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Former flagship for 7th Fleet sunk in missile exercise Multi-national naval forces put ex-USS Oklahoma City at bottom of ocean.**
Lt. Cmdr. Ed Zeigler, Task Force 70 Public Affairs
 Western
Pacific, in the vicinity of the Mariana islands -- Naval forces from the United States
under the command of Task Force 70 joined naval forces from Singapore, Republic of Korea,
Canada, and Australia in a Multi-national Training Exercise 1999. The live-fire
missile exercise was held in a naval operating area near the Mariana islands. Ships,
submarines, and numerous tactical and maritime patrol aircraft from the five nations fired
Harpoon, Penguin, and Maverick missiles, torpedoes, and shipboard guns at the ex-USS
Oklahoma City, a former Seventh Fleet flagship.
The first day of the exercise began with a NATO Sea Sparrow shoot by USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). HMAS Perth (DDG 38), HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06), and HMAS Sydney (FFG 03) followed with Standard missiles fired at aircraft launched drones. USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), and USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) also fired Standard missiles at air launched drones.
On the third day a "fouled range" prevented scheduled Harpoon shots at ex- Oklahoma City. For ship and aircraft safety, the Task Force had to ensure the Harpoon firing range was clear of all vessels in a 10,000-square mile area around the target. "With all the fishing and pleasure craft, it was tough to clear the range," said Cmdr. Al Elkins, the senior exercise planner for Task Force 70. "Safety is much more important in an exercise environment than getting the shot off. Even with this setback, we were still able to achieve our goals," said Elkins.
The ship was still afloat on the final day of the exercise. With USS Columbus (SSN 762), Republic of Korea Submarine Lee Chun (SS 062), and several attack aircraft were in position to take another shot at the old vessel. Lee Chun shot a torpedo, scoring a direct hit. Twenty-five minutes later, at approximately 11:03 a.m., the former Seventh Fleet flagship disappeared below the surface, sinking down in 6,000 feet of water. The
preparation for five nations conducting this combined, live-fire exercise, began well in
advance of the first shot being fired. "Planning an exercise of this magnitude
takes a great deal of coordination between nations," said Elkins. "You can
imagine the danger of a multi-national force, all firing weapons in a confined operating
area. Every detail must be reviewed several times," continued Elkins. "MTX 99 command-and-control used e-mail
systems, satellite voice and data communications, and time-proven communications systems,
providing operators real-time information for decision making," said Lt. Ed Burns,
Task Force 70 communications officer. "We used some of the Navy’s advanced
technological communications systems to ensure all nations could talk to each other.
We were all operating from the same perspective," Burns added. - USN - |
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The article above by Lt. Cmdr. Ed Zeigler, Task Force 70 Public Affairs, only mentioned the year but not the actual date of the sinking. Dan McGarigle, ( MU3, Staff 7th Fleet 1964-65 ) reports the actual date of the SINKEX was 25 MAR 1999. |
** History courtesy DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER and other U.S. Navy and unnamed sources. Any author desiring credit for their contributions or images can contact Ray Plumlee.
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[ USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 ] [ USS Providence CLG-6 ] [ USS Goldsborough DDG-20 ]
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