Kauffman and the destroyer Farragut and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 17 will return to their East Coast homes, said Lt. Courtney Hillson, a 2nd Fleet spokeswoman. When the Washington arrives in Japan it will begin deploying with Carrier Air Wing 5, forward-deployed at Naval Air Station Atsugi, which now sails aboard the Kitty Hawk, and the warships of the 7th Fleet.

The families of the GW's 3,200 sailors have begun moving to their new homes at Fleet Activities Yoksouka, Hillson said, but they will not all be there by the time the ship arrives this summer.

"Our sailors, our families and the Navy have put together a tremendous effort to prepare GW for all aspects of this transition, and while it is difficult to leave the Hampton Roads community, which has been so supportive of GW, we are excited about the vital importance of this new mission and the warm welcome from the people of Yokosuka," said the Washington's skipper, Capt. Dave Dykhoff, in a Navy announcement.

The George Washington, which will be the first nuclear-powered carrier permanently deployed to Japan, was commissioned in 1992. The Kitty Hawk, which is the Navy's last oil-fired carrier, will mark the 47th anniversary of its commissioning April 29.