USS John S. McCain (DDG-56)

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For other ships with the same name, see USS John S. McCain.

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56)
A gray warship on a blue ocean
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) underway in January 2003
History
United States
NameUSS John S. McCain
NamesakeJohn S. McCain, Sr. and John S. McCain, Jr.[2]
Ordered13 December 1988
BuilderBath Iron Works
Laid down3 September 1991
Launched26 September 1992
Commissioned2 July 1994
HomeportYokosuka, Japan
MottoFortune Favors the Brave[2]
Nickname(s)"Big Bad John"[1]
StatusUndergoing repairs after damages sustained on 21 August 2017
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeTemplate:Sclass-
Displacement
  • Light: approx. 6,800 long tons (6,900 t)
  • Full: approx. 8,900 long tons (9,000 t)
Length505 ft (154 m)
Beam59 ft (18 m)
Draft31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion2 × shafts
SpeedIn excess of 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range4,400 nmi (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × Sikorsky MH-60R

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is an Template:Sclass- currently in the service of the United States Navy. She is part of the Destroyer Squadron 15 within the Seventh Fleet, and has her homeport at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan.

The destroyer was involved in a collision with a merchant ship on 21 August 2017 off the coast of Singapore, which resulted in the deaths of ten of her crew, and left another five injured.[6][7] This event occurred a little over two months after a collision between USS Fitzgerald and MV ACX Crystal resulted in fatalities.

Naming

This warship is named after John S. McCain, Sr., and John S. McCain, Jr., both admirals in the United States Navy. John S. McCain, Sr. commanded the aircraft carrier USS Ranger, and later the Fast Carrier Task Force during the latter stages of World War II. John S. McCain, Jr. commanded the submarines USS Gunnel and USS Dentuda during World War II. He subsequently held a number of posts, rising to Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Command, before retiring in 1972. These men were, respectively, the grandfather and father of Senator John S. McCain III.[8]

The ship's nickname is "Big Bad John", and has the motto "Fortune Favors the Brave".[1]

Service

Construction and commissioning

John S. McCain's keel was laid down on 3 September 1991, at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. She was launched on 26 September 1992, sponsored by Cindy McCain, the wife of Senator John McCain III, and was commissioned on 2 July 1994, at the Bath Iron Works. The former President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, was the ceremony's principal speaker.[9] The ship was initially assigned a home port of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and shifted to a forward-deploy port in Yokosuka, Japan in 1997.

2000s

In January 2003, John S. McCain deployed to the Persian Gulf. She launched 39 Tomahawk missiles in support of the invasion of Iraq and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for her service. John S. McCain was awarded the Navy Battle E for DESRON 15 in 2003 and again in 2004. On 16 February 2007, John S. McCain was awarded the 2006 Battle Effectiveness Award.[10]

On 11 June 2009, a Chinese submarine reportedly collided with the towed sonar array of John S. McCain near Subic Bay, Philippines. The incident caused damage to the array but was described as an "inadvertent encounter".[11]

In June 2009, John S. McCain pursued the North Korean cargo ship Kang Nam 1 toward Burma in enforcement of the new United Nations resolution of an arms export embargo against North Korea. The vessel was suspected of carrying arms for the Burmese junta government. Kang Nam 1 returned to North Korea without delivering her cargo to Burma.[12]

In July 2009, the destroyer berthed at Yokohama's international passenger terminal on a goodwill tour. The ship was opened to the public on 22 July 2009.[13]

2010s

In March 2011, in company with the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, the ship was deployed off northeastern Honshu, Japan to assist with relief efforts after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.[14][15] During that time, the ship may have been exposed to leaking radiation from the Fukushima I nuclear accidents.[16]

In April 2013, John S. McCain was sent to South Korea during escalating tensions between the Koreas.[17] In June 2014, John S. McCain was sent to Subic Bay to perform in CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) exercises.

On 2 October 2016, USS John S. McCain and USS Frank Cable made the first port visit by U.S. Navy ships to Cam Ranh Bay since end of the Vietnam War in 1975.[18] In August 2017 John S. McCain sailed past Mischief Reef in the South China Sea, whose sovereignty is disputed by China, Taiwan, Philippines, and Vietnam. The U.S. considers the ship's course to be permitted by international law, but China expressed its "strong dissatisfaction".[19]

2017 collision

At 5:24 a.m. on 21 August 2017, John S. McCain was involved in a collision with the Liberian-flagged Alnic MC off the coast of Singapore and Malaysia, east of the Strait of Malacca.[8][20][21] According to a United States Navy press release, the breach "resulted in flooding to nearby compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms."[22] Ten US Navy sailors died as a result of the crash.[7][23][21][24] After the incident, the ship, which sustained damage to her port side aft, was able to sail to Changi Naval Base in Singapore under her own power. The U.S. Navy announced on 24 August 2017 that it would be suspending search-and-rescue efforts to focus on recovery efforts of the missing sailors.[25] By 27 August U.S. Navy and Marine Corps divers had recovered the remains of all 10 sailors.[6]

Investigation of incident

The Navy suggests a fatigued bridge crew, poor communication between crew members and crowded shipping lanes are the most likely culprits.[26] CNN quotes an unnamed "Navy Official" stating that the ship lost steering control shortly before the accident but that "it was unclear why the crew couldn't use the ship's backup steering systems".[20]

The collision was the second such incident in just over two months – the other involved John S. McCain's sister ship USS Fitzgerald and the container ship MV ACX Crystal.[27] On the same day as the collision between John S. McCain and Alnic MC The Pentagon ordered all fleet operations around the world to make a brief "operational pause" for safety checks during the following two weeks, as well as beginning a full safety review.[24] The U.S. 7th Fleet Commander at the time of the accident, Joseph Aucoin, was relieved of his command on 23 August 2017 due to "loss of confidence in his ability to command".[28]

  • Damage to the portside of John S. McCain
    Damage to the portside of John S. McCain
  • The Chief of Naval Operation's statement on the John S. McCain collision
  • John S. McCain pulling into port at Changi Naval Base in Singapore
  • John S. McCain's ship's company holding a pep talk shortly after the collision to boost spirits
  • John S. McCain's ship's company holding a pep talk shortly after the collision
  • PO2 Kevin Sayer Bushell, one of the deceased sailors as a result of the collision
    PO2 Kevin Sayer Bushell, one of the deceased sailors as a result of the collision

Images

  • McCain firing a missile: 6 February 2004
    McCain firing a missile: 6 February 2004
  • John S. McCain (foreground) and Australian destroyer Brisbane: 19 May 2001
    John S. McCain (foreground) and Australian destroyer Brisbane: 19 May 2001
  • McCain family at ship's launching: 26 September 1992
    McCain family at ship's launching: 26 September 1992
  • USS John S. McCain patrolling the South China Sea, 22 January 2017
    USS John S. McCain patrolling the South China Sea, 22 January 2017

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "7 things about US warship USS John S. McCain or 'Big Bad John'". The Straits Times. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ a b "About our Namesake - John S. McCain". U.S. Navy. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Mk46 MOD 1 Optical Sight System". Kollmorgen. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  4. ^ Rockwell, David (12 July 2017). "The Kollmorgen/L-3 KEO Legacy". Teal Group. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  5. ^ Hart, Jackie (17 December 2023). "Decoy Launch System Installed Aboard USS Ramage". navy.mil. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b Varner, Jesse (28 August 2017). "All remains recovered of 10 sailors from USS John S. McCain collision". U.S. Navy.
  7. ^ a b CNN, Euan McKirdy. "Remains of all 10 missing USS John S. McCain sailors recovered". CNN. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ a b Flanagan, Ed; Stelloh, Tim (20 August 2017). "Navy Destroyer USS John S. McCain Collides With Merchant Ship East of Singapore". NBC News. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "USS John S. McCain (DDG 56)". www.navysite.de. Retrieved 10 September 2008. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  10. ^ Ludwick, Paula M. (19 February 2007). "Surface Force Ships, Crews Earn Battle "E"". US Navy. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  11. ^ Starr, Barbara (12 June 2009). "Sub collides with sonar array towed by U.S. Navy ship". CNN. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  12. ^ Sang-Hun, Choe (21 June 2009). "Test Looms as U.S. Tracks North Korean Ship". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  13. ^ "U.S. destroyer visits Yokohama passenger pier". Japan Times. Kyodo News. 22 July 2009. p. 2.
  14. ^ Rabiroff, John (17 March 2011). "U.S. military delivers 40 tons of supplies to hardest-hit areas". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Warships Supporting Earthquake in Japan". Seawaves. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Stewart, Joshua (14 March 2011). "Navy ships off Japan move to avoid radiation". Military Times. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  17. ^ Miklaszewski, Jim; Kube, Courtney (1 April 2013). "US Navy shifts destroyer in wake of North Korea missile threats". NBC News. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  18. ^ "United States warships make first visit to Vietnam base in decades". South China Morning Post. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  19. ^ Bodeen, Christopher (11 August 2017). "China protests US ship sailing by island in South China Sea". Chicago Tribune. AP. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  20. ^ a b McKirdy, Euan; Lendon, Brad; Sciutto, Jim (22 August 2017). "'Some remains' of missing 10 sailors found after collision, admiral says". CNN. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  21. ^ a b "UPDATE: USS John S. McCain Collides with Merchant Ship". U.S. Navy. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  22. ^ Global, IndraStra. "10 U.S. Navy Sailors Missing after USS John S McCain Collides with Oil Tanker". IndraStra. ISSN 2381-3652.
  23. ^ "U.S. Navy identifies 1 dead and 9 missing USS John S. McCain Sailors a".
  24. ^ a b Farrer, Martin; Holmes, Oliver (21 August 2017). "Pentagon orders temporary halt to US navy operations after second collision". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  25. ^ "Navy suspends USS John McCain search-and-rescue efforts". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  26. ^ hermesauto (23 August 2017). "US warship collisions raise cyber attack fears". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  27. ^ Youssef, Nancy A.; Watts, Jake Maxwell (21 August 2017). "Navy to Pause Operations, Review Collisions, With 10 Missing". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  28. ^ "U.S. Navy to remove commander of 7th Fleet amid latest accidents". Retrieved 23 August 2017.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS John S. McCain (DDG-56).
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