This is one of the prime reasons we decommision ships greater than 25 years old. AS 40 is 28 years old already. Last I heard she was supposed to head into Bremerton for just that. I am surprised she was transfered to Gaum instead.

Very sorry to hear about this event. RIP to him and my condolences to the family.

thegunny-if you de-comissioned every ship over 25 years old or older we would not have a Fleet esp.this type of ship.They don't get underway much they are used as Station Ships for repair only.

Hmmm, so the Navy doesn't like to get new ships? How old do you think a ship needs to be before they get sent to the boneyard or sunk to make a new reef?

Reading the article link you provided, those sailors were conducting routine preventive maintenance checks of steam safety valves when the #1 Boiler experienced a major steam leak into the fire box, rupturing an exhaust plenum and sending pressurized steam into the Fire Room. It looks like on the face of it, that someone missed a critical valve or failed to open up the correct valve. I'm sure it will all come out after the formal investigation that this fatal incident was entirely preventable.

Incidents like the above is what turned battleships into museums.

thegunny-normaly a Us Navy ship is put out of commison when the hull or outside condition is deterated to usuable repair I didn't say some of them shouldn't be put out of commison I stated if you put ships out of commison at 25 years we would not have a Fleet almost all of those FFG's out there are over 25 Sprunce Class DD's over 30 USS Enterprise(CVN 65 over 40 yrs. almost half of those Command ships CC's are actually built on Cruiser hulls laid down in the 60's.if you wanted to you could blame Slick Willy his wife and anyone else that did all of the Military cuttin in the past.If you ever been in a fireroom and worked it is very dangerous because that is High pressure steam it could have been inproper safty it could been bad quaility material from last yard period who knows.

Sully, I hear you. Just stating my opinion. If the country wants to keep the Navy afloat, then they gotta put in the johnny cash to do it right. I still believe that this incident will either turn out to be human error or something that has been over looked for the last 25 years or so.

thegunny-I have a feeling we are in for some bad Military cuts if the Democrates have their way esp.Hilary she has been on the dept.of the Navy's shitlist every since she went into office.