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By Ensign Briana Sanders, USS Shoup
Ensign Clarissa Stanton was standing the Sunday morning officer of the deck watch aboard USS Shoup (DDG 86) on July 12 when, at 9:04 a.m., she received a radio transmission from USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) for rescue and assistance. She passed the word. By 9:41, Shoup’s in-port emergency team of five damage controlmen and five duty section personnel traveled to the opposite end of Naval Base San Diego and were on station ready to assist fire fighting efforts aboard Bonhomme Richard.
The chief engineer, her assistant, and all of the damage controlmen and senior engineering leadership also reported back to Shoup and dressed out in fire fighting gear in the grass across from Bonhomme Richard ready to help their fellow Sailors.
“At first it was subtle but as the night grew longer that feeling of ‘wow this could really be my last day alive’ entered my mind,” said Cryptologic Technician 2nd Class Antonio Jean. He said he pushed the thought out of his mind to focus on the task at hand and to ensure he and his shipmates returned unharmed.
Shoup also recalled all their damage control team leaders, Sailors experienced in coordinating the movement of Sailors and damage control efforts during an emergency.
One of their first tasks was assisting USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and USS Russell (DDG 59) get underway due to the hazards they faced from being on the same pier as the Bonhomme Richard. They handled mooring lines and disconnected services such as water and power to allow the ships to be moved to a safer area of the base. With the ships berthed nearby safely clear of the area, the efforts then rapidly shifted to fighting the fires aboard Bonhomme Richard.
“Lt. Sylvia Jordan [Shoup’s chief engineer] and I then took over assisting BHR’s response as their pier scene leaders,” said Lt. j. g. Dillon Heming, Shoup’s damage control assistant. “We ran the equipment staging area and coordinated getting equipment, having it organized, and getting Sailors donned and doffed from their gear. We coordinated these efforts Sunday through Tuesday.”
What happened on Bonhomme Richard hit especially close to home for Jordan. During her second assignment she served as Bonhomme Richard’s damage control assistant. She returned to BHR as Shoup’s chief engineer to combat the fire on her former ship.
“BHR will forever be the ship that kept me in the Navy,” she said. “It was heartbreaking to watch all those memories—to watch such a tremendously capable warship—go up in smoke. But it was inspiring to watch BHR’s crew rise to an impossibly difficult challenge, which showed me that BHR sailors are still doing amazing things and that she is still same great ship she always was.”
Each day, Shoup sent twenty Sailors representing every department on the ship to assist damage control efforts aboard Bonhomme Richard.
Those Sailors stood by to assist wherever they could. Many brought gear, fire fighting agents and bottled water from Shoup to Bonhomme Richard. Others moved equipment to where it was needed. Other Sailors stood by in full fire fighting equipment (FFE) in the ship’s hangar bay until called to relieve the working hose teams. Shoup Sailors worked with not only their own hose teams, but also served on teams with the civilian fire department and the civilian rapid intervention team.
“Team after team of Sailors [from every ship on the waterfront] went to attack the fire, being relieved within a short amount of time due to the amount of smoke and heat bombarding them as they attempted to combat the casualty,” said Damage Controlman 1st Class Stephen Dolly, one of the first Shoup Sailors to be recalled. “Fire fighting efforts were disrupted by the occasional explosion, causing the advancing teams to evacuate back off the pier to a safe distance. It was closer to 2100 that a final explosion rocked the BHR, causing the fire fighting efforts to be halted until the explosions were under control. Shoup’s teams stood by until 10:00 that evening, assisting in whatever way we could.”
On Wednesday, July 15, Shoup had two hose teams aboard BHR battling the fire when the ship started listing unexpectedly. They were evacuated to the pier until efforts stabilized the ship enough to reengage the fire. Sailors from across the waterfront had donned their gear in preparation to continue damage control efforts. Shoup Sailors, having completed their shift, packed up their well-used gear and headed back home to prepare to battle the fire again the next day, but that was the last time Shoup was on board. By Thursday, the fire was extinguished.
“The experience reinforced my love for the Navy and how the entire waterfront answered the call with equipment, personnel, and resources for multiple days,” said Ensign Caitlyn Strader, Shoup’s repair officer. “Having Shoup running so many of the stations and seeming to always be on site just enforced my pride in being part of the crew.”
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2020 11:31 |
| Story ID: | 375494 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 249 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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