Archive for the ‘Sea’ Category

An Alaska Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, assigned to the 210th Rescue Squadron, prepares to land on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) in the Cook Inlet off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska, April 30, 2013. The Pave Hawk pilots practiced landing on the USS Anchorage to receive training not readily available in the region. The Anchorage was set to be commissioned in Anchorage May 4, 2013. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Zachary Wolf, U.S. Air Force/Released)

An Alaska Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, assigned to the 210th Rescue Squadron, prepares to land on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) in the Cook Inlet off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska, April 30, 2013. The Pave Hawk pilots practiced landing on the USS Anchorage to receive training not readily available in the region. The Anchorage was set to be commissioned in Anchorage May 4, 2013. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Zachary Wolf, U.S. Air Force/Released)

They know that they don’t know:

The Navy is 90 percent sure its current estimated cost to operate and maintain the controversial Littoral Combat Ship is off target, according to a draft Government Accountability Office report obtained by BreakingDefense.

It’s almost like the whole programs is tango uniform.

The Malaysian tugboat VOS Apollo, front, prepares for defueling operations near the grounded mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian (MCM 5) while a U.S. Navy small boat, right, approaches with a salvage team on the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea Jan. 24, 2013. The U.S. Navy contracted with the VOS Apollo to assist with removing fuel from the Guardian, which ran aground Jan. 17. No fuel leaked during the grounding, and all of the approximately 15,000 gallons aboard the Guardian were safely transferred to the tugboat. (DoD photo by Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Geoffrey Trudell, U.S. Navy/Released)

The Malaysian tugboat VOS Apollo, front, prepares for defueling operations near the grounded mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian (MCM 5) while a U.S. Navy small boat, right, approaches with a salvage team on the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea Jan. 24, 2013. The U.S. Navy contracted with the VOS Apollo to assist with removing fuel from the Guardian, which ran aground Jan. 17. No fuel leaked during the grounding, and all of the approximately 15,000 gallons aboard the Guardian were safely transferred to the tugboat. (DoD photo by Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Geoffrey Trudell, U.S. Navy/Released)

 The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world's largest naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released)

The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world’s largest naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released)

The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world's largest naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released)

The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world’s largest naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released)

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ty Aweau, an Aviation Survival Technician, conducts rescue swimmer training with an aircrew in an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter off Hermosa Beach, Calif., Nov. 16, 2012. (DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Eggers, U.S. Coast Guard/Released)

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ty Aweau, an Aviation Survival Technician, conducts rescue swimmer training with an aircrew in an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter off Hermosa Beach, Calif., Nov. 16, 2012. (DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Eggers, U.S. Coast Guard/Released)

The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) operates near a storm in the Arabian Sea Nov. 19, 2012. Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Lt. Greg Linderman, U.S. Navy/Released)

The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) operates near a storm in the Arabian Sea Nov. 19, 2012. Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Lt. Greg Linderman, U.S. Navy/Released)

Looks like they’re heading for a storm like the Nimitz ran into in THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.

An X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator is hoisted aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 26, 2012. Sailors aboard the Harry S. Truman were conducting flight deck handling tests with the UCAS. Harry S. Truman was the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. (DoD photo by Alan Radecki, U.S. Navy/Released)

An X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator is hoisted aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 26, 2012. Sailors aboard the Harry S. Truman were conducting flight deck handling tests with the UCAS. Harry S. Truman was the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. (DoD photo by Alan Radecki, U.S. Navy/Released)

NOTE: This is a re-post from 2009.

There are a lot of familiar images from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Here is one of them:

The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin  (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes. USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37), with USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside. Smoke is from the sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39), out of view behind Pennsylvania. USS California (BB-44) is partially visible at the extreme left. This image has been attributed to Navy Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett.  Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives Collection.

The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes. USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37), with USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside. Smoke is from the sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39), out of view behind Pennsylvania. USS California (BB-44) is partially visible at the extreme left. This image has been attributed to Navy Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives Collection.

Those who don’t know or haven’t looked closely might not notice that there are two destroyers in front of the battleship. The drydock had been dry when the attack began, but after raging fires began setting off ammunition aboard the destroyers, it was flooded in an attempt to douse the flames. Cassin slipped from her blocks and rolled against Downes.

Both ships were 1500-ton Mahan-class ships and had been commissioned in the mid-30s.

Here’s another image, taken from near where the two men in the first photo are standing at the head of the dock. The men on the Downes surveying the damage give a great sense of scale:

In Drydock Number One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 7 December 1941, immediatly following the Japanese attack. Both ships had been severely damaged by bomb hits and the resulting fires. In the background, also in Drydock Number One, is USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), which had received relatively light damage in the raid.  Official U.S. Navy Photograph, NHHC Collection.

In Drydock Number One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 7 December 1941, immediatly following the Japanese attack. Both ships had been severely damaged by bomb hits and the resulting fires. In the background, also in Drydock Number One, is USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), which had received relatively light damage in the raid. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, NHHC Collection.

Notice the man in white uniform crawling on the Cassin, just behind the partially submerged #2 turret.

Here’s a shot from the rear of the destroyers:
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Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) prepare to launch amphibious assault vehicles from the welldeck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21). New York and the embarked 24th MEU are part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zane Ecklund/Released)

Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) prepare to launch amphibious assault vehicles from the welldeck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21). New York and the embarked 24th MEU are part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zane Ecklund/Released)

The British Royal navy destroyer HMS Diamond (D 34) maneuvers alongside the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Enterprise is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Randy J. Savarese/Released)

The British Royal navy destroyer HMS Diamond (D 34) maneuvers alongside the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Enterprise is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Randy J. Savarese/Released)