A US Navy Attack Submarine Ran Aground (Nearly Sparking a Nuclear Crisis)

What you need to know: In October 2003, the US nuclear submarine USS Hartford ran aground off the northern coast of Sardinia, severely damaging its rudders, sonar and electronic systems.

-Despite potential environmental risks, including the presence of a nuclear reactor and Tomahawk missiles that may carry nuclear warheads, the U.S. Navy kept the incident secret.

-Leaks from family members of the crew members brought the ground ban to light. The ship underwent emergency repairs before returning to Virginia for a full overhaul.

– The captain and squadron commander were fired over the mishap, which angered the Italians about the nuclear risks posed by U.S. military activities on their territory.

The Sardinian Landing of the USS Hartford: An Inside Look at the U.S. Navy's Hidden Submarine Crisis of 2003

In the fall of 2003, a US nuclear submarine ran aground off the northern coast of Sardinia. The USS Hartford was severely damaged in the incident and subsequently required repairs to the rudders, sonar and electronic equipment.

“The 362-foot ship, carrying Tomahawk cruise missiles, possibly with nuclear warheads, had departed its Sardinian base in La Maddalena and was heading east after midnight on October 25 when it ran aground.” The Independent reported.

The U.S. Navy smartly decided to keep the landing secret. However, the crew members disclosed the incident to their family members, who in turn apparently leaked the incident to the press after learning that their family members were returning home from their six-month tour after only a month's absence.

Immediately after grounding, the Hartford underwent emergency repairs in Sardinia before sailing back to Norfolk, Virginia for a more extensive refit.

A close decision for a nuclear submarine

“The U.S. Navy says there was no damage and no injuries to the Hartford nuclear reactor.” The Independent reported. “But the seriousness of the incident was made clear by the fact that both the captain, Commander Christopher R. Van Meter, and his squadron commander, Captain Greg Parker, who was also on board at the time, were summarily dismissed.” Rear Admiral P . Stephen Stanley said that he “no longer had any faith [the commanders] Ability to command.” Six other crew members, including two officers, were also disciplined following the grounding.

In fact, the incident could have been worse. The Hartford is a nuclear submarine, meaning the ship's nuclear reactor could have been sunk and the spent nuclear fuel could have spilled into Mediterranean waters, posing environmental and economic risks. Likewise, if the Hartford Had the missiles been equipped with nuclear warhead-tipped Tomahawks, they could have posed additional environmental risks through radiation or, worse, the consequences of an accidental detonation.

Understandably, Italians were furious when they learned of the near-avoided environmental disaster (and subsequent cover-up).

“It is not only the umpteenth proof of the great risks to which the civilian population is exposed, but also of the culture of silence that invariably characterizes military activities in Sardinia,” said Mauro Bulgarelli, then an Italian MP. “Our country was denuclearized almost 20 years ago at the request of the vast majority of the Italian population. It is unacceptable that the nuclear risk is being reintroduced thanks to the American troops stationed on our territory. In another era this would be called colonization.”

The USS Hartford

The USS Hartford is a Los Angeles-Submarine-class attack submarine named after the city of Hartford, Connecticut and commissioned in 1994. The boat's name is apt – U.S. submarines are often built in Groton, Connecticut and based in New London, Connecticut (where the Hartford was based). The nearby professional ice hockey team, the Hartford Wolfpack, is named after a “wolf pack” of submariners and features a submarine in its secondary logo.

The 2003 flight ban would not be the right thing to do Hartford's only incident. In March 2009 the Hartford collided with the amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans in the Strait of Hormuz. Fifteen sailors were injured and the New Orleans The fuel tank ruptured and 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the surrounding waters.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 articles on global issues. A lawyer, pilot, guitarist and minor professional hockey player, Harrison entered the United States Air Force as an apprentice pilot but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image credit: Creative Commons.