THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 18, 1995 TAG: 9501180434
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KERRY DEROCHI, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
The Navy has relieved the commanding officer of the dock landing ship Pensacola for damaging the ship's port shaft propeller in a grounding incident off North Carolina.
The propeller has been replaced at a cost of about $145,000.
Cmdr. Jerry Henderson was removed from the ship and given a temporary shore assignment after an administrative hearing last week at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
The ship's navigator was also relieved of his duties; his name has not been released by the Navy.
Three crew members - two of them officers - received administrative letters, counseling and other disciplinary measures, said a spokesman for the Atlantic Fleet Surface forces. The punishments, handed down by Rear Adm. Leonard F. Picotte, commander of Amphibious Group Two, are under review by the chain of command.
The actions stem from an incident in late November when the Pensacola was conducting amphibious assault vehicle operations off North Carolina.
It was at the completion of those exercises that the ship began vibrating excessively while reaching speeds of 16 and 18 knots.
The shaking went unreported for two weeks, until Dec. 11.
An investigation was started at Little Creek.
Divers inspecting the hull found that two of the five blades on the port shaft propeller were curled, indicating the Pensacola had struck ground sometime while at sea. by CNB