My brother was stationed on the USS Kitty hawk. He died at sea on that ship. He was only 19 yrs old. His job was to direct aircraft to land. He got tangle up on something and fell over board. They were off the coast of Vietnam and it was night time. They never found him. They have a building named after him at Millington Navel base in Memphis Tn. His name was Thomas B Goetsch. Still miss him and always will !!
I remember a plaque with a photo of him where I went to school at NATTC describing how had gone overboard and was not recovered. I was at NATTC from Aug 84 to May 85. A carrier flight deck is one of the most dangerous places to work on the entire planet. Jet intakes, jet exhausts, propellers and rotors whirling around, catapults and arresting gear, elevators and fuel operations and ordnance handling, all happening at once and all around you. And of course the possibility of, yes, falling overboard.
I was there when this occurred, I was in my berthing compartment getting out of my rack as I had the mid watch coming up. As my feet hit the deck I noticed an odd sound of a clanging against the hull, my berthing was on the starboard side at the waterline, the clanging got louder then faded, I could hear it passing by from fore to aft. The hull at that location is a double hull with a void of maybe 10 inches between them but the steel is pretty thick. Right away I knew we hit something rather sizable. I was planning to eat but instead decided I’d better get to my space and check that there are no problems. This collision was not very violent at all, 10 feet from where I heard the clanging was our TV lounge with about a dozen people engrossed in a movie on site tv, asking them if they noticed anything they sad I was nuts, there was no collision. Once down in my space the first thing I noticed was the smell of fuel, I yelled at the watch standers to start paying attention, smell the fuel, something happened! Well, first thing I diverted my distilling plants, all 3 of them. We took samples and all 3 had fuel carrying across the distillant side, that would only happen if the feed water pump ingested fuel, the suction for these pumps is 40 feet under water on the bottom of the hull dead center of the ship. I ran up to the central control station and told the Engineering officer of the watch what I’d heard and what I found in my space, all this occurred in about 10 minute period. I went back down in the pit to check the status, the ship slowed and then came to a stop. A few minutes later the CO came up on the 1MC asking if anyone had seen or heard anything. At the time we had just made a turn to head south and were making turns on the shafts for 18 knots, we had been on station for a few days just keeping a steady back and forth course, predictable and steady. That turn and speed change caught those Russian submariners by surprise, the next day we found we hit them broadside right in the middle, we had rolled them over. The EOOW later told me it was my report that brought us to all stop, a few minutes after we stopped a lookout saw sparks in the distance, that ended up the severely damaged submarine, they were lucky to have been able to resurface after that collision.
"This collision was not very violent at all, 10 feet from where I heard the clanging was our TV lounge with about a dozen people engrossed in a movie on site tv, asking them if they noticed anything they sad I was nuts, there was no collision." lol are you the guy described at 7:50?
I was aboard her as a lowly E2 at the time of this collision. Lol....yes a kill make of a Soviet submarine was painted on her Superstructure. We thought was pretty cool as crew members. Lol..
We would have Chinese subs following us quite often while running around in the South China Sea. One particular incident was quite humorous. I was on a guided missile cruiser while escorting the USS Ranger. We knew there was a sub following the battle group and was shadowing the carrier so we actually allowed them to get a bit closer. We engaged a deceptive sound decoy and at the same time the carrier trailed two of it's 4 shafts as we closed in to UNREP distance. We then had helicopters conduct touch and go's off of our flight deck so that the sub would think WE were the carrier(due to them hearing flight ops) and then we split off after a few hours. It worked. The sub followed US and the carrier peeled off north. After about two hours or so we resumed our normal posture and the sub immediately slowed and came to periscope depth undoubtedly to see WHO we really were!lol! After a quick peek, they also peeled off and headed home. I'd LOVE to had been on that bridge when they realized they'd been dupped!lol!
The saddest end to this story is that on Jan 15, 2022, the Kitty Hawk left Bremerton, WA bound for Brownsville, TX to be cut up and scrapped. This was the first supercarrier in US history and as much as we former Sailors raised in money and pleaded with out government to turn her into a floating museum, all was for naught. The govt felt she was better off being scrapped rather than see her sit alongside the USS North Csrolina in Wilmington, NC. I spend 4 years onboard her. The longest time I spent on any ship during my career and by far the largest (my career included the kitty, 2 frigates, a destroyer, and an ammo ship, as well as attached to 2 sub groups in an aux position.) This ship proved a lot of firsts to this country in shipbuilding, warfare, and seamanship and should have never been destroyed but here we are.
Sad but the steel and some parts WILL be recycled as will other materials. But reminiscing here is a great testimony to the crew and its service for many decades. 1956 keel laid down to 2022.... 66 years! Not bad for ANY ship in salt water, storms, winters and summers. IT is always sad to see any of mans constructions get destroyed. Large numbers of perfectly functional cruise ships, were scrapped since 2020! Eg "Carnival Inspiration" first sailed in 1996!
The Kitty Hawk's keel designation was CVA - 64. During construction, the actual CVA - 63 had a fire in dry dock. To keep construction on schedule the USS Constellation became the USS Kitty Hawk. And I think you know that this incident was sanitized. I was on the Kitty Hawk when it happened and it was close to being much worse than what has been made known.
I remember this incident well. I was a pilot stationed at NASNI back then. We never once thought the incident had any potential to escalate into anything more than a good laugh at the expense of Ivan. Lots of snickers at that red sub painted on the bridge and I was not aware anyone made them paint over it. And all the stuff about Soviet aircraft and ships coming out was standard fare for that era. Every battle group was visited by Bears and often May patrol planes (a P-3sky). There were clear rules of engagement and everyone followed the rules. Cowboys were frowned upon. Their ships would try to get close to the carrier and our ships would get on either side and, um, escort them away so close their wakes blended together. We played a little rough sometimes but the Russians weren't suicidal and were mostly professional. Everyone wanted to go home to their families.
It's crazy, right? I bet I would have loved history if it was presented the way it is now. Showing re-enactments and graphics. I hope kids enjoy history more now.
Gordon Marshall Maybe some of the way history was presented in school made it boring, but I had some good, funny, and smart history teachers and still hated the subject. I think it is more the adolescent mind that does not grasp an interest in history. Too many other distractions as a high school student to have an interest in that, but get 20-30 years beyond high school, start to think about your life experiences and that you are over the hump of life and history seems to take on an entirely new and fascinating interest. At least that is the case for me.
@@richsimon7838 It's cruel to make kids take history. It's hard to relate to history when you haven't lived through any, and if you've lived through "history" at that age you probably want to forget it and get on with life. Part of the fascination with stories like this is for me is that I lived in in the 80's and had no idea this happened. Just fascinating the things you miss.
Gotta great qoute for you, about history - 'If we don't learn the lessons of history . . . we're bound to repeat them.' Seems deserving, eh . . . . . . ?
My father served for many years on The Kitty Hawk. Although he attained master chief status, he is now gone. The "Kitty", is still moored in Puget Sound .I appreciate any stories that pertain to her, or the Vietnam War, where he served.I salute all those who served, and did their duty in Vietnam. There are still those out here, that respect what you did, and what you lost. Thank You brave warriors!🇺🇸
Fair winds and following seas to the master chief. I served on the Kitty Hawk from 89-94. I do t have many great stories, other than seeing a couple jet engine FODs and F-14s go over the side. It was sad when we lost all our A-6s and then F-14s to F18s.on Westpac in 93’ we had a major main engine rom fire which almost got out of control.
One of my favorite aspects of seamanship is that everyone at sea knows that the ocean is no one's ally. When a ship is in distress, you render aid without regard for the flag. The ultimate goal of a nation's navy is to stop the ship, not kill its sailors. The KMS Admiral Hipper and the HMS Glowworm is one such example. The captain of the IJN I-58 testifying that the captain of the the USS Indianapolis could not have saved his ship from the torpedo attack was another. When the Soviet submarine Kursk sank, the US, UK, and France offered aid to the USSR. It's a shame that the aid was refused. Nations may go to war on the ocean, but when the ocean joins the fight, it's man against water.
always weird to see the old ww2 footage where all the nations are rescuing men from ships they just sank....its like a unspoken respect for each other..
@Marcos 989 The only known such incident was that of U-852 under command of Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Wilhelm Eck, who was prosecuted by the British after the war along with other responsible members of his crew and consequently sentenced to death. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-852
I talked to a guy who was on the Kitty Hawk when that happened and he said by the time they got to Subic Bay the stores in town were selling t-shirts that showed the Kitty Hawk running over the sub and said "Kitty Hawk the cutting edge of the Seventh Fleet."
Yep. I saw one that said USA 1, USSR 0 with a graphic of the Kitty Hawk and the submarine. I sure wish I would've bought it! I said, "Look, they're capitalizing on it already!"
I was on USS Midway CV-41 when she went to Japan in 1973, and when she drydocked at some point in the next year or two, we got to walk underneath, an interesting experience. Someone said they found a 264 (?) foot long scratch on the bottom which had not been noted at the previous drydocking. There had been no log entries of any kind of collision, not with floating trees, containers, or submarines. Lots of speculation, no (public) answers.
I was on the USS Long Beach at the time of this collision with the Kitty Hawk. We were about a mile away. We immediately went to General Quarters. The pucker factor was HIGH! We knew the sub was there for a week or so during our war games. The deceptive lighting trick is accurate. I was part of the team that rigged the lights. Nice job telling this story. We offered assistance to the Russian sub but they refused. I have been told that 12 Russian sailors died when the sub was rolling over. God Bless the sailors from both sides.
I ran the Flight Deck Lighting shop on Kitty Hawk and we set the deceptive lighting going through the straits. Our biggest concern was the commercial ships getting too close and colliding with parts of the ship they didn't think were there (like the flight deck edges).
Russians should give up nuclear Submarines. They can’t design or operate them very well. So many sailors dead because they just can’t design build or operate them. Russian subs are so loud. Whales are going deaf from Russian subs. I was on a ssbn. We were never tracked by them. We actually one time tracked a new Russian boat while we were on patrol. We didn’t even come off of alert. Total disrespect. That boat was so loud our crew could hear the Russian boat without sonar. They made a lot of ambient noise. The Russians should just give up operating subs. All they do is liter the oceans with nuclear waste, kill their own sailors, damage the hearing/sonar of marine mammals all over the world. There are surface ships quieter than Russian subs. God bless.
Officially, the Soviets deny any loss of life in this intentional ramming of their sub! The Kremlin does not acknowledge Russian submariners as a significant life form- hence, no loss of life.
I ran into a fellow in 1989 while in the navy who said he was on the helm during the incident. He said the captain said " What? They put speed bumps out here now? "
I was on the USS Berkeley DDG 15 following the Kitty Hawk when this happened. When we pulled into Subic Bay, Philippines after the event they were making these cool T shirts showing the Kitty Hawk ripping a submarine in two and the label USA 1 Russia 0.
I was the OOD for this event and had the Conn as was the procedure before before UNREP events. We were in a very small turn of a few degrees when it happened. The seas were a bit rough and I thought we hit a wave. The reports of the sub on the starboard side and the fuel leak were immediate. I was standing next to the CO and told him about the sub on the right side. Things remained very calm on the bridge, we slowed down to the speed of our escorts. I witnessed the CO and Admiral call PACFLT with the report. A lot happened before I was relieved on my 20-24 at 0130. The hour before, during and after are all I recall after all these years.
The history guy is a valuable, great source of information, and as a Naval Veteran i can appreciate the lessons learned by the site. Thank you History guy for your service.
I think the Navy or maybe the CIA still has some trophies from that Russian boomer they salvaged off Hawaii. Right around the end of the cold war the US gave the Soviets the subs bell.
I'm proud to have been a sailor on the Kitty Hawk from 1966 to 1969 , Damage Control petty officer. It's an experience I'll never have again. I'll always miss it.
Hey shipmate 65-66 on CVA 61 the I went on to other thinks. Hey yo-yos think it’s safe to talk and secret late night fuel stops by U2s? Ha cool stuff. Hope it wasn’t a dream each time. 😎
I was in my berthing on the O1 Level when we hit the sub... Lance Geiger's reporting in this video is dead on! I'm pretty impressed with The History Guy's accuracy. Well done Lance...
Way to go Navy👍👍👍, I was Army 83 to 86, every year on the day of the Army/Navy game I'd walk around saluting Officers saying "Go Navy!!!" (I hated West Pointers), I'd do more pushups every year on that day then anyone else in the Army.
Thank you for this post. I served on the Kitty Hawk in 1969-1970. I am supporting the efforts by the USS Kitty Hawk Veterans Association to preserve this ship (the last conventional steam powered carrier) as a museum.
As an air Force veteran in 1988 I participated in team spirit in South Korea as an early morning defense specialist. I found this video very informative. Thank you!
@@garethbaus5471 you'd be surprised. I've met a few Russian officers and crew on some of the Cold Waters forums. It's fascinating to talk to them, especially the officers, because they have a radically different perspective on the under water part of the Cold War. Generally, USN computers and sonar was judged to be about five to ten years ahead of comperable Soviet systems, hence why the Soviets went more towards deep dive capability and speed. The problem for these Soviet officers was that, as one former officer said, "we had a joke, how do you find a Los Angeles? You wait until his torpedoes to active. We also saw American captains exploit that, in some drills, if they were in front or behind us, they'd launch two torpedoes and use their wire guidance to send them off at forty-five degree angles to their submarine. Then, once both torpedoes were in their range, they'd go active. We could out run a mark 48, but to do that we'd have to turn into the other 48 the Los Angles had launched. My personal nightmare was a duel with an American Los Angeles, and by the nineties, that nightmare got worse with the Seawolf. Yes, we could our run and dive them, but that doesn't matter if your enemy can get into his firing range before you ever hear him."
I remember this incident well. I was a college student in the Philippines at the time and read and heard the news reports about it. The Kitty Hawk pulled into Subic Bay shortly after. Almost exactly 10 years later, I got orders to and served on the Kitty Hawk for four years.
Looking at the comments are awesome on this. Great veterans telling their story and posting during the event. I personally feel the cold war was one of the most interesting points in world history. Thank you to all the vets. I was a teenager when this stuff was going on. Thank you vets again for your service. Keeping us safe in most uncertain times.
I was one of the divers at SRF Subic when this happened. The blade that was stuck in the bow wasn't removed until they Kitty Hawk pulled into Subic. We dove on the ship for two weeks round the clock with two teams of divers. The blade was removed in the first day or two at the start of that two week period. It was loaded into a truck and sped off with who know who they were. The damage was significant to the bow yet all damage was below the waterline. Opened like a sardine can. Perhaps 20 feet up the bow and 30 feet along the keel. Used cutting torches to remove metal for several days and tucker patches to seal up internal compartments. Eventually had the Seabees come with concrete pumps. A hole was cut above the water line and the concrete laid on top of the tucker patches to seal.
@Christian Obrien Another great part to this sea story. Thanks for posting. It's amazing to see the veterans who were there in all these episodes chime in with their part of the stories. I love it!
I was part of her crew when she finally slipped into dry dock in Philadelphia in 1987. The dry dock revealed her crease on the starboard bow, as if in a traffic accident. I didn't notice any further damage. You guys in Subic Bay did a good repair job.
You guys rock wish you would of drug your feet gave us more liberty in subic , kept us off of gonzo station awhile ,were you at pacific fleet audio visual remember shooting a film canister of with an air hose gee you scared me bad .
As a member of the last full crew of the long serving CV-63 USS Kitty Hawk, there wasn't a chance in hell that I wouldn't watch this video immediately.
@@enderfal Sadly no, at least not in the hangar bay or other easily accessible areas. I will admit that since I was AIMD I didn't get to some of the flag/officer country areas.
Same here. I served aboard from 1999-2000 and had never heard of this incident. I was onboard when, during a FOD walkdown, 2 Russian planes flew directly overhead while we stared up with our mouths hanging open. Fun times.
I was aboard the USS Ouellet (FF-1077) and was a witness to the event. The video describes the incident very well. There are a couple of more things that I would like to add. I was on the Snoopy Team and photographed the stricken vessel. There was quite a bit of smoke escaping through the conning tower and sailors were actually topside. Apparently the incident had caused some fires. We were concerned about the reactor, but no radiation was detected. The smoke eventually cleared and the submarine was towed to Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam. My vessel shadowed them. The seas were rough, and it must have been a horrible trip for those submariners.
THANK YOU HISTORY GUY, my father served his entire NAVY career on this carrier and he takes great pride in that, this is the first time in my 36yrs on Earth that I have found anything about this ship being recognized in this manner. Respect!!
That's amazing! I was actually on the Kittyhawk when this collision happened. The collision caused me to hit my head in the shower. My berth was on the bow of the ship and we felt everything! The Russians were highly aggressive that day. Respect to your dad.
So K-314 left the scene of an accident without exchanging insurance details. Not very classy IMO. That said, I hope he didn't spend too long in the gulags.
"I'm your sonar system. I don't feel like keeping track of that American aircraft carrier you've been stalking for days. Oops, look out {BANG}! [Mayhem laughing hysterically] Better get Allstate, so you can better protect your submarine against Mayhem."
I worked in the Philly shipyard where we fabricated a new lower bow for the Kitty. I remember it had been temp repaired with concrete before it came into dry dock. The prop blades were also damaged and were replaced.
I was stationed in Subic bay,PI when she came in for repairs , she wasn't put in dry dock in Subic Bay, because we did have a dry dock big enough to accommodate her. Her repairs were made pier side by the mobile diving unit.
Thank you, History Guy. My nephew was on board the USS Kitty Hawk when they collided with the Soviet submarine. So thankful no life was lost and minimal damage to both ship and submarine.
Nope sub was jacked, part of it's screw was stuck in our bow, propulsion was damaged, had to be towed in, we had a couple compartments forward below the water line, pulled into subic bay filled em with concrete boogied on. Sphincter relaxed😮💨
As a Submariner on the USS GROTON that incident is more common than reported. Subs shadow vessels all the time. Sometimes you have a sub shadowing a ship and another sub shadowing the sub following the ship. Some of these collisions go unreported because a ship was somewhere it wasn't supposed to be. Nice channel good reporting 👍.
Nah. The soviets got an amusement ride. Rolled their sub. Come on, how many submariners can say they've been in a ship that was rolled a couple of times at sea having hit another war ship? They just called it even. I bet it was much more scary than any roller coaster ride.
THG Your delivery and The way you tell your stories reminds me so much of one of my heroes America's legendary Paul Harvey "And now you know the rest of the story"
I was a Chief Yeoman aboard the Kitty Hawk, working in the Admin Office. We all worked late at sea and at 22:10 hours just after the Chaplain gave the evening prayer and sounded taps, we all felt a slight shutter. Probably like an 18 wheeler running over a tricycle. The seas were rough outside, but the Hawk rode like the Queen Mary with wonderful up and down movement. They sounded the special damage control detail over the 1MC (PA system) and we knew we hit something. I heard the next day, the after lookout was screaming to the bridge, “There’s a &#*@=% submarine against the ship!” We did offer assistance to Ivan, but he would not acknowledge us. We went to US Naval Station, Subic Bay in the Philippines so divers could remove a piece of Ivan’s propeller out of the damaged fuel tank in the bow. They did patch the hole and filled the small fuel tank with cement. They sent that piece of propeller to Wash DC for inspection ASAP! Later the Pentagon gave the Hawk a small piece of the prop on a plaque with the inscription, “From the victor comes the spoils.” We were very proud of our red painted Russian sub on the bridge, but the PR folks at COMNAVAIRPAC made us remove it shortly after returning to San Diego, CA. After my departure from the Hawk, I was ‘deep selected’ for Senior Chief Yeoman with fond memories of that ship, my shipmates, and Capt David Rogers who brought every crew member back home safely. I loved the Navy and spent 20.5 years on active duty with 2 destroyers, 1 amphibious ship, and 2 aircraft carriers (USS Ranger the other one). Fair winds & following sea History Guy! :-)
I was also on board that night in the shower. I went to bed and slept like a baby, Then again, I was very young. I was attached to VAQ-130, Zappers with the EA-6B Prowler.
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered. Dear History Guy, Thanks for your service too! You bring history alive! I loved to watch the history cat. Your wife does a great job too! I enjoyed her ‘1st female lawyer’ video and sent it to my daughter-in-law who is a lawyer. You were so right about a sub’s ‘baffles.’ Ivan lost us because we were in his baffles, following behind him. Bless you & your family. Dennis
Bill Dear Shipmate Bill, What fun we had knowing we pissed off Ivan that night! I’m glad the Zappers were aboard, providing a huge jamming capability for us IF the ‘balloons’ went up! Anchors aweigh Bill! Dennis
My grandpa worked for the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was all over the world on the Kittyhawk and other ships during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and he told me about this collision (he wasn’t on the Kittyhawk at the time) and how he had to dispose of the destroyed rudder of the ship. Not as exciting at the actual event, but it’s always fun to hear his stories.
@@PGSchroe - My cousin was an f-14 plane capt on the Ranger at that time. Probably didn't know him but I'll give it a shot. His name is Jim ( James ) Martin. Don't know what airwing though. He sometimes went by Jimmy Lee.
Very interesting video! As a sailor that didn’t serve aboard the “Shitty Kitty” it’s still great to hear stories about other ships. I served on the Nimitz, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush as part of the flight deck crew and saw many wonderful things during my time in the Navy. Thank you for all that you do!
@DR Dan Almost every ship gets a "not for public consumption" nickname. Ships tend to be dirty nasty things to live in, especially when packed in with a full crew. They require constant maintenance and cleaning to stay fit for humans. The toilets tend to clog, and the unclogging process is hilarious and disgusting, involving a firehose and high pressure followed by a lot of cleaning. The entire ship smells like machine oil and paint and cleaning chemicals and sweat and salt and vomit from seasick, and personal space is more of a theory than an actual thing. It's noisy 24/7, with air handler fans and machinery and the goddamned 1MC speaker right next to your fucking rack waking you up all the time and some asshole who won't shut the fuck up or turn off the TV in the berthing area. Sailors and Marines can love a ship while sometimes hating it at the same time, plus they have a warped sense of humor, thus the funny foul language nicknames they give the ships. And if they're in aviation maintenance, the aircraft often get equally irreverent nicknames too.
Helium Road ; 100% true! And it's always been that way. I had a Great Uncle aboard USS Astoria (CA-34) just before WW2 started. (Lucky for him, he would be transfered to the San Francisco in November 1941, so he avoided Astoria's sinking.) Officially, this Heavy Cruiser's nickname was "The Big A" (same as my own USS America (CV-66) 40 year's later.) But the men who served aboard Astoria lovingly called her.... "The Nasty Asty". You have to Love a Sailor's humor! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
To put a finer point on the subsequent temporary repairs that were carried out at Subic Bay, I was involved in that. I was Navy Seabee deployed there with NMCB-40 at the time. They brought the ship into a pier, not a dry dock, for a long weekend shortly after the accident. They explained to us that they couldn't trim the ship properly with sea water sloshing in and out of the damaged tank. So beginning that Friday night, and continuing through the weekend, we ran a concrete pump on the dock, to divers in the water, who filled the space with concrete. There were concrete trucks lined up, and we emptied them into the pump one after another. We were told that when they returned to the states, they would cut the hull with torches, and let the whole concrete "plug" fall out. I always wondered about the circumstances of this collision, and I appreciated your video.
Yes, the Russians would rather let their people die than accept aid from us. Amazing, the difference in the US and them. In WWII, the US spent a million dollars protecting ONE downed airman on an island from the Japanese. For 24 hours, ships and planes bombarded the island and were able to keep the Japanese at bay long enough to rescue him. It was always nice to know that no matter what, we take care of our own like no one else. EVER.
I was there and V-3 Div. Hanger Deck ABH. I don't recall hanging it the hanger. But after over 2 weeks in Subic, Olongapo, it's hard to remember much. That's alot of MoJo! It was (or a part of it ) was hung some where I just don't remember where on the ship it was.
Was on there as well. Remember the red sub painted on the island. But then somebody complained and they made them paint over it. 81-86 G-4 Weapons. AO1(AW/SW) ret.
That as GI as it gets. This old Army sergeant got a great guffaw from that. I knew this Air Force tech who drove a mail truck in Saigon 1966/67. As the traffic was nutz, accidents were frequent. His guy riding shotmail, this was US mail, carried cash, and when an accident happened, they just paid off the other person and went on their way. My friend painted a small symbol of each wreck on the drivers side door. Silhouettes of bikes, cars, motorcycles, whatever just like the fighter pilots! He had over 20 hits. He hit a family of five on a moped, didn't kill anyone, paid them off and went on his way. Later he had a five pointed star with the moped on top of it painted on the door. Evenone cracked up until the colonel found out! After the colonel was reassigned he painted them back on the door. People in Saigon came to fear that mail truck...
@Xen This is how a majority incidents went during the Cold War, the Soviets weren't very public about things. If the sub started to sink im sure the Kitty Hawk would have assisted. You should try leading by example. For example; opening a history book and reading.
Great coverage, I was there serving as an Anti-Submarine Warfare Technician PO2, with VS-38 the Flying Griffins who flew the S-3 Viking, our carrier based Anti-Submarine aircraft. We tracked the sub until the exercise was over and carrier was headed back to the Philippines. It was like an earthquake on the carrier but lasted just 15-20 seconds for the most part. We had great photos from the F-14 TARPS cameras showing panels missing off the submarine and active welding the following day. The damage was confined to a compartment containing JP-5 (jet fuel). When we got back to Subic Bay we were told the repair was to fill the compartment with concrete and we'd just run with less ballast.
I was there when it took place. I was an electronic warfare technician aboard the USS Wabash AOR-5 as part of Battle Group Bravo. Shortly after the collision, the sub was identified by a different NATO designation than that in the video but the video is more likely correct. The Wabash was within 300 yards when the collision took place in the dark of night. The reason that the sub failed to see (via SONAR) the Shitty Kitty was it was directly underneath as it ascended. Our captain announced the collision over the 1-MC as just a kiss. The Wabash offered to tow the sub which their captain rightly declined. This was not the only collision my ship was involved in during that '84 WESTPAC deployment. During an under-weigh fuel replenishment, the yawing of both our ships caused a collision with one of the KItty Hawk's CIWS pods. IF the video at 1:34 is of our Battle Group Bravo then the ship at the lower part of the screen was my ship. But it is impossible to distinguish between the various Witchita Class oilers without seeing their painted designations. Ships rarely get this close so this video shows an oiler either coming in to refuel or moving out..
Wow. I never thought The History Guy” would produce an episode that I was part of! I was on USS Long Beach’s bridge securing from a special sea and detail evolution when CIC called the bridge and announced the Hawk hit the sub. As always- there’s more to the story.
@@nopeyadayadayada1248 Actually we were at PIRAZ station when the collision happened. We got ordered to escort the sub and render assistance if necessary. True she had a pretty large hole on the outer hull, and could only do about 3 to 4 knots without shipping water into the hull. She was however, at least while we were with her, under her own power. We were relieved by the USS Oullette (FF-1077). We also were being overflown by Soviet Bombers with live bombs and missiles on their hard points, so that we would know they meant business. (QM3, ON Div., USS Chandler (DDG-996), Plankowner 1981 -1984 [Oct].
My dad was on CV67, the J. F. Kennedy at the time, probably a half a world away. Thanks to all three of you for your service and sacrifice. Spc. Berg HHC 2/7 Inf 24th ID, U. S. Army
@@jamesrather7170 I was in engineering MP devision as a GSE-1. I was also a Plank owner starting with pre commissioning in San Diego, CA to Nov 2 1985. At that time I switched to the US Army's M1 Abrams Tank program at the Anniston Army Depot for the next 24 years and then retired.
I do not recall ever hearing of this incident. I joined the Navy in July 1984 and in my several years of service in the Western Pacific saw the Kitty Hawk several times. Thank you for making this video. I remember a few times encountering Soviet ships and aircraft. I participated in Team Spirit in '87 and '88. I think it was in one of those exercises that I woke up one morning to find that our immediate mission was to stay between a Soviet ship and the USS Midway (another aircraft carrier). Oddly enough, those times made the weeks and months at sea a little more exciting.
The Kitty Hawk, what a cool name for an aircraft carrier... you know Neal Armstrong had a swatch of fabric from the wright flyer 1 in his pocket during his moon walk.
I was in S. Korea at the time as an engineer on a freighter unloading 15,000 tons of ammunition. Even the Merchant Marine gets involved in these exercises too.
That Matilda 1 tank at the entrance is a reminder of that war is like. You can sit in it, and look at the holes caused by anti-tank hits. What if it was you and your buddy in there when that shell came crashing in?
Thankyou for the video! I was involved as well in TeamSpirit 84. I was an SM3 aboard the USS Bristol County (LST-1198) and as we entered into the exercise I was sent aboard the Korean LST, (possibly the one shown?) as the Amphibious Communications Liaison Officer to help with maneuvers during the duration.
One of my favorite aspects of the HG channel is the spirit in which these videos are presented. No political bent or ideological push, just a refreshing "reportage" that is a balm to the senses, in this time of "false" news and outright muckraking at the hands of the media today.
In the early 70s a Soviet missile cruiser was shadowing HMS Ark Royal in the Med, during a night-time Phantom launch it got a wee bit too close, the Ark T-boned it and "opened it like a tin can".
"during a night-time Phantom launch it got a wee bit too close, the Ark T-boned it and 'opened it like a tin can'." What's the Russian translation for "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes"?
I served aboard Kitty Hawk CVA 63 in the South China Sea in 1965. An experience of a lifetime! Shortly after making MM2, just before Kitty Hawk returned to Viet Nam, I was transferred to the Bon Homme Richard CVA 31. The “Bonnie Dick” was short Machinist Mate Petty Officers and I was junior. Broke my heart to have to leave her. I really loved the “Hawk”! I live in South Carolina now and every so often, We go to Charleston just so I can walk around on the USS Lexington. How I miss the “feel” of a ship! The smells, the the paint, the ladders everything about the ship seem somehow to transport me back to those days aboard “The Hawk”.
After 35 years some details of the incident are fuzzy so your summary was interesting and helpful. Thank you. I was a Kitty Hawk crew member at the time and remember the "bump in the night" very well. One thing I vividly remember was our own crew's concern expressed for the safety of the Russian crew after the collision. It was evident in overflight photos that all was not well on that submarine. And then to learn in your report that the same submarine suffered a reactor meltdown a year later resulting in lives lost is eerie to say the least. The red submarine image that adorned the bridge wing with other numerous awards upon our return from deployment may have been removed quickly (for good reasons) but it remains clearly visible on my farewell plaque. Sadly, what remains of USS Kitty Hawk today is visible at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton WA. In spite of the collision, the 1984 Kitty Hawk WESTPAC was a good cruise with a great crew.
Year later addendum is work note that means likely shock up though the drivetrain to me. Metal fatigue shock along the line may have been cause of some crack? Sounds like it. Crack?
"Sometimes the things that didn't happen are as interesting and important as those that did"...……. and that simple thought keeps historians writing, writing and writing to the enjoyment of all of us who love the study. Good job to the H.G. team on this one.
Thank you for this piece of history. The reaction from my fellow aviators on Kitty Hawk that I was with at the time of the collision was as you reported. Many said that to say we hit something was crazy but we could feel the sub bumping down the hull. Thank you again.
I love everything yout stand for - factual accounts of forgotten history! Thank you for taking the time to tell us what's really happened in our world!
"Made contact with...one submarine" Well that's certainly one way to 'make contact.' Don't worry it was just a marine fender bender, it probably just needed polishing out of the Russian submarine.
When I saw the title of this I couldn't believe it. I've been telling this story for decades. I was an AMS3 with VF2, the Bounty Hunters sailing aboard Kitty Hawk. We flew Tomcats and one of our pilots snapped a few pics. Still have them somewhere. The thing that kills me is I never got a cruise book from that cruise. Served 22 years and have all the others, but not that one.
I was gonna repeat what Elwin38 said, didn't know the site but there is a USN archive site where there is every cruise book from every ship. I smiled so big when I saw a young AQ2 Bender from my 1st cruise in the Indy.
Was on west-pac 79, got out in August while beach det in Subic/Olongopo. VA-94 MightyShrikes A-7s out of Lemoore CA... The Kitty had air conditioning ducts in our bunks, to my surprise they even worked. My first cruise on FDR CV'42, ducks go quack,right, fortunately, it was a med-cruise in 76-77 October to April, the Rosies last cruise, then we all shaved with her for a few years. Best shave(s) i've ever had....
I was part of that battle group on the USS O'Brien DD 975. At the time of this incident the O'Brien was the only one that it qualified for independent steaming so we were not in direct eye sight of the carrier and we were the only ones that didn't get in trouble for not spotting the submarine!
This may sound weird but when i read texts books for my education I've been reading them as if The History guys voice was Narrating them to me. It makes it easier to read boring books, don't ask me why.
Yeah my friend served on the Kitty Hawk during this incident and would talk about this a lot. I was floored when I saw this as it brought back this memory. Thanks.
I was aboard her as a young ADAA or Aviation Machinist Mate Airmen Apprentice, or an E2. That A6 Intruder squadron VA-145 Swordsmen was my first active duty assignment.
You are nothing if not prolific. You surely outnumber all other publishers in my Historical Documentaries playlist, by far. There's great value in what you do. Thanks for all you contribute!
@@MichaelD-fn5lv There are many stipulations to the International Regulations for Avoiding Collisions At Sea, (COLREGS). It depends on types of vessels involved, courses being steered, operations being conducted at the time, etc., etc.
@@jamesrather7170 I know it used to be that powered ships had to give way to sailing ship. But I cannot see one of the big carriers getting out of the way of a little sailing ship.
@@bigblue6917 Ships under sail have the right of way over vessels under power in MOST circumstances. Unless the powered vessel is in a Traffic Separation Scheme, or restricted in its ability to maneuver due to draft or operations.
I was a Marine 1stLt in the Battalion Landing Team with the USS Belleau Wood Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) participating in the Team Spirit 84 Exercise in the Rep of Korea (mentioned early in the video). We crossed the Pacific from Hi in close proximity to the Kitty Hawk Battle Group. About one day east of Guam the Kitty Hawk provided F14 air cover for our 4 ship ARG when two pairs of Soviet TU-95 'Bear' reconnaissance bombers, and again put on great displays of carrier airpower over our Tok Sok Ri landing beaches (north of Pusan) during TS-84! . They were interesting times, and this video filled in a lot of information that was not available to us at the time! BZ to the USS Kitty Hawk and and her superb crew!
This incident and the response speaks to the professionalism and (dare we say it) unspoken camaraderie on both sides in the blue-water navy. “... for those in peril on the sea.”
I was on the Kitty Hawk during this event. Captain Rogers was a great CO and we had no serious injuries or deaths during that deployment. This was unusual, I believe. The hit on the sub felt like just a shudder. I was amidships, starboard side, on the 3rd deck (about at the waterline, half-way back from the front of the ship). We had a reported 20 foot gash in the bow, below the waterline, that was filled with concrete in Subic Bay. I assume this was removed during the next overhaul, but didn't hear of it, though I was onboard until September 1985. The Kittly Hawk now is awaiting to be cut up for scrap. She is moored in Bremerton, WA. Attempts to get it designated for a museum failed. It will become razor blades in the near future.
Michael Fox What’s a bed? I’ve heard rack, cot, but hey, I’mma millennial and we think all warships are there for war. Seals should be sea mammals and rangers should only be Ford products! I’m Bernie, Biden, pelosi, obongo, alc and squat tres, clitbochar, gabby tulski, buttpluggieg-aka mayor meat of bendover oh hi oh, and we’re not politically momovated, then again, great historical reading! I was at Nellis and went to Korea shortly later. Attention was on Russia then quickly focused back to the yellow peril of the axe tree, sunken garden, island bombing, and constant beach incursions near kunsan , Pusan, east of Cheju do. Sad humor is nonexistent and the threat of evil from bad characters is real. SCS is the trigger site for W3. The Chinese have but expansions for tactical, then strategical intent of both HK , then Formosa. Once attained, the vicinity/regional dominoe threat will be all too real, ROK, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand with their main deterrence being India and Australia. Did I mention the Aussie from Kansas ? LOL lighten up , just bored and excited with history and botched humor Francis... lol
Amazing, I had never heard if this incident. As a former ASW-trained Sonar Tech who wound up on a sub RESCUE ship, this really piqued my interest. Thanks again!
Kinda like in world of warships when two players bump into each other. On tried to apologize while the other just wants to be salty for the rest of the match
They have to be. Remember the Korean War, officially, is still going on. A State of War exists between the two Koreas. They are only observing an "Armistice".
I've heard stories from guys who had been to Korea. Something like a ROK officer arriving in a jeep with what Americans thought were cardboard cutouts, then realizing they were really ROK soldiers who wouldn't move for spit.
It's a wonder the Cold War never ignited. I spent a lot of time in West Germany between '85 and '89, including an illegal hitchhiking trip through East Germany, where I got to see the Soviets on maneuvers, landing giant cargo planes on the Autobahn, tanks and other vehicles and thousands of men streaming out of the planes and tearing across the countryside. While working and going to school in the Stuttgart area, I heard many, many stories about near-incidents that were hurriedly, and usually clumsily, covered up. All my German friends had grown up with the very fatalistic conviction that it would end--just as it had started--in tears.
I was on one of those escorts, fast frigate (FF1065) USS Stein, 14 days before this happened. The Stein at the time was one of the US Navy's best sonar ship in any US fleet. The US was and is the very best in the world at sonar detection. 14 days earlier, I left the Stein with my service to the USN complete. Back on ship, I was in charge on the sonar one work group. The best of the best sonar men. I heard about the incident first on the evening news back home in Texas. Then again from my old shipmates when they returned to San Diego a few months later. The sub had been detected and was trying to hide in what's called an inversion layer in the water directly underneath the task force. The inversion layer was too shallow and the sub not deep enough so decided to come to periscope depth. Inversion layers can make it near impossible to track other vessels when you're in it. Sound bounces everywhere in every direction, echos and can produce multiple harmonics. It was obviously a glancing blow, otherwise the sub would have been sunk by the Kittyhawk. I wasn't there, but I was brought back there and lived it through my mates.
I was there as part of the Hawk crew. I was on watch when the guys and I felt a weird abnormal shudder on the ship. My sister in Wyoming head it on a newsbreak on the radio and thought we were lost at sea, since there was not much information about it immediately. We got to leave freezing Korea and go back to tropical Subic Bay in the Philippines.
My Uncle was stationed on the Kittyhawk in the late 70's into the early 80's. He spent several in the Persian Gulf during the Iranian conflict. I had the honor of going on the ship twice. Watching the F-14 takeoff and being top side watching was the most impressive. To this day the F-14 are my favorite plane. CV-63 will always hold a special place in my heart.
Your Showmanship is extraordinary you can tell that you don't only love history you love teaching about history I'm honored to hear you tell these stories. And look forward to many more
My father, a career naval submariner, was the Commander of Squadron 2, out of Groton, Connecticut in the late 1970's. One day, I was with him as he was driving down to his office due to the arrival of one of his boats, the USS Tullibee, SSN 597. The Tullibee was a somewhat unique sub, with several sonar 'fins' protruding from its deck both fore and aft of the sail, which was a low profile and unique in its own right. While the Tullibee was maneuvering for its berth, you could plainly see that there had been a collision with something and the forward sonar fin was basically destroyed. I asked my father about this and was concerned that the boats skipper might be in trouble. He just turned towards me, smiled and said that the commander was not in trouble and that the damage was the result of the sub hitting 'something'.?
I appreciate your content, it's exceptionally well presented and research, and I appreciate that you don't have some long intro theme with music that has become so popular with some creators. Straight to the story that we came here for. Well done, sir!
I flew in the Marine Corps back in the mid to late 80s and remember the story of that well. Thanks for posting this. I had largely forgotten the event.
Mr Guy- Its fantastic to see you get emotionally charged in your presentations. This is exactly what History should be...an emotional experience. Surely, if someone gave to me knowledge, or wisdom, or insight, I would be so excited! Knowledge, and wisdom, and insight is exactly what History gives to us.
I've been watching you on and off for a year now and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your videos. My brother is a history super master and I have trouble remembering the difference between Francis Marion and Francis Bacon, so thank you for providing these great videos for us historically challenged people :-)
My brother was stationed on the USS Kitty hawk. He died at sea on that ship. He was only 19 yrs old. His job was to direct aircraft to land. He got tangle up on something and fell over board. They were off the coast of Vietnam and it was night time. They never found him. They have a building named after him at Millington Navel base in Memphis Tn. His name was Thomas B Goetsch. Still miss him and always will !!
Sorry for your loss
I remember a plaque with a photo of him where I went to school at NATTC describing how had gone overboard and was not recovered. I was at NATTC from Aug 84 to May 85.
A carrier flight deck is one of the most dangerous places to work on the entire planet. Jet intakes, jet exhausts, propellers and rotors whirling around, catapults and arresting gear, elevators and fuel operations and ordnance handling, all happening at once and all around you. And of course the possibility of, yes, falling overboard.
Iwas in nuke school with a Clifford goetsch.
deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Sorry for your loss
I was there when this occurred, I was in my berthing compartment getting out of my rack as I had the mid watch coming up. As my feet hit the deck I noticed an odd sound of a clanging against the hull, my berthing was on the starboard side at the waterline, the clanging got louder then faded, I could hear it passing by from fore to aft. The hull at that location is a double hull with a void of maybe 10 inches between them but the steel is pretty thick. Right away I knew we hit something rather sizable. I was planning to eat but instead decided I’d better get to my space and check that there are no problems. This collision was not very violent at all, 10 feet from where I heard the clanging was our TV lounge with about a dozen people engrossed in a movie on site tv, asking them if they noticed anything they sad I was nuts, there was no collision.
Once down in my space the first thing I noticed was the smell of fuel, I yelled at the watch standers to start paying attention, smell the fuel, something happened! Well, first thing I diverted my distilling plants, all 3 of them. We took samples and all 3 had fuel carrying across the distillant side, that would only happen if the feed water pump ingested fuel, the suction for these pumps is 40 feet under water on the bottom of the hull dead center of the ship. I ran up to the central control station and told the Engineering officer of the watch what I’d heard and what I found in my space, all this occurred in about 10 minute period.
I went back down in the pit to check the status, the ship slowed and then came to a stop. A few minutes later the CO came up on the 1MC asking if anyone had seen or heard anything. At the time we had just made a turn to head south and were making turns on the shafts for 18 knots, we had been on station for a few days just keeping a steady back and forth course, predictable and steady. That turn and speed change caught those Russian submariners by surprise, the next day we found we hit them broadside right in the middle, we had rolled them over. The EOOW later told me it was my report that brought us to all stop, a few minutes after we stopped a lookout saw sparks in the distance, that ended up the severely damaged submarine, they were lucky to have been able to resurface after that collision.
Great brief, thank you.
Great account, Frank--thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this. Great job.
"This collision was not very violent at all, 10 feet from where I heard the clanging was our TV lounge with about a dozen people engrossed in a movie on site tv, asking them if they noticed anything they sad I was nuts, there was no collision." lol are you the guy described at 7:50?
I’m currently serving the isis worriers 😂✌️
The fact that the crew painted a red submarine on the Kitty Hawk's side is by far the best part.
The propeller trophy was pretty damn cool also.
I was aboard her as a lowly E2 at the time of this collision. Lol....yes a kill make of a Soviet submarine was painted on her Superstructure.
We thought was pretty cool as crew members. Lol..
@Fuzzy Butkus Thank you.
They probably thought the best part was getting liberty in subic bay. 😜
Was just finishing last trap from nite ops, in the line shack, ship jumped and bonged we hit something sex I,
We would have Chinese subs following us quite often while running around in the South China Sea. One particular incident was quite humorous. I was on a guided missile cruiser while escorting the USS Ranger. We knew there was a sub following the battle group and was shadowing the carrier so we actually allowed them to get a bit closer. We engaged a deceptive sound decoy and at the same time the carrier trailed two of it's 4 shafts as we closed in to UNREP distance. We then had helicopters conduct touch and go's off of our flight deck so that the sub would think WE were the carrier(due to them hearing flight ops) and then we split off after a few hours. It worked. The sub followed US and the carrier peeled off north. After about two hours or so we resumed our normal posture and the sub immediately slowed and came to periscope depth undoubtedly to see WHO we really were!lol! After a quick peek, they also peeled off and headed home. I'd LOVE to had been on that bridge when they realized they'd been dupped!lol!
Gotta love subterfuge.
You've got to think another captain got to hand in his uniform.
GOOD ONE!
Love it! Throwing shadows...
Good one! It’s all about deception, slight of hand tricks. BZ.
The Russians now carry FlexSeal for such events.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Very funny!
I wonder if Phil Swift has to register as a foreign agent now?
You made me spit out my coffee ☕ 😂 😂 😂
"It's like the Hoover Dam...in a CAN!"
The saddest end to this story is that on Jan 15, 2022, the Kitty Hawk left Bremerton, WA bound for Brownsville, TX to be cut up and scrapped. This was the first supercarrier in US history and as much as we former Sailors raised in money and pleaded with out government to turn her into a floating museum, all was for naught. The govt felt she was better off being scrapped rather than see her sit alongside the USS North Csrolina in Wilmington, NC. I spend 4 years onboard her. The longest time I spent on any ship during my career and by far the largest (my career included the kitty, 2 frigates, a destroyer, and an ammo ship, as well as attached to 2 sub groups in an aux position.) This ship proved a lot of firsts to this country in shipbuilding, warfare, and seamanship and should have never been destroyed but here we are.
Sad but the steel and some parts WILL be recycled as will other materials. But reminiscing here is a great testimony to the crew and its service for many decades. 1956 keel laid down to 2022.... 66 years! Not bad for ANY ship in salt water, storms, winters and summers. IT is always sad to see any of mans constructions get destroyed. Large numbers of perfectly functional cruise ships, were scrapped since 2020! Eg "Carnival Inspiration" first sailed in 1996!
The Kitty Hawk's keel designation was CVA - 64. During construction, the actual CVA - 63 had a fire in dry dock. To keep construction on schedule the USS Constellation became the USS Kitty Hawk. And I think you know that this incident was sanitized. I was on the Kitty Hawk when it happened and it was close to being much worse than what has been made known.
@@free-energy-systems this is urban legend with no corroborating documentation.
Kitty wasn't the first super-carrier, that was CV-59 USS Forrestal, but the Kitty was that last conventionally powered super-carrier on active duty.
I feel your pain, sir!!
I remember this incident well. I was a pilot stationed at NASNI back then. We never once thought the incident had any potential to escalate into anything more than a good laugh at the expense of Ivan. Lots of snickers at that red sub painted on the bridge and I was not aware anyone made them paint over it. And all the stuff about Soviet aircraft and ships coming out was standard fare for that era. Every battle group was visited by Bears and often May patrol planes (a P-3sky). There were clear rules of engagement and everyone followed the rules. Cowboys were frowned upon. Their ships would try to get close to the carrier and our ships would get on either side and, um, escort them away so close their wakes blended together. We played a little rough sometimes but the Russians weren't suicidal and were mostly professional. Everyone wanted to go home to their families.
Hhjh J,hvicjh
Did you squeeze the sub like in CONVOY when they get Dirty Lyle between their trailers, rolling along?
🫡
never really gave a hoot about history when I was a kid. can't get enough now
It's crazy, right? I bet I would have loved history if it was presented the way it is now. Showing re-enactments and graphics. I hope kids enjoy history more now.
It was the presentation in school that never sparked an interest.
Gordon Marshall Maybe some of the way history was presented in school made it boring, but I had some good, funny, and smart history teachers and still hated the subject. I think it is more the adolescent mind that does not grasp an interest in history. Too many other distractions as a high school student to have an interest in that, but get 20-30 years beyond high school, start to think about your life experiences and that you are over the hump of life and history seems to take on an entirely new and fascinating interest. At least that is the case for me.
@@richsimon7838 It's cruel to make kids take history. It's hard to relate to history when you haven't lived through any, and if you've lived through "history" at that age you probably want to forget it and get on with life. Part of the fascination with stories like this is for me is that I lived in in the 80's and had no idea this happened. Just fascinating the things you miss.
Gotta great qoute for you, about history - 'If we don't learn the lessons of history . . . we're bound to repeat them.' Seems deserving, eh . . . . . . ?
My father served for many years on The Kitty Hawk. Although he attained master chief status, he is now gone. The "Kitty", is still moored in Puget Sound .I appreciate any stories that pertain to her, or the Vietnam War, where he served.I salute all those who served, and did their duty in Vietnam. There are still those out here, that respect what you did, and what you lost. Thank You brave warriors!🇺🇸
@michael WHAT YEAR DID THIS HAPPEN? My brother was on that ship.
@@DavidOfLouisiana71037 early this year she was scrapped for less than a dollar
Fair winds and following seas to the master chief. I served on the Kitty Hawk from 89-94. I do t have many great stories, other than seeing a couple jet engine FODs and F-14s go over the side. It was sad when we lost all our A-6s and then F-14s to F18s.on Westpac in 93’ we had a major main engine rom fire which almost got out of control.
My grandpa served on the USS Kitty Hawk as a naval aviator he flew the A4 Skyhawk in nam I never knew about this collision
What tf is actually going on with this story...I keep getting two different things...she's been scraped then I hear she's been floating at P. Sound
One of my favorite aspects of seamanship is that everyone at sea knows that the ocean is no one's ally. When a ship is in distress, you render aid without regard for the flag. The ultimate goal of a nation's navy is to stop the ship, not kill its sailors.
The KMS Admiral Hipper and the HMS Glowworm is one such example.
The captain of the IJN I-58 testifying that the captain of the the USS Indianapolis could not have saved his ship from the torpedo attack was another.
When the Soviet submarine Kursk sank, the US, UK, and France offered aid to the USSR. It's a shame that the aid was refused.
Nations may go to war on the ocean, but when the ocean joins the fight, it's man against water.
always weird to see the old ww2 footage where all the nations are rescuing men from ships they just sank....its like a unspoken respect for each other..
There’s a reason every sailor believes in Davy Jones’ Locker. The Sea is a dangerous mistress.
Taylor Moore Haha, no.
@@workingshlub8861 Not so. By a long shot.
@Marcos 989 The only known such incident was that of U-852 under command of Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Wilhelm Eck, who was prosecuted by the British after the war along with other responsible members of his crew and consequently sentenced to death.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-852
I talked to a guy who was on the Kitty Hawk when that happened and he said by the time they got to Subic Bay the stores in town were selling t-shirts that showed the Kitty Hawk running over the sub and said "Kitty Hawk the cutting edge of the Seventh Fleet."
pandax75 I picked up a t-shirt when we reached Subic Bay that said “A little puddy never hurt anyone but this kitty bites”.
Love to see any such t-shirt's?
imgur.com/wyIRslx
I'm proud of mine even if we went on report for wearing it.
Yea Subic was great times!!!
@@jamesperetti9100 I bought that same shirt!
Yep. I saw one that said USA 1, USSR 0 with a graphic of the Kitty Hawk and the submarine. I sure wish I would've bought it! I said, "Look, they're capitalizing on it already!"
I was on USS Midway CV-41 when she went to Japan in 1973, and when she drydocked at some point in the next year or two, we got to walk underneath, an interesting experience. Someone said they found a 264 (?) foot long scratch on the bottom which had not been noted at the previous drydocking. There had been no log entries of any kind of collision, not with floating trees, containers, or submarines. Lots of speculation, no (public) answers.
I was on the USS Long Beach at the time of this collision with the Kitty Hawk. We were about a mile away. We immediately went to General Quarters. The pucker factor was HIGH! We knew the sub was there for a week or so during our war games. The deceptive lighting trick is accurate. I was part of the team that rigged the lights. Nice job telling this story. We offered assistance to the Russian sub but they refused. I have been told that 12 Russian sailors died when the sub was rolling over. God Bless the sailors from both sides.
I ran the Flight Deck Lighting shop on Kitty Hawk and we set the deceptive lighting going through the straits. Our biggest concern was the commercial ships getting too close and colliding with parts of the ship they didn't think were there (like the flight deck edges).
Thank you, Car Accident, for commenting on a ship accident. ;-)
I was on the beach also ........ mmfn Ritter " critter " ....... A division
Russians should give up nuclear
Submarines. They can’t design or operate them very well. So many sailors dead because they just can’t design build or operate them. Russian subs are so loud. Whales are going deaf from Russian subs. I was on a ssbn. We were never tracked by them. We actually one time tracked a new Russian boat while we were on patrol. We didn’t even come off of alert. Total disrespect. That boat was so loud our crew could hear the Russian boat without sonar. They made a lot of ambient noise. The Russians should just give up operating subs. All they do is liter the oceans with nuclear waste, kill their own sailors, damage the hearing/sonar of marine mammals all over the world. There are surface ships quieter than Russian subs. God bless.
Officially, the Soviets deny any loss of life in this intentional ramming of their sub! The Kremlin does not acknowledge Russian submariners as a significant life form- hence, no loss of life.
I ran into a fellow in 1989 while in the navy who said he was on the helm during the incident. He said the captain said " What? They put speed bumps out here now? "
I was on the USS Berkeley DDG 15 following the Kitty Hawk when this happened. When we pulled into Subic Bay, Philippines after the event they were making these cool T shirts showing the Kitty Hawk ripping a submarine in two and the label USA 1 Russia 0.
Hahahahahaha!!!
@@cakayakdiver I remember seeing those t-shirts back then.
@@cakayakdiver LOL
@@cakayakdiver Are these the T Shirts you mentioned? www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1p5xmq/tshirt_commemorating_the_uss_kitty_hawk_crashing/
I was the OOD for this event and had the Conn as was the procedure before before UNREP events. We were in a very small turn of a few degrees when it happened. The seas were a bit rough and I thought we hit a wave. The reports of the sub on the starboard side and the fuel leak were immediate. I was standing next to the CO and told him about the sub on the right side. Things remained very calm on the bridge, we slowed down to the speed of our escorts. I witnessed the CO and Admiral call PACFLT with the report. A lot happened before I was relieved on my 20-24 at 0130. The hour before, during and after are all I recall after all these years.
I was there with MarDet. We felt impact, collision alarm went, 2 of us jarheads hit the sponson until Chief Lahey kicked us off. Good stuff!
Excellent sir thank you
The history guy is a valuable, great source of information, and as a Naval Veteran i can appreciate the lessons learned by the site. Thank you History guy for your service.
That piece of propeller, hanging in the hangar: coolest Navy trophy evar.
That, and the Red Sub painted on her stack. I saw that, personally.
It is a nice trophy. Is it the best ever? Maybe, but the stern piece of the Royal Charles is also a contender fot that title. :-)
It got moved to the Officer’s Wardroom and mounted on a plaque that read “From the Victor come the spoils”.
I think the Navy or maybe the CIA still has some trophies from that Russian boomer they salvaged off Hawaii. Right around the end of the cold war the US gave the Soviets the subs bell.
Where is it now?
I'm proud to have been a sailor on the Kitty Hawk from 1966 to 1969 , Damage Control petty officer. It's an experience I'll never have again. I'll always miss it.
Thank you 🙏 for your service Mr. Ken. We appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. 🇺🇸
Hey shipmate 65-66 on CVA 61 the I went on to other thinks. Hey yo-yos think it’s safe to talk and secret late night fuel stops by U2s? Ha cool stuff. Hope it wasn’t a dream each time. 😎
Auto correct made my above note look odd ie: yo-yo I don’t know what that was supposed to be.
Salute, your sister Connie.
My grandpa was on the kitty hawk from 68 to 72
I was in my berthing on the O1 Level when we hit the sub... Lance Geiger's reporting in this video is dead on! I'm pretty impressed with The History Guy's accuracy. Well done Lance...
Buddy of mine from work when it happened too, and slept through it.
Way to go Navy👍👍👍, I was Army 83 to 86, every year on the day of the Army/Navy game I'd walk around saluting Officers saying "Go Navy!!!" (I hated West Pointers), I'd do more pushups every year on that day then anyone else in the Army.
@@dukecraig2402 16S '83-'86.
@@wcatholic1
What unit? I was 16R, 2/67 ADA, about 6 months before I got out they cross trained all us Vulcan gunners on Stingers.
@@dukecraig2402 C Btry 2-61 ADA Camp Stanley ROK '83-'84. A Btry 1-67 ADA Ft. Lewis WA. '84-'86.
Thank you for this post. I served on the Kitty Hawk in 1969-1970. I am supporting the efforts by the USS Kitty Hawk Veterans Association to preserve this ship (the last conventional steam powered carrier) as a museum.
James Nantz I thought USS JFK (CV67) was the last conventional carrier.
@@JimmyDickens1 JFK was the last conventional built, Kitty last one in service
doug tripp Rgr. Thanks for clarifying.
My dad served then too. He was an electrician everyone called Sailor Sam!
Served on the Hawk from April 1970 to September 1973. My favorite ship in my 21+ year career.
As an air Force veteran in 1988 I participated in team spirit in South Korea as an early morning defense specialist. I found this video very informative. Thank you!
The best part of this video is the crews of the ships involved are having a chat about it in the comments like it's Facebook.
From at least 1 side anyhow... I doubt there are many left from the other.
I should tell my nephew to check out this youtube Gab fest. It is great when veterans chat about their shared exoeriences,
@@maxnaz47 that and how many Russians would watch a UA-cam video in English.
Best part is that 9 on 10 of those comments are total bs
@@garethbaus5471 you'd be surprised. I've met a few Russian officers and crew on some of the Cold Waters forums. It's fascinating to talk to them, especially the officers, because they have a radically different perspective on the under water part of the Cold War. Generally, USN computers and sonar was judged to be about five to ten years ahead of comperable Soviet systems, hence why the Soviets went more towards deep dive capability and speed. The problem for these Soviet officers was that, as one former officer said, "we had a joke, how do you find a Los Angeles? You wait until his torpedoes to active. We also saw American captains exploit that, in some drills, if they were in front or behind us, they'd launch two torpedoes and use their wire guidance to send them off at forty-five degree angles to their submarine. Then, once both torpedoes were in their range, they'd go active. We could out run a mark 48, but to do that we'd have to turn into the other 48 the Los Angles had launched. My personal nightmare was a duel with an American Los Angeles, and by the nineties, that nightmare got worse with the Seawolf. Yes, we could our run and dive them, but that doesn't matter if your enemy can get into his firing range before you ever hear him."
I remember this incident well. I was a college student in the Philippines at the time and read and heard the news reports about it. The Kitty Hawk pulled into Subic Bay shortly after. Almost exactly 10 years later, I got orders to and served on the Kitty Hawk for four years.
Looking at the comments are awesome on this. Great veterans telling their story and posting during the event. I personally feel the cold war was one of the most interesting points in world history. Thank you to all the vets. I was a teenager when this stuff was going on. Thank you vets again for your service. Keeping us safe in most uncertain times.
I was one of the divers at SRF Subic when this happened. The blade that was stuck in the bow wasn't removed until they Kitty Hawk pulled into Subic. We dove on the ship for two weeks round the clock with two teams of divers. The blade was removed in the first day or two at the start of that two week period. It was loaded into a truck and sped off with who know who they were. The damage was significant to the bow yet all damage was below the waterline. Opened like a sardine can. Perhaps 20 feet up the bow and 30 feet along the keel. Used cutting torches to remove metal for several days and tucker patches to seal up internal compartments. Eventually had the Seabees come with concrete pumps. A hole was cut above the water line and the concrete laid on top of the tucker patches to seal.
@Christian Obrien Another great part to this sea story. Thanks for posting. It's amazing to see the veterans who were there in all these episodes chime in with their part of the stories. I love it!
I was part of her crew when she finally slipped into dry dock in Philadelphia in 1987. The dry dock revealed her crease on the starboard bow, as if in a traffic accident. I didn't notice any further damage. You guys in Subic Bay did a good repair job.
I saw a dude with a Seabees jacket, is that what he did? Fill boats with concrete?
I was a BT on the Hawk. Bruce Savage. Yeah, there were a few aspects of this I don't feel were reported totally accurately.
You guys rock wish you would of drug your feet gave us more liberty in subic , kept us off of gonzo station awhile ,were you at pacific fleet audio visual remember shooting a film canister of with an air hose gee you scared me bad .
As a member of the last full crew of the long serving CV-63 USS Kitty Hawk, there wasn't a chance in hell that I wouldn't watch this video immediately.
me either
Did she still have the bit of the screw mounted when you sailed?
@@enderfal Sadly no, at least not in the hangar bay or other easily accessible areas. I will admit that since I was AIMD I didn't get to some of the flag/officer country areas.
Same here. I served aboard from 1999-2000 and had never heard of this incident. I was onboard when, during a FOD walkdown, 2 Russian planes flew directly overhead while we stared up with our mouths hanging open. Fun times.
My brother served on the Kittyhawk in the seventies out of the Philippines.
I was aboard the USS Ouellet (FF-1077) and was a witness to the event. The video describes the incident very well. There are a couple of more things that I would like to add.
I was on the Snoopy Team and photographed the stricken vessel. There was quite a bit of smoke escaping through the conning tower and sailors were actually topside. Apparently the incident had caused some fires. We were concerned about the reactor, but no radiation was detected.
The smoke eventually cleared and the submarine was towed to Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam. My vessel shadowed them. The seas were rough, and it must have been a horrible trip for those submariners.
THANK YOU HISTORY GUY, my father served his entire NAVY career on this carrier and he takes great pride in that, this is the first time in my 36yrs on Earth that I have found anything about this ship being recognized in this manner. Respect!!
That's amazing! I was actually on the Kittyhawk when this collision happened. The collision caused me to hit my head in the shower. My berth was on the bow of the ship and we felt everything! The Russians were highly aggressive that day. Respect to your dad.
So K-314 left the scene of an accident without exchanging insurance details. Not very classy IMO.
That said, I hope he didn't spend too long in the gulags.
Good thing the Kitty Hawk had GEICO.
"I'm your sonar system. I don't feel like keeping track of that American aircraft carrier you've been stalking for days. Oops, look out {BANG}! [Mayhem laughing hysterically] Better get Allstate, so you can better protect your submarine against Mayhem."
You think your joking. Be responsible for 10,000.000 rubles in government damage cost and see what your future looks like.
@@RCAvhstape "Like me." "Mayhem is everywhere."
@@BIGBLOCK5022006
Go Tigers!!! I'm one of the ironworkers that built your new Tiger stadium, I've always wanted to go back up there and see a game.
I worked in the Philly shipyard where we fabricated a new lower bow for the Kitty. I remember it had been temp repaired with concrete before it came into dry dock. The prop blades were also damaged and were replaced.
I was stationed in Subic bay,PI when she came in for repairs , she wasn't put in dry dock in Subic Bay, because we did have a dry dock big enough to accommodate her. Her repairs were made pier side by the mobile diving unit.
Thank you, History Guy. My nephew was on board the USS Kitty Hawk when they collided with the Soviet submarine. So thankful no life was lost and minimal damage to both ship and submarine.
Nope sub was jacked, part of it's screw was stuck in our bow, propulsion was damaged, had to be towed in, we had a couple compartments forward below the water line, pulled into subic bay filled em with concrete boogied on. Sphincter relaxed😮💨
This is bar none my favorite channel. I can spend all day watching this!
Try Military History Visualised if you can. He is really good. Mark Felton productions is also a terrific channel if you are into small unit tactics.
My favorite, along with uncle Drach. What makes The History Guy so great is the variety and the breadth of his knowledge. Thank you History Guy!
As a Submariner on the USS GROTON that incident is more common than reported. Subs shadow vessels all the time. Sometimes you have a sub shadowing a ship and another sub shadowing the sub following the ship. Some of these collisions go unreported because a ship was somewhere it wasn't supposed to be. Nice channel good reporting 👍.
Amazing
Did the US Navy receive a bill for Barnacle removal from the Russians?
Nah. The soviets got an amusement ride. Rolled their sub. Come on, how many submariners can say they've been in a ship that was rolled a couple of times at sea having hit another war ship? They just called it even. I bet it was much more scary than any roller coaster ride.
Robert Thomas someone said 12 died :p
Lei The Socialist Yuricon that was a later unrelated event.
My father served abroad her during that era. He was a Storekeeper. She was his favorite ship. Thank you for talking about the USS Kitty Hawk
They had broads abord? I'd beed servicing them too given the chance...usually, it was the broads in foreign ports that did the servicing...
I joined and served on USN submarines from 84' - 04' and had never heard this story. Thank you for passing this along.
Tracking an aircraft carrier is like catching a bus:
Step 1. Don’t get run over by the bus/carrier.
Thats like the signs at the mines that say [ LARGE VEICLES HAVE RIGHT OF WAY ] No ship Sherlock !!
I served in the U.S. submarine force from 1985 to 2005 and found this very interesting. The Soviets definitely operated differently than we did.
The Soviets are and have always been self destructive
THG Your delivery and The way you tell your stories reminds me so much of one of my heroes America's legendary
Paul Harvey "And now you know the rest of the story"
I am flattered by that comparison.
I was a Chief Yeoman aboard the Kitty Hawk, working in the Admin Office. We all worked late at sea and at 22:10 hours just after the Chaplain gave the evening prayer and sounded taps, we all felt a slight shutter. Probably like an 18 wheeler running over a tricycle. The seas were rough outside, but the Hawk rode like the Queen Mary with wonderful up and down movement. They sounded the special damage control detail over the 1MC (PA system) and we knew we hit something. I heard the next day, the after lookout was screaming to the bridge, “There’s a &#*@=% submarine against the ship!” We did offer assistance to Ivan, but he would not acknowledge us. We went to US Naval Station, Subic Bay in the Philippines so divers could remove a piece of Ivan’s propeller out of the damaged fuel tank in the bow. They did patch the hole and filled the small fuel tank with cement. They sent that piece of propeller to Wash DC for inspection ASAP! Later the Pentagon gave the Hawk a small piece of the prop on a plaque with the inscription, “From the victor comes the spoils.” We were very proud of our red painted Russian sub on the bridge, but the PR folks at COMNAVAIRPAC made us remove it shortly after returning to San Diego, CA. After my departure from the Hawk, I was ‘deep selected’ for Senior Chief Yeoman with fond memories of that ship, my shipmates, and Capt David Rogers who brought every crew member back home safely. I loved the Navy and spent 20.5 years on active duty with 2 destroyers, 1 amphibious ship, and 2 aircraft carriers (USS Ranger the other one). Fair winds & following sea History Guy! :-)
Thanks for all these details! And thank you for your service!
I was also on board that night in the shower. I went to bed and slept like a baby, Then again, I was very young. I was attached to VAQ-130, Zappers with the EA-6B Prowler.
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered. Dear History Guy, Thanks for your service too! You bring history alive! I loved to watch the history cat. Your wife does a great job too! I enjoyed her ‘1st female lawyer’ video and sent it to my daughter-in-law who is a lawyer. You were so right about a sub’s ‘baffles.’ Ivan lost us because we were in his baffles, following behind him. Bless you & your family. Dennis
Bill Dear Shipmate Bill, What fun we had knowing we pissed off Ivan that night! I’m glad the Zappers were aboard, providing a huge jamming capability for us IF the ‘balloons’ went up! Anchors aweigh Bill! Dennis
Thanks for your service Senior! Coming from a fellow sailor. USS Belleau Wood(LHA-3)
My dad served on the Kitty Hawk most of his Navy career. This was very informative!
Mine was on it too during Vietnam. He was down in the motor room from what I know.
I think he was the lead electrician. He had 8mm film footage of some takeoffs and landings!
My grandpa worked for the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was all over the world on the Kittyhawk and other ships during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and he told me about this collision (he wasn’t on the Kittyhawk at the time) and how he had to dispose of the destroyed rudder of the ship. Not as exciting at the actual event, but it’s always fun to hear his stories.
I left the Kitty Hawk 6 mo before this happened. She was my last boat before leaving the navy. Great job in telling of this story!
Phil Schroeder. What Division were you in? I reported on board in Sept 82. " A Gang " Hydraulics.
@@Vod-Kaknockers I was with the airwing (cvw2), an ordie in VA-145. We had just transitioned from the ranger a few months before.
@@PGSchroe - My cousin was an f-14 plane capt on the Ranger at that time. Probably didn't know him but I'll give it a shot. His name is Jim ( James ) Martin. Don't know what airwing though. He sometimes went by Jimmy Lee.
Very interesting video! As a sailor that didn’t serve aboard the “Shitty Kitty” it’s still great to hear stories about other ships. I served on the Nimitz, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush as part of the flight deck crew and saw many wonderful things during my time in the Navy. Thank you for all that you do!
Shitty Kitty I haven't heard that name in over 20 years
Yo mama's a Shitty Kitty.
Shitty kitty lol! Gotta love the navy! A breed apart for sure
@DR Dan Almost every ship gets a "not for public consumption" nickname. Ships tend to be dirty nasty things to live in, especially when packed in with a full crew. They require constant maintenance and cleaning to stay fit for humans. The toilets tend to clog, and the unclogging process is hilarious and disgusting, involving a firehose and high pressure followed by a lot of cleaning. The entire ship smells like machine oil and paint and cleaning chemicals and sweat and salt and vomit from seasick, and personal space is more of a theory than an actual thing. It's noisy 24/7, with air handler fans and machinery and the goddamned 1MC speaker right next to your fucking rack waking you up all the time and some asshole who won't shut the fuck up or turn off the TV in the berthing area. Sailors and Marines can love a ship while sometimes hating it at the same time, plus they have a warped sense of humor, thus the funny foul language nicknames they give the ships. And if they're in aviation maintenance, the aircraft often get equally irreverent nicknames too.
Helium Road ;
100% true!
And it's always been that way. I had a Great Uncle aboard USS Astoria (CA-34) just before WW2 started. (Lucky for him, he would be transfered to the San Francisco in November 1941, so he avoided Astoria's sinking.)
Officially, this Heavy Cruiser's nickname was "The Big A" (same as my own USS America (CV-66) 40 year's later.)
But the men who served aboard Astoria lovingly called her....
"The Nasty Asty".
You have to Love a Sailor's humor!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
To put a finer point on the subsequent temporary repairs that were carried out at Subic Bay, I was involved in that. I was Navy Seabee deployed there with NMCB-40 at the time. They brought the ship into a pier, not a dry dock, for a long weekend shortly after the accident. They explained to us that they couldn't trim the ship properly with sea water sloshing in and out of the damaged tank. So beginning that Friday night, and continuing through the weekend, we ran a concrete pump on the dock, to divers in the water, who filled the space with concrete. There were concrete trucks lined up, and we emptied them into the pump one after another. We were told that when they returned to the states, they would cut the hull with torches, and let the whole concrete "plug" fall out. I always wondered about the circumstances of this collision, and I appreciated your video.
“The submarine did not answer Kittyhawk’s offers of assistance “
Yeah, the captain was busy making reservations at a gulag in Siberia.
after he changed his shorts . . .
@@bear_82 Along with the rest of the crew.
Couple decades too late for that...
Yes, the Russians would rather let their people die than accept aid from us. Amazing, the difference in the US and them. In WWII, the US spent a million dollars protecting ONE downed airman on an island from the Japanese. For 24 hours, ships and planes bombarded the island and were able to keep the Japanese at bay long enough to rescue him. It was always nice to know that no matter what, we take care of our own like no one else. EVER.
@@elwoodgizmo5382 it's a shame that the politicians of today don't seem to be understand that mindset 🇬🇧❤🇺🇸
...”painted a submarine on the ships island..” LOL...
Love to see that piece of soviet propeller in the Hawk’s hanger bay sometime.
irgski Yeah me too...
I was there and V-3 Div. Hanger Deck ABH. I don't recall hanging it the hanger. But after over 2 weeks in Subic, Olongapo, it's hard to remember much. That's alot of MoJo! It was (or a part of it ) was hung some where I just don't remember where on the ship it was.
@@mncoutnryboy I preferred bullfrog over mojo myself....Mama Helens, oh the good ol days huh.... lol.
Was on there as well. Remember the red sub painted on the island. But then somebody complained and they made them paint over it. 81-86 G-4 Weapons. AO1(AW/SW) ret.
That as GI as it gets. This old Army sergeant got a great guffaw from that. I knew this Air Force tech who drove a mail truck in Saigon 1966/67. As the traffic was nutz, accidents were frequent. His guy riding shotmail, this was US mail, carried cash, and when an accident happened, they just paid off the other person and went on their way. My friend painted a small symbol of each wreck on the drivers side door. Silhouettes of bikes, cars, motorcycles, whatever just like the fighter pilots! He had over 20 hits. He hit a family of five on a moped, didn't kill anyone, paid them off and went on his way. Later he had a five pointed star with the moped on top of it painted on the door. Evenone cracked up until the colonel found out! After the colonel was reassigned he painted them back on the door. People in Saigon came to fear that mail truck...
It’s hilarious how the Russians try to act like nothing happened and the Americans are like “lol u good bro?”
@Xen
So, you have additional information to supply?
@Xen This is how a majority incidents went during the Cold War, the Soviets weren't very public about things. If the sub started to sink im sure the Kitty Hawk would have assisted.
You should try leading by example. For example; opening a history book and reading.
@Xen
Hyperbole it is.
someone's panties are in a twist
@Xen 404 - Information not found
I served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk from 1972-76. Thank you for this video.
I was with va-195 on the Hawk 71-74
Cool, Shipmate!
I came on board right after the riot. I was on board for the fire in the main space engine room.
Thank you for your service!
I remember someone fell overboard about October 1974 coming back from Pearl.
Great coverage, I was there serving as an Anti-Submarine Warfare Technician PO2, with VS-38 the Flying Griffins who flew the S-3 Viking, our carrier based Anti-Submarine aircraft. We tracked the sub until the exercise was over and carrier was headed back to the Philippines. It was like an earthquake on the carrier but lasted just 15-20 seconds for the most part. We had great photos from the F-14 TARPS cameras showing panels missing off the submarine and active welding the following day. The damage was confined to a compartment containing JP-5 (jet fuel). When we got back to Subic Bay we were told the repair was to fill the compartment with concrete and we'd just run with less ballast.
I was there when it took place. I was an electronic warfare technician aboard the USS Wabash AOR-5 as part of Battle Group Bravo. Shortly after the collision, the sub was identified by a different NATO designation than that in the video but the video is more likely correct. The Wabash was within 300 yards when the collision took place in the dark of night. The reason that the sub failed to see (via SONAR) the Shitty Kitty was it was directly underneath as it ascended. Our captain announced the collision over the 1-MC as just a kiss. The Wabash offered to tow the sub which their captain rightly declined.
This was not the only collision my ship was involved in during that '84 WESTPAC deployment. During an under-weigh fuel replenishment, the yawing of both our ships caused a collision with one of the KItty Hawk's CIWS pods.
IF the video at 1:34 is of our Battle Group Bravo then the ship at the lower part of the screen was my ship. But it is impossible to distinguish between the various Witchita Class oilers without seeing their painted designations. Ships rarely get this close so this video shows an oiler either coming in to refuel or moving out..
I wish my history classes in school were half this good. Kudos on a great channel!
Wow. I never thought The History Guy” would produce an episode that I was part of! I was on USS Long Beach’s bridge securing from a special sea and detail evolution when CIC called the bridge and announced the Hawk hit the sub. As always- there’s more to the story.
@@nopeyadayadayada1248 Actually we were at PIRAZ station when the collision happened. We got ordered to escort the sub and render assistance if necessary. True she had a pretty large hole on the outer hull, and could only do about 3 to 4 knots without shipping water into the hull. She was however, at least while we were with her, under her own power. We were relieved by the USS Oullette (FF-1077). We also were being overflown by Soviet Bombers with live bombs and missiles on their hard points, so that we would know they meant business. (QM3, ON Div., USS Chandler (DDG-996), Plankowner 1981 -1984 [Oct].
My dad was on CV67, the J. F. Kennedy at the time, probably a half a world away. Thanks to all three of you for your service and sacrifice.
Spc. Berg HHC 2/7 Inf 24th ID, U. S. Army
@@nopeyadayadayada1248 That's why the Russian Navy now has a supply of Flex Tape onboard every sub.
@@jamesrather7170 I was in engineering MP devision as a GSE-1. I was also a Plank owner starting with pre commissioning in San Diego, CA to Nov 2 1985. At that time I switched to the US Army's M1 Abrams Tank program at the Anniston Army Depot for the next 24 years and then retired.
I served on the Beach also. 90-92. OZ Div I was a Crypto Tech
I do not recall ever hearing of this incident. I joined the Navy in July 1984 and in my several years of service in the Western Pacific saw the Kitty Hawk several times. Thank you for making this video. I remember a few times encountering Soviet ships and aircraft. I participated in Team Spirit in '87 and '88. I think it was in one of those exercises that I woke up one morning to find that our immediate mission was to stay between a Soviet ship and the USS Midway (another aircraft carrier). Oddly enough, those times made the weeks and months at sea a little more exciting.
CIA; We need a paint sample from a Russian submarine.
USS Kitty Hawk; Hold my beer.
american beer .... is more like hold my flavoured water
0623kaboom Piss flavoured water*
Naaahhh its more like hold my biscut and sweet tea
They're not British
Nice!
The Kitty Hawk, what a cool name for an aircraft carrier... you know Neal Armstrong had a swatch of fabric from the wright flyer 1 in his pocket during his moon walk.
Really?
Any source on that, because that is history that deserves to be remembered
Never mind, found articles. Thanks for sharing the info!
Imagine thinking articles prove something.
@@sirbader1 have saved some, will report on sources in those articles if you want
This is definitely a story for humanity during a fragile time in our history.
I was in S. Korea at the time as an engineer on a freighter unloading 15,000 tons of ammunition. Even the Merchant Marine gets involved in these exercises too.
U checked oil stfu. U are not an engineer
confused Humanity - Thank you for the shout out to the Merchant Marine. I was glad to help the troops when called upon.
The Merchant Marine gets very little publicity but performs an incredibly important job for our country and the military!
BTW, just saw your Tank Museum video. Excellent look at tank history that deserves to be remembered. Thanks!!
My issue with it was half the vehicles weren't technically tanks. They were auxiliary vehicles
You should watch the tank history on Netflix.
That Matilda 1 tank at the entrance is a reminder of that war is like. You can sit in it, and look at the holes caused by anti-tank hits. What if it was you and your buddy in there when that shell came crashing in?
James Australian well he didn’t name the museum.
Thankyou for the video!
I was involved as well in TeamSpirit 84. I was an SM3 aboard the USS Bristol County (LST-1198) and as we entered into the exercise I was sent aboard the Korean LST, (possibly the one shown?) as the Amphibious Communications Liaison Officer to help with maneuvers during the duration.
One of my favorite aspects of the HG channel is the spirit in which these videos are presented. No political bent or ideological push, just a refreshing "reportage" that is a balm to the senses, in this time of "false" news and outright muckraking at the hands of the media today.
Amen.
Let me guess. You never claim "political!"" when some media piece says whatever it is you agree with?
Yes thank you
In the early 70s a Soviet missile cruiser was shadowing HMS Ark Royal in the Med, during a night-time Phantom launch it got a wee bit too close, the Ark T-boned it and "opened it like a tin can".
What happened after that?
@@JerzeyBoy wwiii
Really, wow, amazing, serves them right
The Soviet cruiser (Bravyi) only sustained minor damage.
"during a night-time Phantom launch it got a wee bit too close, the Ark T-boned it and 'opened it like a tin can'."
What's the Russian translation for "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes"?
I served aboard Kitty Hawk CVA 63 in the South China Sea in 1965. An experience of a lifetime! Shortly after making MM2, just before Kitty Hawk returned to Viet Nam, I was transferred to the Bon Homme Richard CVA 31. The “Bonnie Dick” was short Machinist Mate Petty Officers and I was junior. Broke my heart to have to leave her. I really loved the “Hawk”! I live in South Carolina now and every so often, We go to Charleston just so I can walk around on the USS Lexington. How I miss the “feel” of a ship! The smells, the the paint, the ladders everything about the ship seem somehow to transport me back to those days aboard “The Hawk”.
After 35 years some details of the incident are fuzzy so your summary was interesting and helpful. Thank you. I was a Kitty Hawk crew member at the time and remember the "bump in the night" very well. One thing I vividly remember was our own crew's concern expressed for the safety of the Russian crew after the collision. It was evident in overflight photos that all was not well on that submarine. And then to learn in your report that the same submarine suffered a reactor meltdown a year later resulting in lives lost is eerie to say the least. The red submarine image that adorned the bridge wing with other numerous awards upon our return from deployment may have been removed quickly (for good reasons) but it remains clearly visible on my farewell plaque. Sadly, what remains of USS Kitty Hawk today is visible at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton WA. In spite of the collision, the 1984 Kitty Hawk WESTPAC was a good cruise with a great crew.
Year later addendum is work note that means likely shock up though the drivetrain to me. Metal fatigue shock along the line may have been cause of some crack? Sounds like it. Crack?
@@TranscendianIntendor Sorry but I just don't know. Thanks.
All history deserves to be remembered regardless if it is pleasant, annoying, or disturbing.
It’s what really happened at that time.
You are an inspired presenter and your videos are not only informative but also a real pleasure to watch.
"Sometimes the things that didn't happen are as interesting and important as those that did"...……. and that simple thought keeps historians writing, writing and writing to the enjoyment of all of us who love the study. Good job to the H.G. team on this one.
Thank you for this piece of history. The reaction from my fellow aviators on Kitty Hawk that I was with at the time of the collision was as you reported. Many said that to say we hit something was crazy but we could feel the sub bumping down the hull. Thank you again.
I love everything yout stand for - factual accounts of forgotten history! Thank you for taking the time to tell us what's really happened in our world!
"Made contact with...one submarine" Well that's certainly one way to 'make contact.'
Don't worry it was just a marine fender bender, it probably just needed polishing out of the Russian submarine.
It'll buff out...
'how do you know you made contact with a submarine?' 'Well bits of it are still stuck in the ships hull'
When I saw the title of this I couldn't believe it. I've been telling this story for decades. I was an AMS3 with VF2, the Bounty Hunters sailing aboard Kitty Hawk. We flew Tomcats and one of our pilots snapped a few pics. Still have them somewhere. The thing that kills me is I never got a cruise book from that cruise. Served 22 years and have all the others, but not that one.
Go to Navysite.de if you want to see the Kitty Hawk cruise book from Westpac 1984.
I was gonna repeat what Elwin38 said, didn't know the site but there is a USN archive site where there is every cruise book from every ship. I smiled so big when I saw a young AQ2 Bender from my 1st cruise in the Indy.
Was on west-pac 79, got out in August while beach det in Subic/Olongopo. VA-94 MightyShrikes A-7s out of Lemoore CA... The Kitty had air conditioning ducts in our bunks, to my surprise they even worked. My first cruise on FDR CV'42, ducks go quack,right, fortunately, it was a med-cruise in 76-77 October to April, the Rosies last cruise, then we all shaved with her for a few years. Best shave(s) i've ever had....
I was part of that battle group on the USS O'Brien DD 975. At the time of this incident the O'Brien was the only one that it qualified for independent steaming so we were not in direct eye sight of the carrier and we were the only ones that didn't get in trouble for not spotting the submarine!
This may sound weird but when i read texts books for my education I've been reading them as if The History guys voice was Narrating them to me.
It makes it easier to read boring books, don't ask me why.
@No Quarter - What a great idea! That would definitely work for me!
🤣
Yeah my friend served on the Kitty Hawk during this incident and would talk about this a lot. I was floored when I saw this as it brought back this memory. Thanks.
I remember reading about this in the news back then but without some of the details provided in this video.
I was aboard her as a young ADAA or Aviation Machinist Mate Airmen Apprentice, or an E2. That A6 Intruder squadron VA-145 Swordsmen was my first active duty assignment.
I just saw you on the Tank Museuem. Congrats for hitting the big time, History Guy!!!
same.
I was stationed aboard the Kitty Hawk from 2000 to 2003. The basics of that story were still being told while I was on board.
This is a great review of the events that happened. Thank you for your great historical reminders
You are nothing if not prolific. You surely outnumber all other publishers in my Historical Documentaries playlist, by far. There's great value in what you do. Thanks for all you contribute!
7:13 Who had the right of way? Don't say a word and don't sign anything. Until you call us. Bernstein and Piazza attorneys at law.
Pretty sure the larger vessel naturally takes the R.O.W.
@@MichaelD-fn5lv Well, ROW makes little sense WHEN YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS THE WAY.
@@MichaelD-fn5lv There are many stipulations to the International Regulations for Avoiding Collisions At Sea, (COLREGS). It depends on types of vessels involved, courses being steered, operations being conducted at the time, etc., etc.
@@jamesrather7170 I know it used to be that powered ships had to give way to sailing ship. But I cannot see one of the big carriers getting out of the way of a little sailing ship.
@@bigblue6917 Ships under sail have the right of way over vessels under power in MOST circumstances. Unless the powered vessel is in a Traffic Separation Scheme, or restricted in its ability to maneuver due to draft or operations.
I was a Marine 1stLt in the Battalion Landing Team with the USS Belleau Wood Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) participating in the Team Spirit 84 Exercise in the Rep of Korea (mentioned early in the video). We crossed the Pacific from Hi in close proximity to the Kitty Hawk Battle Group. About one day east of Guam the Kitty Hawk provided F14 air cover for our 4 ship ARG when two pairs of Soviet TU-95 'Bear' reconnaissance bombers, and again put on great displays of carrier airpower over our Tok Sok Ri landing beaches (north of Pusan) during TS-84! . They were interesting times, and this video filled in a lot of information that was not available to us at the time!
BZ to the USS Kitty Hawk and and her superb crew!
This incident and the response speaks to the professionalism and (dare we say it) unspoken camaraderie on both sides in the blue-water navy. “... for those in peril on the sea.”
You can dare to say it, it has long been traditional among Navy units from most nations to render aid even to foes when possible, and necessary.
I was on the Kitty Hawk during this event. Captain Rogers was a great CO and we had no serious injuries or deaths during that deployment. This was unusual, I believe.
The hit on the sub felt like just a shudder. I was amidships, starboard side, on the 3rd deck (about at the waterline, half-way back from the front of the ship). We had a reported 20 foot gash in the bow, below the waterline, that was filled with concrete in Subic Bay. I assume this was removed during the next overhaul, but didn't hear of it, though I was onboard until September 1985.
The Kittly Hawk now is awaiting to be cut up for scrap. She is moored in Bremerton, WA. Attempts to get it designated for a museum failed. It will become razor blades in the near future.
I lost my son's picture between my rack and the other rack , man if they find that taking apart, would love to have that back in S, -3 DIV
@Paul Dawson I forgot the "foot". 20 foot.
@@ronniebromley1683
What is a rack?
That sucks
Michael Fox What’s a bed? I’ve heard rack, cot, but hey, I’mma millennial and we think all warships are there for war. Seals should be sea mammals and rangers should only be Ford products! I’m Bernie, Biden, pelosi, obongo, alc and squat tres, clitbochar, gabby tulski, buttpluggieg-aka mayor meat of bendover oh hi oh, and we’re not politically momovated, then again, great historical reading! I was at Nellis and went to Korea shortly later. Attention was on Russia then quickly focused back to the yellow peril of the axe tree, sunken garden, island bombing, and constant beach incursions near kunsan , Pusan, east of Cheju do. Sad humor is nonexistent and the threat of evil from bad characters is real. SCS is the trigger site for W3. The Chinese have but expansions for tactical, then strategical intent of both HK , then Formosa. Once attained, the vicinity/regional dominoe threat will be all too real, ROK, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand with their main deterrence being India and Australia. Did I mention the Aussie from Kansas ? LOL lighten up , just bored and excited with history and botched humor Francis... lol
Thank you for distinguishing between the officers and real men.
LOL I did not make the distinction. "Officers and men" is A Navy term. I leave the interpretation of why up to others...
Amazing, I had never heard if this incident.
As a former ASW-trained Sonar Tech who wound up on a sub RESCUE ship, this really piqued my interest. Thanks again!
9:12
US: Dang dude, you ok?
RU: *Man shut up!*
Kinda like in world of warships when two players bump into each other. On tried to apologize while the other just wants to be salty for the rest of the match
Your Stories are Awesome 👌Never miss a beat with the entertainment! Always on Point
We actually just call them "rock soldiers" for "R.O.K."... It's very fitting for them... They're pretty damned tough.
Emily Hofland yeah they are.
Them dudes are not to be trifled with.
They have to be. Remember the Korean War, officially, is still going on. A State of War exists between the two Koreas. They are only observing an "Armistice".
South Korea R.O.K.S. are our brothers-in-arms from another mother.
I've heard stories from guys who had been to Korea. Something like a ROK officer arriving in a jeep with what Americans thought were cardboard cutouts, then realizing they were really ROK soldiers who wouldn't move for spit.
It's a wonder the Cold War never ignited. I spent a lot of time in West Germany between '85 and '89, including an illegal hitchhiking trip through East Germany, where I got to see the Soviets on maneuvers, landing giant cargo planes on the Autobahn, tanks and other vehicles and thousands of men streaming out of the planes and tearing across the countryside. While working and going to school in the Stuttgart area, I heard many, many stories about near-incidents that were hurriedly, and usually clumsily, covered up. All my German friends had grown up with the very fatalistic conviction that it would end--just as it had started--in tears.
I believe we are closer to WW3 now then back then!
I was on one of those escorts, fast frigate (FF1065) USS Stein, 14 days before this happened. The Stein at the time was one of the US Navy's best sonar ship in any US fleet. The US was and is the very best in the world at sonar detection.
14 days earlier, I left the Stein with my service to the USN complete. Back on ship, I was in charge on the sonar one work group. The best of the best sonar men.
I heard about the incident first on the evening news back home in Texas. Then again from my old shipmates when they returned to San Diego a few months later. The sub had been detected and was trying to hide in what's called an inversion layer in the water directly underneath the task force. The inversion layer was too shallow and the sub not deep enough so decided to come to periscope depth. Inversion layers can make it near impossible to track other vessels when you're in it. Sound bounces everywhere in every direction, echos and can produce multiple harmonics.
It was obviously a glancing blow, otherwise the sub would have been sunk by the Kittyhawk.
I wasn't there, but I was brought back there and lived it through my mates.
The Stein was one of the best sonar ships?? What happened to all the Spruance Class ships, they all just had the sonar dismounted?
I was on the Stein at the time of the incident working in the ship’s office as a personalman.
I was there as part of the Hawk crew. I was on watch when the guys and I felt a weird abnormal shudder on the ship. My sister in Wyoming head it on a newsbreak on the radio and thought we were lost at sea, since there was not much information about it immediately. We got to leave freezing Korea and go back to tropical Subic Bay in the Philippines.
My Uncle was stationed on the Kittyhawk in the late 70's into the early 80's. He spent several in the Persian Gulf during the Iranian conflict. I had the honor of going on the ship twice. Watching the F-14 takeoff and being top side watching was the most impressive. To this day the F-14 are my favorite plane. CV-63 will always hold a special place in my heart.
Your Showmanship is extraordinary you can tell that you don't only love history you love teaching about history I'm honored to hear you tell these stories. And look forward to many more
I served on and retired from the US Navy onboard the Kitty Hawk, she was a great ship to be on and living in Japan was an awesome experience.
samss66 gotta love Japan!
My father, a career naval submariner, was the Commander of Squadron 2, out of Groton, Connecticut in the late 1970's. One day, I was with him as he was driving down to his office due to the arrival of one of his boats, the USS Tullibee, SSN 597. The Tullibee was a somewhat unique sub, with several sonar 'fins' protruding from its deck both fore and aft of the sail, which was a low profile and unique in its own right. While the Tullibee was maneuvering for its berth, you could plainly see that there had been a collision with something and the forward sonar fin was basically destroyed. I asked my father about this and was concerned that the boats skipper might be in trouble. He just turned towards me, smiled and said that the commander was not in trouble and that the damage was the result of the sub hitting 'something'.?
Had a friend on a sub that hit a Russian sub in the middle 70s no one talks about it
I appreciate your content, it's exceptionally well presented and research, and I appreciate that you don't have some long intro theme with music that has become so popular with some creators. Straight to the story that we came here for. Well done, sir!
I flew in the Marine Corps back in the mid to late 80s and remember the story of that well. Thanks for posting this. I had largely forgotten the event.
Russia also initially said there weren’t any fatalities in Chernobyl
Dal V like US never concealed anything....
@@nickieshadowfaxbrooklyn5192 never said they didn't.
Mr Guy- Its fantastic to see you get emotionally charged in your presentations. This is exactly what History should be...an emotional experience. Surely, if someone gave to me knowledge, or wisdom, or insight, I would be so excited! Knowledge, and wisdom, and insight is exactly what History gives to us.
I've been watching you on and off for a year now and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your videos. My brother is a history super master and I have trouble remembering the difference between Francis Marion and Francis Bacon, so thank you for providing these great videos for us historically challenged people :-)