USS McCain official report

[John Arton]

This is the official report into the disastrous collision between the American destroyer and a tanker in the Malacca straits. Makes for interesting reading especially when the computer based systems were intended to enable the navy to reduce bridge Manning.
Rgds
J.A.
https://gcaptain.com/flawed-bridge-t...eid=3b737aa316

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
A very comprehensive report showing what a cock up it all was, It looks like no one on the ship had any idea how the system worked, that's if the system did, they all seemed to be pushing buttons at the same time, with disastrous effects. I would have thought being in the Malacca Straits with all the traffic, which was the same in our days; they would have had a qualified Quarter master in charge. From my reading it was a bloody shambles, and if there is ever a sea war the same is going to happen, as they will be running around like blue arsed flys.
Des

[Rodney Mills]

John.

Thanks very much for posting this link with the answers to many puzzling questions, to me anyway.

Rodney

[Thomas James]

Thankyou for posting the link, incredible reading. It would appear the smarter we get the more dangerous to ourselves we become.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Have read this and other reports along with the reports of the collision of the other US Navy destroyer involved in a collision off Japan. It would seem that the QM only had 4 months sea service, we can all learn to steer a vessel in four months, but he was faced with a computerised system and screen which had information on it he did not know its purpose and therefore failed to understand its purpose. The CPO who trained him had himself only had one hours instruction on how to use the equipment. Unlike the MNavies of the world the Navies including our own, do not have a stepping stone system of progression, you can be allocated a position of command, having never commanded anything that floats, but have attained rank through shore duties. The USNavy like our own, is short of recruits, but having been on the bridge of a Navy vessel you can hardly move for bodies, having seen a video of McCain's sister vessel I counted 12 personnel (there may have been more) on a small bridge. A pilot I knew took a US Carrier up the Thames and he counted 22 personnel on the bridge, orders were never carried out directly they were relayed down a chain until they reached the actioneer.

Lots of phrases spring to mind ; too many cooks spoil the broth ; the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing; etc etc

[alan vickers]

Regarding the crewing on American ships,we were on the Indian coast,Calcutta,where we got talking to a guy who turned out to be the Master on the U S ship ahead of us. He asked what we did and we told him that we were all A Bs. At first he wouldn't believe us as we were so young 18 to 21yrs. He then asked how many of were aboard we told him 10, He then said I've got one, all the rest are uncertificated. We said how about your Bosun, I don't have one. This was 59/60 during the Aid to India period, and they were crewing the ships with anyone that would sign on. Four of us later went aboard his vessel and spliced his wires and ropes which were tied in knots for which he paid us $5 a splice.