Chapter 47
Singapore, Changi Naval Base
Nov 13, 2006, 02:50 local time
Admiral Collins stood on the bridge of the USS Blue Ridge, the Seventh Fleet's Command Ship, and reviewed the stream of communications from the US Embassy in Singapore and directly from the Pentagon in Washington.
They urged him to do things that he had great difficulty reconciling. The Embassy wanted him to ensure The Navy did nothing on Singaporean territory or in Singaporean waters that Singapore hadn't previously agreed to. The Pentagon ordered him to take whatever measures were necessary to ensure the safety of the Fleet and the US servicemen on board.
The latest communication from the Embassy relayed Singapore's demand that the US Navy not fire on the LNG Carrier, because of the risks of a fire or explosion on board. They must have been receiving similar advice about the risk of the cargo of liquefied gas explosively igniting.
The Admiral said, “Get me Captain Fordham at the Embassy.”
A few seconds later one his subordinates passed him a handset.
“Captain Fordham?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“We are convinced the destroyer's five inch gun targeted against the Hanjin Sun's propulsion and steering mechanism is our best option for disabling the ship. We are also convinced this poses no risk of damaging the gas containment vessels. I want you to persuade Singapore's Armed Forces and its Government that this is the best option for stopping the LNG carrier. Although, you should know that I have already issued the orders and intend to confirm them whether the Singaporeans agree or not. It's just better if they do agree.”
“I understand, Admiral.”
Admiral Collins turned to his First Officer and said, “Tell Captains Jakob and Smith of the Lassen and Fitzgerald, their orders are amended as follows. If naval gunfire fails to stop or disable the Hanjin Sun, their ships are to return to the Naval Base and blockade the entrance.
The Admiral returned to his primary problem, getting the Fleet's aircraft carrier, the USS Kitty Hawk, ready for sea. The Kitty Hawk's Captain was adamant they couldn't leave for another hour. The ship's fuel system had been undergoing maintenance when he gave the order to deploy to sea. The Kitty Hawk was the Navy's oldest ship and its thirty year old fuel system, a constant source of problems. Without fuel to feed the boilers that powered the ship's turbines, the Kitty Hawk wasn't going anywhere under its own steam.
When the Admiral had been informed there were no tugs available, he considered using the Blue Ridge to tow the Kitty Hawk out of the Naval Base. However, he reluctantly conceded that even if they could tow the aircraft carrier out of the harbor, they couldn't outrun the LNG carrier, with the aircraft carrier under tow.
Admiral Collins was faced with deciding whether to separate the Blue Ridge and Kitty Hawk. The Blue Ridge was ready to leave port, and could get to safety in time. Staying with the Kitty Hawk risked trapping it in the harbor along with the aircraft carrier.
The Admiral gave the order for the two supply ships to leave port and head for the South China Sea. The Fleet's only Frigate would provide an escort. The Blue Ridge would stay with the Kitty Hawk.
Admiral Collins heard the Captain Jakob of the USS Lassen say, “The Hanjin Sun is now three kilometers from our red line. Preparing to open fire.”
Admiral Collins watched an image of the LNG carrier from a UAV overhead. It showed what looked like the Hanjin Sun's crew on the ship's deck just forward of the infrastructure at the rear of the ship. One of the crew was pointing up at the UAV. The image from the UAV returned to the stern of the ship.
***
Captain Jakob had been told that the US Forces on board the LNG carrier had been ordered to evacuate the ship. He had seen the black-clad men descend into an inflatable, which was now well clear of the ship.
The images transmitted by the UAV showed the deck at the stern of the ship was clear of people.
He checked the LNG carrier's position. Less than a kilometer from the red line. The Singaporean assault he been expecting, hadn't materialized. Four helicopters had been hovering over the ocean for the last ten minutes, but had made no move to assault the ship. He had no idea what was delaying them.
Captain Jakob gave the order for the five-inch gun to open fire.
***
The Admiral returned to watching the image from the UAV circling over the rear of the LNG carrier. He watched the first shell from the USS Lassen's five-inch gun impact the ship's stern just below the waterline. Five seconds later the second shell impacted at almost the same point. After the third shell hit, he could see no discernible effect on the LNG carrier. The shells might be causing some damage to the propellers and rudder, but it wasn't having any effect on the progress of the ship.
“How far is the Hanjin Sun from the Naval Base?
“Less than four kilometers, Admiral.”
Admiral Collins knew they had run out of time. The LNG carrier would reach the entrance to the Naval Base before the USS Kitty Hawk and the USS Blue Ridge could exit into the Strait. He began to consider the unthinkable that the LNG carrier would enter the Naval Base with the Seventh Fleet's capital ships still inside. The LNG carrier was larger than the Kitty Hawk, the biggest ship in the fleet, and had been designed to sustain major impacts without damaging its integrity. Inside the Naval Base, without room to maneuver, his ships would be sitting ducks. And, if the experts were right, firing on the LNG carrier would risk a catastrophic explosion that would wipe out the entire fleet.
With a heavy heart, the Admiral ordered the two destroyers to return to the Naval Base and take up positions blocking the entrance. Both Captains would know that using their ships to physically block the LNG carrier's entry into the Naval Base would be a suicide mission for one of the destroyers. If the massive LNG carrier struck amidships, it would likely break the ship in two and kill most of their crew.
Chapter 48
Nov 13, 2006, 02:50 local time
Admiral Collins stood on the bridge of the USS Blue Ridge, the Seventh Fleet's Command Ship, and reviewed the stream of communications from the US Embassy in Singapore and directly from the Pentagon in Washington.
They urged him to do things that he had great difficulty reconciling. The Embassy wanted him to ensure The Navy did nothing on Singaporean territory or in Singaporean waters that Singapore hadn't previously agreed to. The Pentagon ordered him to take whatever measures were necessary to ensure the safety of the Fleet and the US servicemen on board.
The latest communication from the Embassy relayed Singapore's demand that the US Navy not fire on the LNG Carrier, because of the risks of a fire or explosion on board. They must have been receiving similar advice about the risk of the cargo of liquefied gas explosively igniting.
The Admiral said, “Get me Captain Fordham at the Embassy.”
A few seconds later one his subordinates passed him a handset.
“Captain Fordham?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“We are convinced the destroyer's five inch gun targeted against the Hanjin Sun's propulsion and steering mechanism is our best option for disabling the ship. We are also convinced this poses no risk of damaging the gas containment vessels. I want you to persuade Singapore's Armed Forces and its Government that this is the best option for stopping the LNG carrier. Although, you should know that I have already issued the orders and intend to confirm them whether the Singaporeans agree or not. It's just better if they do agree.”
“I understand, Admiral.”
Admiral Collins turned to his First Officer and said, “Tell Captains Jakob and Smith of the Lassen and Fitzgerald, their orders are amended as follows. If naval gunfire fails to stop or disable the Hanjin Sun, their ships are to return to the Naval Base and blockade the entrance.
The Admiral returned to his primary problem, getting the Fleet's aircraft carrier, the USS Kitty Hawk, ready for sea. The Kitty Hawk's Captain was adamant they couldn't leave for another hour. The ship's fuel system had been undergoing maintenance when he gave the order to deploy to sea. The Kitty Hawk was the Navy's oldest ship and its thirty year old fuel system, a constant source of problems. Without fuel to feed the boilers that powered the ship's turbines, the Kitty Hawk wasn't going anywhere under its own steam.
When the Admiral had been informed there were no tugs available, he considered using the Blue Ridge to tow the Kitty Hawk out of the Naval Base. However, he reluctantly conceded that even if they could tow the aircraft carrier out of the harbor, they couldn't outrun the LNG carrier, with the aircraft carrier under tow.
Admiral Collins was faced with deciding whether to separate the Blue Ridge and Kitty Hawk. The Blue Ridge was ready to leave port, and could get to safety in time. Staying with the Kitty Hawk risked trapping it in the harbor along with the aircraft carrier.
The Admiral gave the order for the two supply ships to leave port and head for the South China Sea. The Fleet's only Frigate would provide an escort. The Blue Ridge would stay with the Kitty Hawk.
Admiral Collins heard the Captain Jakob of the USS Lassen say, “The Hanjin Sun is now three kilometers from our red line. Preparing to open fire.”
Admiral Collins watched an image of the LNG carrier from a UAV overhead. It showed what looked like the Hanjin Sun's crew on the ship's deck just forward of the infrastructure at the rear of the ship. One of the crew was pointing up at the UAV. The image from the UAV returned to the stern of the ship.
***
Captain Jakob had been told that the US Forces on board the LNG carrier had been ordered to evacuate the ship. He had seen the black-clad men descend into an inflatable, which was now well clear of the ship.
The images transmitted by the UAV showed the deck at the stern of the ship was clear of people.
He checked the LNG carrier's position. Less than a kilometer from the red line. The Singaporean assault he been expecting, hadn't materialized. Four helicopters had been hovering over the ocean for the last ten minutes, but had made no move to assault the ship. He had no idea what was delaying them.
Captain Jakob gave the order for the five-inch gun to open fire.
***
The Admiral returned to watching the image from the UAV circling over the rear of the LNG carrier. He watched the first shell from the USS Lassen's five-inch gun impact the ship's stern just below the waterline. Five seconds later the second shell impacted at almost the same point. After the third shell hit, he could see no discernible effect on the LNG carrier. The shells might be causing some damage to the propellers and rudder, but it wasn't having any effect on the progress of the ship.
“How far is the Hanjin Sun from the Naval Base?
“Less than four kilometers, Admiral.”
Admiral Collins knew they had run out of time. The LNG carrier would reach the entrance to the Naval Base before the USS Kitty Hawk and the USS Blue Ridge could exit into the Strait. He began to consider the unthinkable that the LNG carrier would enter the Naval Base with the Seventh Fleet's capital ships still inside. The LNG carrier was larger than the Kitty Hawk, the biggest ship in the fleet, and had been designed to sustain major impacts without damaging its integrity. Inside the Naval Base, without room to maneuver, his ships would be sitting ducks. And, if the experts were right, firing on the LNG carrier would risk a catastrophic explosion that would wipe out the entire fleet.
With a heavy heart, the Admiral ordered the two destroyers to return to the Naval Base and take up positions blocking the entrance. Both Captains would know that using their ships to physically block the LNG carrier's entry into the Naval Base would be a suicide mission for one of the destroyers. If the massive LNG carrier struck amidships, it would likely break the ship in two and kill most of their crew.
Chapter 48
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