San Francisco crew members honored for heroism

By William H. McMichael
NavyTimes staff writer
25 March 2005


An emotional week for crew members of the attack submarine San Francisco came to a close Friday with an awards ceremony in Guam for 20 crew members who distinguished themselves in the wake of the violent Jan. 8 undersea grounding that left one sailor dead and seriously injured two dozen more.

Three days earlier, six of their shipmates, who unofficial sources said included the heavily damaged submarine’s executive officer, navigator, assistant navigator and three petty officers, were punished at nonjudicial hearings that held each at least partially culpable for the tragic mishap.

The Navy would not confirm the crew members’ positions on the sub.  On Friday, the Navy recognized those who played key roles in treating injured crew members and in the successful effort to get the crippled sub back to Guam safely.

Two crewmembers — Lt. j.g. Craig Litty and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SS) James Akin — were given the Meritorious Service Medal for administering emergency triage to 70 injured crew members and organizing the crew’s mess into a makeshift emergency trauma center.

Akin also was commended for his assessment of injuries and recommendations for which injuries most required transfer off the sub, which “enabled the ship to adopt the correct posture with respect to operational risk management,” according to the citation.

Nine others received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (SS) Jeremy Key, Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (SS) David Miller, Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SS) Scott Pierce, Electronics Technician 1st Class (SS) Bryan Powell and Yeoman 2nd Class (SS) Carnell Smoot were all honored for helping treat injured sailors as members of the sub’s emergency medical assistance team.

All also helped rig and hoist the most seriously injured sailor, Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley, in “extremely heavy weather conditions.” Ashley died as the result of his injuries.Three other sailors — Sonar Technician (Submarine) 1st Class (SS) Christopher Baumhoff, Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class (SS) Gilbert Daigle and Lt. Jeff McDonald — played key roles in the planning and execution of the at-sea rig-and-hoist operation. Another, Senior Chief Machinist’s Mate (SS) Danny Hager, was recognized for helping direct the sub’s control party stabilize the damaged sub on the surface and, despite a painful injury, designing a temporary oxygen system from the sub’s oxygen banks to help treat injured shipmates.

Four other sailors received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and five others were presented a letter of commendation from Submarine Group 7.

The six sailors punished March 22 each were cited by Capt. Bradley Gehrke, commander of Submarine Squadron 15, for “actions that led to the grounding,” according to Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Davis, spokesman for the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force. The submarine’s commanding officer at the time of the mishap, Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, was relieved Feb. 12 by 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert.

The nuclear-powered San Francisco ran into an uncharted sea mount 350 miles southeast of Guam while transiting from Guam to Australia. The collision heavily damaged the bow of the 23-year-old, 362-foot attack submarine, which is being temporarily repaired in a Guam drydock to enable a transit to Hawaii this summer for further damage assessments.

William H. McMichael is the Hampton Roads bureau chief for Navy Times.
Reach him at (757) 223-0096.
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Contributed,
YNCS Don Harribine, USN(ret)