Training Accidents at Sea

[The Sailor]

Training accidents have happened since men went down to the sea in ships.
The casualties from accidents during the Second world War took an enormous toll in lives.
I recently read that a third of all USAF planes were lost to accidents. Some during training and some during operations.

Nothing has changed as these two photos show. A new pilot has hit the wrong button and subsequently launched an air to air missile across the flight deck.

[herakles]

Training accidents aren't confined to the Navy of course. A certain number of deaths in training is always built in to a plan.

[The Sailor]

They say that 30% of all casualties in the allied bombing campaign against Germany were from accidents.
Ground crew walking into props in the dark or fog was the biggest killer in the RAF night time operations.
So was collision during circuits and landings.
Think about 1000 bomber raids, fog and unlit airstrips.
Friendly fire in massed B-17 raids was another. Turrets turning everywhere, bullets flying in all directions.

[herakles]

Then think of death from "friendly fire"!

[The Sailor]

Most relations weren't told about this. They were "Lost on active service".
Much more comforting to think that they died fighting for their country,

[AlZictorini]

How about being sunk by your own torpedo (proven or not), what about these poor guys below:

USS Tang
USS GROWLER
USS SCORPION
USS TULLIBEE
HMS TRINIDAD
KURSK
PNS GHAZI.

[The Sailor]

Al, we should investigate your post more mate. What do you know about those ships?

[AlZictorini]

Sailor
Well ship mate, the phrase is quite correct, worse things do happen at sea. The vessels I mentioned earlier are just a few of the many craft which may have succumbed to their own weapons. Have a look at the brief final moments of the Ships and Subs below:

USS Tang (SS-306) was a Balao-class submarine; she was launched on 17 Aug 1943 and sank off Taiwan on 24 Oct 1944. During an attack on a Japanese Convoy of Tankers (which also were carrying aircraft on their decks) and transports, Tang managed to sink a tanker and a transport and possible damaging a third transport before she came under fire from a destroyer. The destroyer exploded whilst bearing down on the Tang (possibly running into one of Tangs torpedoes on its way to finish off a stationary transport). Tangs final torpedo violently turned to port when it was launched. Even though she tried to evade the weapon it struck her in the aft torpedo room. She sank stern first losing 78 of her crew. 9 survivors were picked up and taken prisoner.

USS GROWLER (SS-215) was a Gato-class submarine; she was launched on the 10 Feb 1941 and sank off the Philippines on the 8 Nov 1944. Setting off from Fremantle as the leader of a pack of 3 submarines (Hake (SS-256) and Hardhead (SS-365), Growler was tracking a small convoy on her radar and ordered her group to attack. This was the last communication with the submarine. Not long into the battle, the Hake and Hardhead heard what sounded like a torpedo explosion and then a series of depth charges in the vicinity of the Growler. It is unsure what actually happened to her but one of the theories is that she may have been hit by one of her own Torpedoes?

USS Scorpion (SSN-589) was a Skipjack-class nuclear submarine; she was launched on 29 Dec 1959 and sank (possibly) on 22 May 1968. Scorpion was operating with the US Sixth fleet in the Mediterranean from Feb 1968 onwards. She had throughout this period suffered some minor technical problems which included a minor electrical fire. She left for home (Naval Base Norfolk) on 16 May and parted with crew at Rota (Spain) before venturing into the Atlantic. Between 20 & 21 May, Scorpion attempted to communicate with Rota but was unsuccessful. This was the last communication with the submarine. She was reported missing six days later and eventually reported lost on 5 Jun 1968. The wreck was located on 28 Oct 1968. The inquiry could not confirm the cause of the sinking but some of the theories put forward included: One of her Torpedoes was somehow launched and attacked the nearest target (that being herself), one of her Torpedoes exploded in the torpedo tube, an internal explosion of some description or a collision with a body?

USS Tullibee (SS-284), was a Gato-class submarine; she was launched on the 11 Nov 1941 and sank off Palau on the 26 Mar 1944. Whilst on patrol off the Paula Islands, Tullibee sighted a convoy consisting of a large passenger-cargo ship, two medium-sized freighters, a destroyer, and two other escorts. She attempted to close on the transport but had difficulty sighting her due to poor visibility. At about 3000 yards from the transport Tullibee fired two Torpedoes, one of which circled back on her and sank her, the explosion being horrific. There was only one survivor who became a prisoner of war.

HMS Trinidad was a Royal Navy Colony-class cruiser: she was launched on 21 mar 1941 and sank on 15 May 1942.While escorting Convoy PQ-13, Trinidad and other escorts were in combat with German Narvik-class destroyers. She hit and sank the German destroyer Z 26, and then launched a torpedo attack. One of her torpedoes had a faulty gyro mechanism possibly affected by the icy waters. The path of the torpedo formed a circular arc, striking the Trinidad and killing 32 men. She was withdrawn from the battle and patched up at Murmansk before she set off for further repairs in the UK. Whilst homeward bound she was attached by German bombers, the damaged they caused was enough to have her scuttled by her own escort HMS Matchless.

PNS GHAZI was a Tench-class submarine; she was launched as the USS Diablo on 1 Dec 1944 and sank 4 Dec 1971 whilst being loaned to Pakistan. Ghazi was ordered to lay mines in Visakhapatnam harbour in an attempt to sink the Indian Navy Carrier INS Vikrant. The Sub moved to the harbour approaches on the 3 Dec but at around midnight a loud explosion was heard and felt in Visakhapatnam. The next day Indian divers found the wreck of the Ghazi. It is unsure what sank her but yet again it could have been a faulty torpedo or even one of her own Mines which blew her bows clean off.

This is but a few I came up with last week in my head. I'm sure there's a lot more people can come up with and obviously, there's even more lost out there which we will never know what actually happened to them?

PS

Astral - I'm working on that signature.

[The Sailor]

Thanks for the effort you put in Al. Good reading