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The Top 10 Stories of 2005, Part 5: "ice" on Guam, U.S.S. San Francisco crash kills sailor
This is the fifth in a weeklong, five-part series highlighting the most memorable moments that made 2005 an unforgettable year on Guam.
All week we've relived the most memorable stories we've covered over the last twelve months. And now, we've reached the end of our list. And so here we are. These are the final two stories in our countdown: the biggest stories of the year 2005.
The increasing number of drug cases being filed ranks #2 in our countdown. It was U.S. Attorney for Guam and the CNMI Lenny Rapadas who said this year alone Guam's drug cases have doubled in comparison to last year. He explained it's because the authorities are being vigilant at the various ports, telling KUAM News, "There's recent arrests of drugs coming thru the Airport, which is an indication of our success rate to stop drugs at the border. And we're talking mainly ice."
There's no denying drugs are is a serious problem on Guam, particularly "ice". In 2005 we saw a firefighter indicted on drug charges and sentenced; Troy Santos along with two other individuals were indicted on allegations of selling the drug. Then there's police rookie Jason Ortiola, who was also facing federal charges and was fired from the Guam Police Department. His case however had been removed from the federal court calendar.
There's also been a number of other people who have been indicted on drug charges as the feds have cracked down on smugglers trying to bring in drugs as far away as Mexico and Las Vegas. There's also those who are accused of setting up illegal meth labs, one such bust going down at the Reef Hotel in Tumon. The increase in local meth labs has the feds being even more vigilant in the war on drugs.
Said Rapadas, "Specifically from the [Drug Enforcement Agency] for every one person that learns to cook ice, make ice, there's another ten who also know or ten that he will teach. On Guam, being so small, probably five, which is a problem."
And now for the #1 story of 2005. It was on January 8 the nuclear powered submarine the U.S.S. San Francisco ran into a seamount, killing 24-year-old Machinist Mate 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley and injuring more than ninety other sailors. The damage to the Los Angeles-Class submarine was estimated at $88,000,000.
While Navy officials couldn't immediately comment on the investigation of the fatal crash, this past May the investigation findings were released to the public by the U.S. Pacific Fleet, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In a 147-page report the findings pointed to the submarine's top leaders and watch-teams for failing to develop and execute a safe voyage plan for its mission and its crew.
On January 8 the U.S.S. San Francisco was submerged at a depth of 525' and transiting at maximum speed when it hit a seamount near the Caroline Islands.
Ashley, originally of Akron Ohio, died from the collision and another 97 of the 137 crewmembers reported injuries ranging from minor bruising and muscle strains to two who suffered dislocated shoulders. According to the report, Ashley's head injury was inevitably critical. His death and the injury of the other crewmembers were in the line of duty and not due to misconduct. The findings however did find misconduct with the leadership of the submarine.
Of the commanding officer of the San Francisco, the report stated, "He [Commander Kevin Mooney] chose to operate the U.S.S. San Francisco at maximum speed with no navigation risk mitigation measures in effect, despite several islands, atolls and rapidly shoaling areas in the vicinity of the ship's intended track. Further, he chose not to take precautions such as stationing additional navigation watch standards, establishing limits on speed and depth, and reducing the navigational sounding interval. Had the commanding officer instituted specified operational procedures and exercised prudent navigation practices, the grounding, even if not avoid altogether, would have been significantly less severe."
The report stated neither the commanding officer nor his navigation team exercised due care. As for why the seamount did not appear on the chart the navigation team was using, according to the report they failed to examine all charts that were available and on board the submarine. Also stated was, "Charts and supporting documentation products aboard the U.S.S. San Francisco were sufficient to identify navigation hazards along, and adjacent to the ship's intended track. Continuous and complete reliance on the accuracy and fidelity of a single navigation chart, when other charts with critical information were readily available, led to this grounding."
It was a month after the collision that Commander Mooney was relieved of his command of the San Francisco. Six crew members were punished in March, none were identified for privacy reasons, but they included enlisted, senior enlisted and an officer. The punishments included reduction in rate and punitive letters of reprimand.
In August the submarine was moved from Guam to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington for permanent repairs. The fast attack submarine the U.S.S. Buffalo has been named its replacement, and is scheduled to arrive in 2007. But family members of the submarine's crew have begun the relocation process in the fall of 2006.
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