The Honda Point disaster....
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swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 4,022
- Jun 25, 2013
I remember reading about that many years ago. If I recall, one of the fallouts of it was the Navy doing a lot of soul-searching about both its operational training and internal culture.
Interesting...
GreenKnight121
Senior Airman
- 734
- Mar 16, 2014
The incident was a squadron of 14 new USN destroyers in 1923. They were making a high-speed run from San Francisco to San Diego at night, in conditions that created fog close to shore.
The ships were performing an exercise that simulated wartime conditions, were navigating by dead reckoning, estimating positions from their course and speed, as measured by propeller revolutions per minute. They planned to pass through the Santa Barbara Channel. USS Delphy DD 261 was the lead ship, navigating for the entire squadron, and miscalculated her position, causing her to turn to port too soon.
The main cause of the navigational errors experienced by the crew of Delphy can be attributed to the earthquake in Japan and the underestimation of the resulting ocean conditions. On September 1, 1923, seven days before the disaster, the Great Kantō earthquake occurred in Japan. As a result of this earthquake, unusually large swells and strong currents arose off the coast of California and remained for a number of days. Before Destroyer Squadron Eleven even reached Honda Point, a number of ships had encountered navigational problems as a result of the unusual currents. Earlier the same day, the mail steamship SS Cuba ran aground nearby.
As DESRON 11 began their exercise run down the California coast, they made their way through these swells and currents. While the squadron was traveling through these swells and currents, their estimations of speed and bearing used for dead reckoning were being affected. The navigators aboard the lead ship Delphy did not take into account the effects of the strong currents and large swells in their estimations. Since the navigators in the lead ship Delphy did not account for the current and swells in their estimations, the entire squadron was off course and positioned near the treacherous coastline of Honda Point instead of the open ocean of the Santa Barbara Channel. The area of Honda Point (now known as Point Pedernales) is extremely treacherous for central California mariners, as it features a series of rocky outcroppings, collectively known as Woodbury Rocks by locals (one of which is today named Destroyer Rock on navigational charts). Called the Devil's Jaw, the area has been a navigational hazard since the Spanish explorers first came in the 16th century. It is just north of the entrance to the Santa Barbara Channel.
Rescue attempts promptly followed the accident. Local ranchers, who were alerted by the commotion of the disaster, rigged up breeches buoys from the surrounding clifftops and lowered them down to the ships that had run aground. Fishermen nearby who had seen the tragedy picked up members of the crew from USS Fuller and USS Woodbury. The crew aboard the capsized Young was able to climb to safety on the nearby USS Chauncey via a lifeline. The four destroyers in Destroyer Squadron Eleven that avoided running aground at Honda Point were also able to contribute to rescue efforts by picking up sailors who had been thrown into the water and by assisting those who were stuck aboard the wreckage of other ships.
Honda Point, also called Point Pedernales, is located on the seacoast at Vandenberg Air Force Base, near the city of Lompoc, California. There is a plaque and a memorial to the disaster at the site. The memorial includes a ship's bell from Chauncey. A propeller and a propeller shaft from Delphy is on display outside the Veterans' Memorial Building, in Lompoc, California.
The ships were performing an exercise that simulated wartime conditions, were navigating by dead reckoning, estimating positions from their course and speed, as measured by propeller revolutions per minute. They planned to pass through the Santa Barbara Channel. USS Delphy DD 261 was the lead ship, navigating for the entire squadron, and miscalculated her position, causing her to turn to port too soon.
The main cause of the navigational errors experienced by the crew of Delphy can be attributed to the earthquake in Japan and the underestimation of the resulting ocean conditions. On September 1, 1923, seven days before the disaster, the Great Kantō earthquake occurred in Japan. As a result of this earthquake, unusually large swells and strong currents arose off the coast of California and remained for a number of days. Before Destroyer Squadron Eleven even reached Honda Point, a number of ships had encountered navigational problems as a result of the unusual currents. Earlier the same day, the mail steamship SS Cuba ran aground nearby.
As DESRON 11 began their exercise run down the California coast, they made their way through these swells and currents. While the squadron was traveling through these swells and currents, their estimations of speed and bearing used for dead reckoning were being affected. The navigators aboard the lead ship Delphy did not take into account the effects of the strong currents and large swells in their estimations. Since the navigators in the lead ship Delphy did not account for the current and swells in their estimations, the entire squadron was off course and positioned near the treacherous coastline of Honda Point instead of the open ocean of the Santa Barbara Channel. The area of Honda Point (now known as Point Pedernales) is extremely treacherous for central California mariners, as it features a series of rocky outcroppings, collectively known as Woodbury Rocks by locals (one of which is today named Destroyer Rock on navigational charts). Called the Devil's Jaw, the area has been a navigational hazard since the Spanish explorers first came in the 16th century. It is just north of the entrance to the Santa Barbara Channel.
- USS Delphy was the flagship in the column. She ran aground on the shore at 20 knots (37 km/h). After running aground, she sounded her siren. The siren alerted some of the later ships in the column, helping them avoid the tragedy. Three men died. Eugene Dooman, a State Department expert on Japan, who survived, was aboard as a guest of Captain Watson, whom he had met in Japan.
- USS S. P. Lee was following a few hundred yards behind. She saw Delphy suddenly stop, and turned to port (left) in response. As a result, she ran aground on the coast.
- USS Young made no move to turn. She tore her hull open on submerged rocks, and the inrush of water capsized her onto her starboard side. Twenty men died.
- USS Woodbury turned to starboard, but struck an offshore rock.
- USS Nicholas turned to port and also hit a rock.
- USS Fuller stuck next to Woodbury.
- USS Chauncey made an attempt to rescue sailors from the capsized Young. She ran aground.
- USS Farragut ran aground, but was able to extricate herself and was not lost.
- USS Somers was lightly damaged.
Rescue attempts promptly followed the accident. Local ranchers, who were alerted by the commotion of the disaster, rigged up breeches buoys from the surrounding clifftops and lowered them down to the ships that had run aground. Fishermen nearby who had seen the tragedy picked up members of the crew from USS Fuller and USS Woodbury. The crew aboard the capsized Young was able to climb to safety on the nearby USS Chauncey via a lifeline. The four destroyers in Destroyer Squadron Eleven that avoided running aground at Honda Point were also able to contribute to rescue efforts by picking up sailors who had been thrown into the water and by assisting those who were stuck aboard the wreckage of other ships.
Honda Point, also called Point Pedernales, is located on the seacoast at Vandenberg Air Force Base, near the city of Lompoc, California. There is a plaque and a memorial to the disaster at the site. The memorial includes a ship's bell from Chauncey. A propeller and a propeller shaft from Delphy is on display outside the Veterans' Memorial Building, in Lompoc, California.
Betcha some heads rolled in the chain of command. Down to skippers, navigators, and helmsmen. It always rolls downhill.
Cheers,
Wes
Interesting reading!
Thanks.
A link with further details, Point Honda Disaster 1923
The ships lost were of the Clemson Class of which some of this class were part of the deal with GB for destroyers for bases deal in WW2
.List of Clemson-class destroyers - Wikipedia
A link with further details, Point Honda Disaster 1923
The ships lost were of the Clemson Class of which some of this class were part of the deal with GB for destroyers for bases deal in WW2
.List of Clemson-class destroyers - Wikipedia
swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 4,022
- Jun 25, 2013
Probably. I wouldn't be surprised if punishment wasn't meted out to captains and helmsmen who didn't follow the leader onto the rocks.
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Lucky13
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swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 4,022
- Jun 25, 2013
The USN did, I read, make some significant changes in destroyer operations, especially in the "follow the leader" practice that was di rigueur before Honda Point.
There was, of course, a court of enquiry and quite a lot of reflection (see, among others, Memorandum Concerning the Honda Disaster, Memorandum Concerning the Honda Disaster, A Naval Tragedy's Chain of Errors)
Humans err, even when put in USN uniforms. Pretending these don't occur is both a disservice to the leadership who try to deal with and prevent those errors and the humanity of all in the service.
There was, of course, a court of enquiry and quite a lot of reflection (see, among others, Memorandum Concerning the Honda Disaster, Memorandum Concerning the Honda Disaster, A Naval Tragedy's Chain of Errors)
Humans err, even when put in USN uniforms. Pretending these don't occur is both a disservice to the leadership who try to deal with and prevent those errors and the humanity of all in the service.
RW Mk. III
Airman 1st Class
Reminiscent of the Camperdown/Victoria incident.
The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,712
- Jun 27, 2007
Dead reckoning is a helluva drug.
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