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Started By
Message
14 years ago today a shipmate was lost
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:15 am
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:15 am
CNN.com
Williams was a great guy.
Williams was a great guy.
quote:
Dwayne Williams, a 23-year old petty officer third class from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was chasing a football Friday morning when he tripped and fell over the side of the ship, plunging 70 feet into the Atlantic, Tjepkema said.
quote:
The Nassau was about 900 miles [1,440 kilometers] off the Virginia coast, traveling about 18 knots [20.7 mph].
It was a clear day, and Williams could be seen waving his arms in the water, the captain said. Crew members threw him a float coat to help him stay buoyant and a smoke float, which allows someone lost at sea to send smoke signals, Tjepkema said.
6
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:16 am to Azranod
did he not get the float?
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:17 am to CarRamrod
quote:
did he not get the float?
Forget the float, what about the football?
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:18 am to CarRamrod
No. It was slightly rough sees that day, that's why flight ops were cancelled.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:19 am to Sao
(no message)
This post was edited on 5/24/17 at 10:21 am
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:21 am to Sao
quote:
Forget the float, what about the football?
quote:
The football, coat and smoke float were all found near where Williams had fallen over, but there was no sign of him.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:25 am to yat70458
quote:
a-hole statement.
Sorry.
Thoughts and prayers, OP.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:29 am to Sao
RIP Shipmate...
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:32 am to LSUBoo
quote:
The football, coat and smoke float were all found near where Williams had fallen over, but there was no sign of him.
How long did it take for y'all to recover the floats/football? I'm asking because you have to prove the ability to tread water for 5 minutes in bootcamp. Wondering if something pulled him under
I'm gonna assume he was in PT gear
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:34 am to Azranod
yall didn't have nets around the flight deck? on a carrier if you fall off you land in a little net.
we had a few folks fall overboard, as far as I know only one was recovered
we had a few folks fall overboard, as far as I know only one was recovered
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:36 am to Azranod
Sounds clumsy. Darwin Award right here.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:37 am to Azranod
Explain to non-sailors how he is not rescued please.
Seems like you dispatch a helo immediately.
Even if flight ops are canceled, that means it just sucks if you fall overboard?
Also good thing this was before the USN wore that awesome blue camo; you would have never seen him.
Seems like you dispatch a helo immediately.
Even if flight ops are canceled, that means it just sucks if you fall overboard?
Also good thing this was before the USN wore that awesome blue camo; you would have never seen him.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:40 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:
Within five minutes of the fall, Tjepkema said, a rescue boat left the ship; within 10 minutes, a helicopter arrived to take part in the search; and within an hour, four more helicopters were on the scene.
quote:
Williams had not been wearing a life preserver onboard, and he was wearing coveralls and boots, which would weigh him down in the water, Tjepkema said.
To this day, I remember walking through the hanger deck, and hearing the alarm. I ran to the Portside elevator, and spotted him treading water. I remember wave after wave crashing over his head, and him coming back to the surface. I remember just as the SAR helicopter got overhead, and the guy was about to jump in, another wave crashed over Williams, and he never surfaced again.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:41 am to Theboot32
quote:
yall didn't have nets around the flight deck? on a carrier if you fall off you land in a little net
This.
I was with the 13th MEU on and LHD. Those wire nets extended out pretty far. You'd almost have to try to get passed it.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:42 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:im guessing the 70' fall knocked the wind out of him.
I'm asking because you have to prove the ability to tread water for 5 minutes in bootcamp
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:43 am to Azranod
We never had to worry about this in submarine service.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:44 am to CarRamrod
quote:
im guessing the 70' fall knocked the wind out of him.
I figured the same thing and also thought panic may have set in which really destroys your endurance in water.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:48 am to Theboot32
quote:
yall didn't have nets around the flight deck?
Yeah, we had them. The other guys that were on deck with him said as he jumped in the air to catch the football, that the ship caught a wave and rolled out from underneath him.
Posted on 5/24/17 at 10:52 am to Azranod
quote:
Williams had not been wearing a life preserver onboard, and he was wearing coveralls and boots, which would weigh him down in the water, Tjepkema said.
I know it is a fricking ridiculous concept but you're taught to try to "inflate" your clothing for better bouyancy
You wear belts with coveralls so that would mean tightening your belt, arm cuffs, and tightening the collar area of your coveralls. Then blowing air to fill the cavity
I remember doing it in the pool at bootcamp and thinking this would never work in real life.
You are also taught to take your dungaree pants off, tie the legs and trap air in them while floating between the pant legs.
This post was edited on 5/24/17 at 10:53 am
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