The US Navy destroyer USS Benfold was left without power and unable to manoeuvre independently for four days during operations in the South China Sea last month after a generator-related engineering failure, media reported.
The breakdown reportedly knocked out the ship’s galley, toilets, air conditioning and drinking-water services while temperatures in the region were between 32C and 37C, forcing the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls to provide hot meals before the Benfold was towed to the Philippines for repairs.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, which normally operates with the USS George Washington carrier strike group, has since returned to service.
The incident occurred while the group was conducting a US “freedom of navigation” operation challenging Beijing’s maritime claims and comes amid reports of maintenance and living-condition problems aboard other US Navy vessels.
CNN’s account follows reports of malfunctioning toilets and food shortages aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during its lengthy Persian Gulf deployment, while the USS Gerald R. Ford has returned to the United States for repairs after experiencing several technical problems.
Smelly old US military…LOL
Its good to see all these problems the US Navy is experiencing
US destroyers belong in the USA, not in the South China Sea
Exactly, and should be re-designated as the U.S. Coast Guard, for American Waters Use Only!
Imagine if this vessel had drifted into Chinese or North Korean Territorial Waters…
Then they would have another USS Pueblo incident, or another USS Liberty on their hands.
Since the DoD, the Commander-in-Chief, the Secretary of War, and the Supreme Naval Commander cannot and will not attend to the needs of the Sailors and Marines on these ships, then THAT IS A BREACH OF BOTH ENLISTMENT AND COMMISSIONED OFFICER CONTRACTS!
The U.S. Armed Forces promises;
1. Free food-(depending on marital and job status…)
2. Free healthcare-
3. Free housing (as applicable…)
4. Pay for engaging in a selected field of DoD.
5. Proper equipment for the chosen career field.
6. Proper moral, ethical and legal rights in support of the service member(s).
When the US Armed Forces are NOT provided the above, or have no intention of prioritising the same, then the DoD has broken the contract, and those who are under such a said contract can therefore break the terms, conditions and regulations pertaining to their enlistment / commissioning status.
IF such provisions are not provided for, then the personnel on those ships have every moral, ethical and legal right to claim temporary ownership of the assets (ships) to which they are assigned as seized collateral until proper restitution and reparations are made to the service members!
The Naval personnel should have seized the ship, sailed to a neutral port, and place those who were in command to the brig to be shipped-out ASAP back to D.C. (District of Criminals) and new Commanders reassigned to the Sailors & Marines.
The ship(s) should have been restocked, recompensated, and apologies issued from the JCS and the CiC.
This in theory falls OUTSIDE of the illegal and un-Constitutional UCMJ that deprives a Service Member of his / her rights and inflicts maximum punishments for minor infractions!
The so-called ‘most powerful Navy in the world’ are being fed a handful of carrots and a sliver of soylent meat that resembles the sole of a shoe!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pW-KOThF80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jwuyVwO7LE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFctd7WfiNk
But- that Russian Carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov’ isn’t much better….and has been pulled permanently from service, as aircraft carriers are outdated..!