SwiftVets.com

[The bandit]

Let me toss this monkey wrench into the fry:

The spot report claims the damage was the result of Battle Damage. The spot report also mentions that the boat was unable to continue with market patrol. Which suggest to me at least -- if no one else -- that this damage was caused on 13March.

I cannot imagine a boat being sent on a mission whose primary defense is speed...to be loaded down with troops..... anyone wanting anything to do with a boat with curled screws and loss of RPM's. You think the boats OINC would insist on a boat with a engine/drive 100% up to performance for such dangerous missions.

I can't see a boat like this being used or anyone wanting to use it, or any commander worth his salt willing to send a crew out on such a boat for combat operations. For this reason this damaged mush have, if it indeed ever did happen, occured on March 13 and not prior.
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[NavyChief]

et al.

I'm way out of my league here as far as repair knowledge. My experience with ships was 1 year onboard USS SPHINX ARL-24, 4 trips on subs USS AUGUSTA, USS PHILADELPHIA, USS OKLAHOMA CITY, and USS HYMAN G RICKOVER. I'm just an intell type

But this is what I see with regard to the CASREP:

PCF-94 CASREP - ship incapable of performing Market Time Patrol due to damage. Why was it incapable:

Blown out windows? (this happened the day before yet Kerry rode the boat out anyway) - NO, not this.

VRC-46 Radio and all remote units pilot house inop? (VRC-46 was comms net, however a backup radio was available and used on this mission) - NO, not this.

AC wiring shorted out? (no AC, sucks but not a mission stopper) - NO, not this.

ONAN Genator inop? (safety issue) - possible but not by itself.

Steerage control after helm inop? (another safety issue and ship control) - possible.

Starboard bilge pump broken? (safety issue) - possible but not by itself.

Screws curled and chipped? (ship control issue - loss of maximum speed available. Also makes boat louder) - possible but not what degree curled given. If seriously curled than it's a show stopper.

Radar gear box frozen? (safety issue - mission issue) - probable because boat will not operate at night without radar. Also, cannot see where bad guys on water are.

Main engines experienced RPM drop? (safety, control, mission issue) - probable but degree of RPM loss not stated.

Add it all up and the boat needs repairs. The estimated time to repair it was 4 days as stated in the CASREP. This means someone looked at it and gave an estimate; doesn't mean it took that long.

Message was sent from COMCOSDIV 11 (Elliot) to CTF 115 (Hoffman). Two of the info addees on message are important to note here: NAVSUPPACT DET AN THOI and USS KRISHNA. The repairs were to be effected at AN THOI according to the intent of this message. Dryhaul repairs probably with USS KRISHNA as addee for berthing space possibly.

NOTE: NO HULL DAMAGE STATED WHATSOEVER! No bullet holes. No crush damage from a mine. No shrapnel shredding the aluminum hull.

Just a humble opinion from an intell type. Please shred it to pieces for those more knowledgable. And I'm not being sarcastic either, I want to learn the truth about all this.

- instigator
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Working with Senator Kerry four years in the POW/MIA Office left me thinking -- when did the man ever do any work?

[rbshirley]