SeaWaves Today in History September 6, 2008 September 6 1535 - Jacques Cartier 1491-1557 arrives at Ile-aux-Coudres; sails west the following day toward Quebec 1620 - Pilgrims set sail from Plymouth England to the New World 1775 - At St. Jean (on the Richelieu River), an attempt by the Americans to effect a landing is repelled by a band of Mohawk warriors, led by Peter Johnson. Among the prisoners is Ethan Allan, who has recently brought fame to himself with the capture of Ticonderoga 1776 - The Turtle, a one-man hand-powered submersible constructed by David Bushnell for the American revolutionary forces, and manned by Sergeant Ezra Lee, attempted to attack the Royal Navy flagship in New York. Turtle successfully evaded detection, but Sergeant Lee was unable to attach a mine to the hull of HMS Eagle. Eagle's hull had been sheathed in copper. Unable to force the Turtle against the warship enough, it's elementary hand-cranked drill bit was unable to penetrate into the wood 1814 - British raiders capture the American schooner Scorpion off of Ft. Michilimackinac (entrance to Lakes Michigan and Huron), effectively securing control of Lake Huron 1862 - George Herrick Duggan civil engineer, boat designer, yachtsman, was born on this day at Montreal in 1862; died Oct. 8 1946. Duggan designed and built a total of 142 racing yachts. In 1896, sailing for the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club of Montreal, he skippered his Glencairn I to victory over the Americans in the Seawanhaka Cup, a small yacht alternative to the America's Cup, and defended the cup for the next eight years 1864 - A Royal Navy squadron under Sir Augustus Kuper landed an assault party at Shimonoseki in Japan to deal with a local warlord who had opened fire on western shipping. Three Victoria Crosses were awarded for gallantry during the attack on the fort - Midshipman Boyes, aged 17, who carried the Queen's Colors at the head of the assault; a petty officer, Pride, who acted as Boyes' color sergeant; and Ordinary Seaman Seeley, an American serving in the Royal Navy, who became the first US citizen to win the VC 1898 - The Customs House at Candia in Crete came under attack, and HMS Hazard dispatched a shore party to help the defenders. During the fighting, the ship's surgeon, Maillard, ran through the firing to attempt to rescue a mortally wounded seaman who was drifting away in a boat. Maillard was unable to help him, and by the time he got back under cover, his clothes were found to have been peppered with shots, although miraculously he had not suffered injury. Maillard became the only naval surgeon to win the Victoria Cross 1901 - President McKinley was shot and mortally wounded by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. McKinley died eight days later; he was succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt 1909 - American explorer Robert Peary sent word that he had reached the North Pole five months earlier 1910 - Cruiser HMCS Niobe commissioned Devonport 1915 - Cruiser HMCS Niobe paid off & became depot ship in Halifax 1918 - Minesweeper USS Brant commissioned 1918 - Sailors fire first of the 5 railroad batteries at Tergnier, a German railhead in the Comeigne Forest. These 14"-50 caliber guns were originally designed for battleships 1933 - Heavy cruiser USS Minneapolis launched 1937 - Britain and France issued invitation to a "piracy" conference at Nyon 1939 - U-103 laid down 1939 - U-38 sank SS Manaar 1939 - U-47 sank SS Rio Claro 1939 - Patrol craft (ex fishing vessels) HMCS Van Isle & Malaspina commissioned 1939 - Union of South Africa declared war on Germany 1939 - Mr Turner, a Merchant Navy radio officer, won one of the first gallantry awards of the Second World War for staying aboard to rescue two badly injured sailors after their ship was attacked by a U-boat. He received the Empire Gallantry Medal, the forerunner to the George Cross 1939 - Navy begins formation of Neutrality Patrol for Atlantic Ocean 1939 - South Africa declared war on Germany 1939 - French authorities remove two seamen of German nationality from US freighter SS Exochorda at Marseilles 1939 - The RN's British Northern Patrol (7th and 12th Cruiser Squadrons) commences operation between Shetland and Faeroe Islands, and Iceland. Light cruisers HMS Caledon, HMS Calypso, HMS Diomede, HMS Dragon, HMS Effingham, HMS Emerald, HMS Cardiff and HMS Dunedin are the ships that undertake this work. The patrol stops 108 merchantmen over the next three weeks, ordering 28 into the port of Kirkwall to have their cargoes inspected 1939 - German liner Bremen breaches the British blockade and puts into Murmansk after a dash from New York 1939 - Commander Atlantic Squadron (Rear Admiral Alfred W. Johnson) begins to establish the offshore Neutrality Patrol. The seaplane tenders USS Gannet and USS Thrush sail for San Juan, Puerto Rico, to establish a seaplane base there 1940 - U-134 & U-406 laid down 1940 - Corvette HMS Campanula commissioned 1940 - Corvette HMS Godetia sunk in collision with merchant ship Marsa 3 miles off Altacarry Head (55-118n, 05-57w). First Flower-class corvette lost 1940 - First destroyers transferred to Great Britain at Halifax, Nova Scotia, under "Destroyers-for- Bases agreement 1940 - The United States announced proposed use of leased naval and air bases by other American Republics 1940 - HMCS Margaree ex-HMS Diana, a Decoy or D-class fleet destroyer, was commissioned into the RCN at Londonderry, Northern Ireland. She was purchased for $886,847, approximately the average cost of the five C-class destroyers purchased previously by the RCN. All other old A- to I-class fleet destroyers transferred to the RCN subsequently during the war were presented as gifts to the Government of Canada in return for the stationing of Canadian Tribal-class destroyers with the British Home Fleet 1940 - HMS Duchess arrives in Halifax, bringing the members of the Tizard Mission and a black metal box containing, amongst other things, six examples of the cavity magnetron. This would later be described as "the most important cargo to reach our (North American) shores" 1940 - The first eight ‘flushdeck’ destroyers to be transferred from the United States to Great Britain under the “Destroyers-for-Bases” agreement arrived at Halifax NS. Under the command of Captain Ferdinand L. Reichmuth, Commander Destroyers, US Atlantic Fleet, the American force constituted a full destroyer flotilla of eight destroyers, a flotilla leader, and the Altair-class destroyer tender USS Denebola. Captain Reichmuth’s flagship was the new Sims-class destroyer USS Russell, which had only been commissioned on 03 Nov 39. The eight ships to be transferred were divided equally between the visually identical Wickes and Clemson classes. The Wickes-class ships were USS Aaron Ward, Buchanan, Crowninshield and Hale. The Clemson-class ships were USS Abel P Upshur, Welborn, Herndon and Welles. Contrary to popular opinion, none of the eight ships to be transferred were taken directly from reserve status and handed over to the RN. All eight ships had been recommissioned at least during 1939 and all had been engaged in operations on the neutrality patrols. Two ships were recommissioned considerably earlier and had served for extended periods with both the US Atlantic and Pacific Fleets; Crowninshield (1930) and Buchanan (1934). Denebola was present to provide last-minute ‘running repairs’ before the transfer was completed. All eight destroyers were decommissioned from the USN on 09 Sep and commissioned into the RN on the same day. USS Crowninshield was commissioned as HMS Chelsea (I35). She reached Devonport, England, on 28 Sep 1940 and was assigned to the Sixth Escort Group, Western Approaches Command, for local escort duty. In Nov 42, Chelsea became one of eight ‘flushdeckers’ lent to the RCN. She served with Canadian forces until the Dec 43, operated with both the Mid-Ocean Escort Force and Western Escort Forces. Chelsea returned to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on 26 Dec 43 and, in early 44, was reduced to reserve status in the Tyne estuary. On 16 Jul 44, she was transferred to Russia and renamed Derskni. "By the long arm of coincidence" (as British Prime Minister Churchill puts it) the Royal Navy crews assigned to man the ships arrive simultaneously 1940 - The warm generosity with which the US meets the British request for ships contrasts markedly with the cold response to the Uruguayan government's request to purchase three destroyers. US Minister to Uruguay Edwin C. Wilson recounts an interview with "a leading Uruguayan" who complains - "Having been exhorted to cooperate in continental defense, we want to build up our pitifully non-existent Navy, and we ask you to let us have two or three old destroyers that have been lying useless in your ports since the last war. You handed over fifty of these destroyers to Great Britain, and we see pictures reproduced in the papers of quantities of these ships tied up in your ports, looking like so many toy vessels in a shop window. Yet, you tell us that you find it impossible to let us have even a single one of these." Secretary of State Hull confidentially informs Minister Wilson that the USN believes "that the strategic situation in the North Atlantic does not permit the disposal of any destroyers to Uruguay at the present time, the more so as this would inevitably lead to similar requests from other American republics for [the] purchase of destroyers" 1941 - Destroyer HMS Tuscan laid down 1941 - Light cruiser USS Astoria laid down 1941 - Minesweeper HMCS Granby launched 1941 - Corvette HMCS Brantford launched 1941 - Light cruiser HMS Argonaut launched 1941 - Anti-aircraft cruisers USS Atlanta & San Juan launched 1941 - Light cruiser USS Cleveland launched 1941 - Corvette HMCS Morden commissioned 1941 - U-438 launched 1941 - U-141 sank SS King Erik 1941 - U-95 sank SS Trinidad 1941 - Minesweeper HMCS Burlington commissioned 1942 - U-109 sank SS Tuscan Star 1942 - U-375 sank SS Turkian 1942 - Patrol Vessel District YP-74 sunk by collision 1942 - U-514 sank SS Helen Forsey 1942 - Armed yacht HMCS Raccoon (no survivors) & SS Aeas (29 survivors) sunk by U-165 in Convoy QS-33 1942 - Germans announced the capture of Novorossiysk, the key port of the Soviet Black Sea fleet since the fall of Sebastopol 1942 - The Canadian Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Transportation Co. bulk laker John A Holloway (1,745 GRT) was sunk by a torpedo from U-164, KKpt. Otto Fechner, CO, in the Caribbean Sea, in position 14.10N, 071.30W. The ship was on route with a cargo comprised mainly of construction materials from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Trinidad, where she was to load bauxite. One crewmember was lost. U-164 surfaced after the attack and questioned the survivors, who had taken to two lifeboats and two rafts. The 23 survivors sailed in the lifeboats to Santa Marta, Columbia. The first boat arrived at 1900 on 12 Sep and the second arrived after midnight on the 13th. Although they were suffering from dehydration, there were no casualties while in the boats. U-164 was a long-range Type IXC submarine built by Deutsche Schiff Machinenbau AG, Seebreck Yards, at Bremen. She was commissioned on 28 Nov 41. U-164 conducted two patrols and compiled a record of three ships sunk for a total of 8,133 tons. She was sunk on 06 Jan 43 in the South Atlantic, NW of Pernambuco, in position 01.58S, 039.22W, by depth charges from an American PBY ‘Catalina’ patrol aircraft from USN VP-83 Squadron. The aircraft was returning to its base in Brazil after covering a convoy when it happened upon the surfaced submarine quite by chance. The pilot conducted an urgent attack with all four depth charges that lifted the submarine from the water and broke it in two. Survivors were seen in the water and a raft was dropped to them. Three men were observed to clamber into the raft and two managed to reach the coast of Brazil, where they were eventually captured. They were the only survivors from U-164’s crew of 54 men. KKpt. Otto Fechner was her only commander and was among those lost. Otto Fechner was born in 1905, at Kröben, Posen. He joined the navy in 1924 and was a KorvettenKapitän by 1939. He served as the Radio and Signals Officer in the battlecruiser Gneisenau until Aug 40, when he was posted ashore as the commander of the Northern Naval Signals Division. He transferred the U-boat Force in Mar 41 and, after conversion training, went directly to an at-sea U-boat commander’s training course in the long-range Type IXC boat U-108, commanded by the ‘ace’ KptLt. Klaus Scholtz, Knight’s Cross, Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. He was appointed to commission U-164 on 28 Nov 41, at the age of 36. Otto Fechner was lost when U-164 was sunk in the South Atlantic on 06 Jan 43. He sank ships for a total of 8,133 tons. The sinkings of John A Holloway and U-164 both contain remarkable stories of survival at sea by mariners. Manpower shortages were a serious problem in Allied countries and it was common for survivors of merchant vessels to be shipped on the next available ship, without the benefit of a recuperative leave. Whereas military survivors, including prisoners, were considered a responsibility of the state taking them into their custody, merchant mariners were considered a ‘corporate responsibility’ and they got no assistance when making their way home. Frequently, even the company owning the lost vessel would disown the survivors and leave them stranded in remote places, forcing them to fend for themselves with only whatever clothes they had on when the ship sank and depending on local charity to survive 1942 - In the Aleutians, a USAAF B-24 Liberator flying patrol and armed reconnaissance over Tanaga Island, attacks an IJN mine layer and strafes a tender as well as nearby tents and buildings 1942 - At Milne Bay, the Japanese retreat and destroyers sail into the bay to start withdrawing their defeated men 1942 - Battleship USS South Dakota strikes an uncharted corral pinnacle in Lahai Passage, Tongatabu Island, and suffers extensive damage to her hull. South Dakota is one of only three modern battleships in the Pacific Fleet and its temporary loss is keenly felt. She will return to Pearl Harbor for repairs on 12 September and will not return to the fleet until 12 October 1942 - 12 SBDs of the Scouting Squadron Three (VS-3) in USS Saratoga arrive at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal for duty with the Cactus Air Force 1943 - Frigates HMS Caicos & Cayman launched 1943 - The Canadian-built, British-registered cargo ship Fort Drew (7,130 GRT) was damaged by a mine in position 35.52N, 014.47E. There is no record of loss of life in this incident. Fort Drew was a North Sands-class freighter built by North Van Ship Repairs, Ltd., at North Vancouver BC. She was completed in Dec 42. Fort Drew was one of 90 North Sands-class freighters built in Canada for American order under the Hyde Park Declaration and subsequently provided to Great Britain under the Lend-Lease Agreement. Maclay, McIntyre Ltd., of Glasgow, Scotland, managed the ship for the British government. Twenty-four of these ships were sunk and another twelve were damaged (one ship was damaged a second time). Four of the ships damaged were beyond economical repair and were declared Constructive Total Losses. Two of the other ships damaged were subsequently lost 1943 - Destroyer escorts USS Kephart & Cofer launched 1943 - Minesweeper USS Implicit launched 1943 - Destroyer KNM Stord (ex HMS Success) commissioned 1943 - HMS Puckeridge was escorting convoy NSM-1 from Gibraltar to Oran and was attacked by U-617 with a spread of 4 torpedoes of which 2 hit the ship, causing her to sink about 40 miles east of Gibraltar. 129 men were rescued 1943 - Submarine HMS P-512 paid off & returned to USN at Philadelphia 1943 - Corvette HMCS Fennel completed forecastle extension refit Baltimore MD 1943 - Prime Minister Churchill, speaking at Harvard University, urged Anglo-American alliance after the war 1943 - Submarine USS Halibut sinks a Japanese merchant cargo ship off the west coast of Honshu, Japan and later hits heavy cruiser HIJMS Nachi with one dud torpedo 1943 - RAAF Beauforts sink a small Japanese cargo vessel 21 miles east of Garove Island, in the Bismarck Archipelago 1944 - HMS Whitethroat (later HMCS/CNAV Whitethroat) launched Beverly UK 1944 - Submarine HMS Tabard laid down 1944 - Submarine USS Torsk launched 1944 - Corvette HMCS Humberstone commissioned 1944 - Destroyer HMS Zephyr commissioned 1944 - U-929 & U-1304 commissioned 1944 - U-2523, U-2524 & U-3016 laid down 1944 - Bulgaria asked Russia for an armistice, and declared war on Germany 1944 - USS Independence begins use of specially trained air group for night work. First time that a fully equipped night carrier operates with fast carrier task force 1944 - Submarine USS Bashaw sinks a transport west of Mindanao 1944 - Submarine USS Spadefish sinks a transport, army cargo ship & two merchant cargo ships 1944 - In the western Pacific, carrier-based aircraft of the USN's Task Groups 38.1, 38.2 and 38.3 (13 aircraft carriers) begin a 3-day preinvasion bombardment of the Palau Islands; a fighter sweep discloses no aerial opposition and reveals much damage caused by prior USAAF and USN strikes. Aboard the light aircraft carrier USS Independence, assigned to Task Group 38.2, is Night Light Carrier Air Group Forty-One [CVLG(N)-41] trained for night operations. CVLG(N)-41 is composed of Night Fighting Squadron Forty One [VF(N)-41) with 9 F6F-5N Hellcats and Night Torpedo Squadron Forty One (VTN-41) with 13 TBM-1D Avengers. The Independence is the first fully equipped night carrier operating with a fast carrier task force 1944 - Aircraft of Task Group 38.4 (3 aircraft carriers) attack Yap Atoll in the Caroline Islands 1944 - USN awards a contract to McDonnell Aircraft Corporation for the development of the Gargoyle or LBD-1, a radio controlled low-wing gliding bomb fitted with a rocket booster and designed for launching from carrier-based dive-bombers and torpedo planes against enemy ships 1944 - Coast Guard-manned Army vessel FS-526 was commissioned at New Orleans with LT Francis M. Holbrook, USCGR, as commanding officer. She was assigned to and operated in the Southwest Pacific and Western Pacific areas including Mindoro, etc. She was turned over to the Philippine government after the war 1945 - Submarine HMS Seneschal commissioned 1945 - Frigate HMS Start Bay commissioned 1945 - US troops begin returning to US when Task Force 11 left Tokyo Bay for US 1945 - Japanese surrender Maleolap Atoll in ceremony on destroyer escort USS Wingfield 1945 - The USN's Force 11 (Vice Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) sails from Tokyo Bay for the West Coast 1946 - The US Air-Rescue Agency, an inter-departmental group headed by the Commandant of the Coast Guard and engaged on the study of improved and standardized rescue and search methods, was renamed the Search and Rescue Agency. "Search and Rescue Units of the Coast Guard were at the same time integrated into the peace time organization and the whole developed into a system of constantly alerted communications, coastal lookout, and patrols of institute instant and systematic search and rescue procedure in case of disasters" 1947 - USS Midway successfully launches a captured German V-2 rocket in Operation Sandy 1953 - Exchange of prisoners of war from Korean War (Operations Big Switch) ends 1955 - RCN VU 32 Avenger #69399 written off after striking the ground at HMCS Shearwater. It crashed on 26 March 1955 and was s/o/s on 17 May 1955. It was an Avenger AS 3 Mk 1 1966 - South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd was stabbed to death by a deranged page during a parliamentary session in Cape Town 1968 - USS Bon Homme Richard port call Subic Bay 1968 - USS Hancock port call Subic Bay 1969 - USS Constellation port call Subic Bay 1971 - USS Midway port call Yokosuka 1971 - USS Enterprise port call Subic Bay 1990 - Department of Defense announces that there have been about 580 intercepts and about 25 boardings since maritime intercept operations began. Amphibious ships USS Nassau, USS Raleigh, USS Pensacola and USS Saginaw, with components of the 4th MEB embarked, transit the Suez Canal. The Fast Sealift Cargo Ship Denebola, with elements of the 24th (Mechanized) Infantry Division embarked, arrives in Saudi Arabia. Effective today, Liberia and Kuwait are designated as countries at which Imminent Danger Pay is authorized 1990 - Operation Sharp Edge continues as 76 more people are evacuated. This brings the total number of people evacuated from Liberia to 1,936, including 151 Americans 1995 - Hurricane Luis moved away from the Caribbean after lashing resort islands 2003 - Aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush laid down 2004 - Former hurricane Frances pounded the Florida Panhandle as a tropical storm 2005 - CCGS Sir William Alexander sailed for the Louisiana coast along with the Canadian Navy ships HMCS Athabaskan, Ville de Quebec and Toronto. The Coast Guard vessel will support the Canadian Navy in the amphibious rescue operations and will be under the command of the Naval Task Force Commander. Sir William Alexander will carry equipment such as pumps, generators and medical supplies for the Navy. In addition, the vessel carries 2 fast response craft, a helicopter and other vessels 2005 - The Board of Inquiry (BOI) into the RAN Sea King helicopter accident that occurred on 2 April 2005, at Nias, in Indonesia begins at Randwick Barracks, Avoca Street, Randwick, Sydney 2005 - London Coastguard will coordinate an exercise to be held at the Thames Flood Barrier. This exercise has been devised to test the extraction of an injured person from one of the Barrier piers. The exercise will be performed two or three times utilizing several different search and rescue resources, including a search and rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. The location of the exercise is Pier 8, South side, within Span B. The coordination of the exercise will be from London Coastguard operations room 2005 - Rand Acquisition Corporation announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. and Grand River Navigation Company, Inc. Port Dover, Ontario-based Lower Lakes Towing, together with its wholly-owned US subsidiary, Lower Lakes Transportation Company, is a leading provider of bulk freight shipping services throughout the Great Lakes region. Grand River charters four US flag vessels to Lower Lakes Transportation under long-term time charters. Under the terms of the acquisition, Rand, through its newly-formed subsidiary, will purchase all of the stock of Lower Lakes Towing and Grand River for $53.73 million less the amount of indebtedness to be refinanced at closing of the acquisition. The transaction will be financed through a combination of cash on hand, the private placement of $15.0 million of Rand's newly-created Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and $22.5 million of senior debt financing from an institutional lending source. The companies, which began operations in 1994, operate a fleet of seven River Class self-unloading carriers and one integrated self-unloading tug/barge unit representing more than one-third of all River Class vessels servicing the Great Lakes. The companies have long-term contracts with a diverse customer base in the construction aggregates, integrated steel, salt, agriculture and electric utility industries to transport aggregates, iron ore, coal, limestone, salt, agricultural products and other dry bulk commodities. The companies' smaller, more versatile, self-unloading fleet is able to gain entry to ports that are difficult or impractical for larger ships to access. In addition, the fleet characteristics, cargo mix and skilled management facilitate highly efficient and productive operations. The companies are the only carriers able to offer significant domestic port-to-port services in both Canada and the US on the Great Lakes. Grand River's vessels operate under the US Jones Act, which dictates that only ships that are built, crewed and owned by US citizens can operate between US ports. Lower Lakes Towing's vessels operate under the auspices of the Canada Marine Act, which requires Canadian commissioned ships to operate between Canadian ports. In connection with the acquisition, Rand will impose customary limitations on its share ownership to ensure continued Jones Act compliance 2005 - Martians Inc. announced that it has signed a contract with Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc. to build three new articulated tug-barge units, each having a carrying capacity of 335,000 barrels. Each barge will be connected to a 12,000 horsepower tug boat utilizing the latest version of the Intercon connection system. The Company also announced that it has signed a long-term volume contract for lightering services with Sunoco Inc. (R&M). Maritrans estimates that approximately 70% of the annual total barrels lightered by the Company will be fulfilled through the Sunoco contract, while the remaining volume will be delivered to other Maritrans lightering customers on the Delaware River. Construction of the three new vessels will take place at both the Bender Shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Alabama and at their affiliated company, the Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Company, in Tampa, Florida. Maritrans estimates that the total cost of construction, including owner furnished equipment, will be approximately $77.5 million for each tug-barge unit. Maritrans expects to take delivery of the first unit in October of 2007, with the remaining two vessels expected to be delivered seven months apart in May and December of 2008, respectively. With the addition of the three units, Maritrans will become not only the largest owner/operator of vessels in its class size, but will also be the largest tug & barge US coastwise operator based on carrying capacity 2005 - The United Nations refugee agency said that it was appalled that yet another group of at least 45 Somalis and Ethiopians died last week at sea while crossing the Gulf of Aden in an attempt to reach Yemen aboard smugglers' boats from Somalia 2005 - Taiwan has demonstrated its naval power in a high-profile drill, as President Chen Shui-bian pressed for a 340-bln-twd US arms deal to improve the island's defense capability against rival China. At least 800 soldiers, two frigates, two missile boats and two S-70C anti-submarine helicopters were mobilized for the drill, which reached its climax as a torpedo launched from Hai Hu (Sea Tiger), a Dutch-built Sword Dragon-class submarine, hit its target. 'The purpose of the drill is to examine the attack capabilities of the Sword Dragon-class submarine,' the navy said in a statement. The exercise presided over by naval commander Admiral Chen Pang-chih was televised live to dozens of journalists invited to the naval base, in a gesture apparently intended to boost the navy's image, which was marred after a torpedo missed a target during a similar exercise last year 2005 - Kerr-McGee Corp. announced that it has now restarted a total of approximately 105,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/d) of its total net Gulf of Mexico production, which averaged approximately 130,000 BOE/d prior to the hurricane. On a worldwide basis, the company's production has reached approximately 93% of its average pre-hurricane net daily production. The Kerr-McGee-operated deepwater facilities, Nansen, Boomvang, Gunnison and Red Hawk, and shelf facilities operated by the company in the central and western gulf are producing at pre-hurricane levels. The company continues to inspect and repair minor damage to its eastern gulf shelf operations that remain shut in, including Main Pass 102, Main Pass 108 and Breton Sound. The Neptune facility has been fully inspected and is ready to restart production. Startup of remaining production will be dependent upon reopening of onshore oil terminals, gas processing facilities and pipelines. The company resumed installation activities for the Constitution and Ticonderoga development in the deepwater gulf, which remains on schedule to achieve first production in mid-2006. The spar hull and topsides for the development sustained no damage from the hurricane 2005 - Atwood Oceanics, Inc. announced that the Atwood Beacon, owned and operated by its wholly owned subsidiary Atwood Oceanics Pacific Limited, has been awarded a twenty-five month contract by Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. ("GSPC") to drill offshore India. The contract provides for a dayrate of $113,000 for the first thirteen (13) months and $133,500 for the last twelve months, with a moving rate of $110,000 plus all tow vessels to be provided by GSPC. Immediately upon the rig completing its current contract in Vietnam (estimated May/June 2006), it will be towed to Singapore by GSPC at a moving rate of $110,000. Upon arriving in Singapore, the rig will enter a shipyard to have its final section of legs installed, which will take approximately two (2) weeks to complete, with the downtime covered by $70,000 per day in remaining loss of hire insurance. Immediately upon leaving the shipyard, the rig will be mobilized to India 2005 - Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited (TEN) announced the sale of the 22 year-old single- hull M/T Tamyra for cash to third party interests. The sale will generate a net gain of approximately $2 million to be reflected in the Company's fourth quarter financial statements. Delivery to the new owners is expected to occur by the beginning of November 2005. The sale reduces TEN's single-hull exposure to just one vessel, the M/T Vergina II, and is in line with the Company's stated policy to operate exclusively a fleet of modern double-hull vessels 2005 - Indian submarine Sindhugosh completed post-refit trials in the White Sea 2005 - The Coast Guard is investigating a suspected collision between a tugboat and a recreational vessel that occurred near Point Defiance WA around 2145. A 22-foot recreational vessel contacted Coast Guard Sector Seattle via cell phone reporting they were adrift with a dead battery. While a man onboard the vessel was on the phone with a commercial tug company arranging to be towed, he noticed a tug pushing a barge bearing down on them. One of the three people onboard the vessel tried to get the attention of the tug with a small flashlight but those attempts failed. The tug Island Storm then allegedly collided with the recreational boat, forcing the three people onboard to jump off into the water. The Coast Guard diverted an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Group/Air Station Astoria, Ore., to assist in recovering the three people. Tacoma Police and Fire Department also responded. The Island Storm picked up all three people safely and transferred them to the commercial tugboat the recreational boaters had contacted earlier. The father, son and daughter-in-law were then transferred from the commercial tugboat to a Tacoma Police and Fire boat for examination. The winds at the time of the collision were 5-10 knots and visibility was reported as 10 miles 2005 - Hospitalman Robert N. Martens, 20, of Queen Creek, Ariz., died Sept. 6, from injuries sustained as a passenger when his HMMWV rolled over in Al Qaim, Iraq. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Martens was assigned to II Marine Division, Camp Lejeune NC 2005 - The remains of a massive Gold Rush-era sailing ship dating to the early 1800s have been discovered at the site of a large construction project in downtown San Francisco, archaeologists at the scene confirmed. The ship's decaying bow peeked through mounds of earth as workers under the direction of an archaeologist brushed away generations of dirt from its aging timbers. A dig crew unearthed the first portions of the ship last week as they carved away dirt to lay the foundation for a 650-unit condominium development 2005 - Rowan Companies, Inc. reported today that a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter carrying 10 passengers and two crewmembers crashed in the Gulf of Mexico. All 12 persons aboard, including eight Rowan employees, were rescued last night by the US Coast Guard and transported to nearby hospitals. Six Rowan employees have been treated for minor injuries and released. The other two employees remain hospitalized for treatment and observation. Neither appears to have suffered any life-threatening injuries. The helicopter had departed Rowan's jack-up rig, the Bob Keller, located in High Island Block 346 at approximately 1545 CDT enroute to the Company's Sabine Pass, Texas facility. At just after 1600 a distress signal was received by the Federal Aviation Administration. The helicopter was found approximately 23 miles south of Sabine Pass 2005 - Chilean CGC Grumete David Campos seized 34 kilos of narcotics 23 miles north Iquique 2005 - Royal New Zealand Navy's new Multi Role Vessel (MRV) laid down at Merwede Shipyard in Rotterdam 2006 - Pakistani and US Navy joint exercise “Inspired Union 06” in the Northern Arabian Sea 2006 - Mr. Darcy Clarkson, President and CEO, P&O Ports Canada, welcomes Mr. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, Dubai World Group, and up to 150 senior port industry officials to attend the opening of the newly expanded Centerm Terminal in Vancouver 2006 - Moose Boats delivered a M2-35 fire/rescue boat to the Tiburon Fire Protection District of Tiburon CA. The vessel is a 35.5-ft. all aluminum catamaran powered by twin Cummins 380 hp turbo diesels propelled by Hamilton HJ292 water jets. This boat can attain a top speed of over 35 knots and operates at a service speed of approximately 27 knots 2006 - The federal and provincial governments announced the start of a foundations investigations study in Windsor that will lead to a better understanding of the bedrock stability in areas where a new international bridge spanning the Detroit River could be located 2006 - Two servicemen were killed and one injured in a fire onboard a Russian nuclear submarine. The fire aboard Daniil Moskovsky of the Russian Northern Fleet was put out at midnight and there is no threat of a radiation leak 2006 - Tom Watson MP has resigned his position as Under Secretary of State for Defense and Minister for Veterans. Mr Watson, who had been in post since May 2006, will be replaced by Derek Twigg MP, a former junior minister at the Department for Transport 2006 - Crowley Maritime Corporation’s Vessel Management Services subsidiary has signed a contract with VT Halter Marine Inc. to build four more articulated tug-barge (ATB), 185,000-barrel tank vessels. The new vessels will have an estimated delivered cost of approximately $236 million, including owner-furnished equipment. The vessels will be delivered in six-month intervals between the first half of 2009 and the end of 2010 2006 - Sean Connaughton of Triangle, VA sworn in as Maritime Administrator by Acting Secretary of Transportation Maria Cino in a ceremony at the Department of Transportation headquarters 2007 - Lt.-Cmdr Ron Gilby assumed command of HMCS Summerside during a Change of Command held on the ship at HMC Dockyard in Halifax. Gilby replaces Lt.-Cmdr Peter Koch Copyright 2008 Shirlaw News Group ISSN 1710-6966 Today in History Archives This information is licensed to the recipient only. Images may be subject to copyright. Ask before you right-click. To contact us: 418-145 West Keith Rd North Vancouver BC V7M 1L3 Canada Phone: 778-338-4073 Fax: 778-338-4074 Read our Maritime Mishap Blog Manage your subscription