US Navy ship accidentally fires on Polish port - Aircraft of World War II

vikingBerserker · 10-30-2009, 08:20 PM

Navy ship accidentally fires on Polish port - CNN.com

Washington (CNN) -- A crew member aboard a U.S. Navy ship accidentally fired a machine gun into the Polish port city of Gdynia on Wednesday while cleaning the weapon, Navy officials said Friday.

Three rounds were fired from an M240 machine gun into the town but no injuries or damage were reported, officials said.

The gun, aboard the USS Ramage, a Navy destroyer, is used to defend the ship in close combat.

Navy officials said a crew member was cleaning the weapon when it accidentally discharged.

The incident happened as the ship was in port after retuning from an international exercise in the Baltic Sea. It was preparing to leave later that day, the Navy said.

Polish military police boarded the ship to investigate and Navy officials said the crew of the Ramage fully cooperated. No U.S. sailors were taken into custody by Polish authorities, Navy officials said.

There was no immediate word of a U.S. Navy investigation into the incident.

B-17engineer · 10-30-2009, 08:59 PM

Uh oh! That is a big mistake.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 10-30-2009, 09:27 PM

Oh god!

Sorry, but I see no excuse for this. Everyone makes mistakes, but a soldier (sailor, airman, etc) should not make these kind of mistakes. I know these things happen, but stuff like this just pisses me off.

I guess I have a real problem with it because a jack ass was clearing his M9 (improperly I might add) one time and it went off right behind my head firing into the barrel. Scared the **** out of me, put a ringing in my ears and could have killed or seriously hurt me.

Glad to hear nobody was hurt, but I hope that this sailor is reprimanded.

Aaron Brooks Wolters · 10-30-2009, 09:38 PM

It could have been a lot worse. Just thankful that it was not.

GrauGeist · 10-30-2009, 09:50 PM

Man, I agree...a soldier/sailor is trained in the proper handling of weapons, a mistake like this is just effin' stupid.

Thank God no one was hurt, and hopefully the Poles don't get too uptight about this (though they have every reason to be).

RabidAlien · 10-31-2009, 12:51 AM

One bullet left in the chamber I can see happening (no excuse, but it happens). But....THREE??? That's not just checkin the chamber, that's leavin the belt attached! Even I'M not that stupid!!!!

Trebor · 10-31-2009, 03:02 AM

I was thinking the same thing, RA. this guy's a first class idiot

jamierd · 10-31-2009, 04:59 AM

I f the US Navy have any sense at all he will be a first class civilian idiot by monday morning

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 10-31-2009, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamierd

I f the US Navy have any sense at all he will be a first class civilian idiot by monday morning

No he deserves a reprimand and re-training.

Wayne Little · 10-31-2009, 08:00 AM

Wow....thank christ no one was hurt!

lesofprimus · 10-31-2009, 08:38 AM

What a dumbass....

All I can say is whoever discharged the weapon, and Im sure it was some lowly E-2 or some sorry-ass Boatswainsmate, they are going before Captains Mast for this one..... Probably get off with forfiture of pay and extra duties....

International incidents such as this really piss the Navy hierarchy off....

stona · 10-31-2009, 12:01 PM

Do I understand that this "unlawful discharge" of a weapon occurred as this guy was "cleaning" a weapon that was loaded and made ready. That is literally incredible to anyone who has had the most rudimentary weapons training or even handled fire arms in a civilian context. A fourteen year old cadet knows better. I can't believe that is what happened.
It's a crap excuse like "sorry we flew 150 miles past our destination,we were having a row". I suspect there was some arseing about going on.We'll never know.
Steve

RabidAlien · 10-31-2009, 12:46 PM

I can see the guy getting busted down to E-nothing, reduced pay, extra duties, etc, if it happened out at sea or somewhere in the US. But in a foreign port, creating an international incident (which the Poles could have pushed for, if any damages/injuries were found), I'm afraid they're gonna come down on him/her with both feet and every Book they have available.

lesofprimus · 10-31-2009, 01:35 PM

Gotta agree with u, but then again, the Navy in its infinite wisdom could just hush hush it and say the sailors been "transferred" to another command for re-training and bury him somewhere invisible... We probably will never know exactly what happened on deck...

Ive seen it done before, and u have too probably...

Butters · 10-31-2009, 01:36 PM

Now that a state of war exists between Poland and the US, will the rest of the Nato member nations be allowed to choose sides, or are they obligated by treaty to declare war against the aggressor nation, ie; the USA?

An apprehensive Canuck wants to know!

JL

10-30-2009, 08:20 PM	#1
vikingBerserker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,722	US Navy ship accidentally fires on Polish port Navy ship accidentally fires on Polish port - CNN.com Washington (CNN) -- A crew member aboard a U.S. Navy ship accidentally fired a machine gun into the Polish port city of Gdynia on Wednesday while cleaning the weapon, Navy officials said Friday. Three rounds were fired from an M240 machine gun into the town but no injuries or damage were reported, officials said. The gun, aboard the USS Ramage, a Navy destroyer, is used to defend the ship in close combat. Navy officials said a crew member was cleaning the weapon when it accidentally discharged. The incident happened as the ship was in port after retuning from an international exercise in the Baltic Sea. It was preparing to leave later that day, the Navy said. Polish military police boarded the ship to investigate and Navy officials said the crew of the Ramage fully cooperated. No U.S. sailors were taken into custody by Polish authorities, Navy officials said. There was no immediate word of a U.S. Navy investigation into the incident. __________________ "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it" "Those who dwell in the past, condemn the future"

10-30-2009, 08:59 PM	#2
B-17engineer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,675	Uh oh! That is a big mistake. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe36UMRkRbk

10-30-2009, 09:27 PM	#3
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 33,152	Oh god! Sorry, but I see no excuse for this. Everyone makes mistakes, but a soldier (sailor, airman, etc) should not make these kind of mistakes. I know these things happen, but stuff like this just pisses me off. I guess I have a real problem with it because a jack ass was clearing his M9 (improperly I might add) one time and it went off right behind my head firing into the barrel. Scared the ** out of me, put a ringing in my ears and could have killed or seriously hurt me. Glad to hear nobody was hurt, but I hope that this sailor is reprimanded. __________________ fly boy:**"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"[/I]

10-30-2009, 09:38 PM	#4
Aaron Brooks Wolters Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Abingdon, VA. Posts: 2,283	It could have been a lot worse. Just thankful that it was not. __________________

10-30-2009, 09:50 PM	#5
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,346	Man, I agree...a soldier/sailor is trained in the proper handling of weapons, a mistake like this is just effin' stupid. Thank God no one was hurt, and hopefully the Poles don't get too uptight about this (though they have every reason to be). __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

10-31-2009, 12:51 AM	#6
RabidAlien Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hurst, Texas Posts: 2,823	One bullet left in the chamber I can see happening (no excuse, but it happens). But....THREE??? That's not just checkin the chamber, that's leavin the belt attached! Even I'M not that stupid!!!! __________________ Pillage, then burn. Argue not with dragons, for thou art crunchy and go well on toast.

10-31-2009, 03:02 AM	#7
Trebor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,107	I was thinking the same thing, RA. this guy's a first class idiot __________________ THANKS NJACO FOR THE SIG PIC!! Southern Comfort III of the 8th Air Force, 44th Bombardment Group. Captain George R. Insley (pilot) commanding, Rudolph Jandreau Engineer/top turret gunner

10-31-2009, 04:59 AM	#8
jamierd Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Glenrothes Scotland Posts: 290	I f the US Navy have any sense at all he will be a first class civilian idiot by monday morning __________________ "It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom -- for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself." The Declaration of Arbroath C1320

10-31-2009, 08:00 AM	#10
Wayne Little Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Adelaide Sth. Aust. Posts: 12,499	Wow....thank christ no one was hurt! __________________

10-31-2009, 08:38 AM	#11
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,490	What a dumbass.... All I can say is whoever discharged the weapon, and Im sure it was some lowly E-2 or some sorry-ass Boatswainsmate, they are going before Captains Mast for this one..... Probably get off with forfiture of pay and extra duties.... International incidents such as this really piss the Navy hierarchy off.... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

10-31-2009, 12:01 PM	#12
stona Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 133	Do I understand that this "unlawful discharge" of a weapon occurred as this guy was "cleaning" a weapon that was loaded and made ready. That is literally incredible to anyone who has had the most rudimentary weapons training or even handled fire arms in a civilian context. A fourteen year old cadet knows better. I can't believe that is what happened. It's a crap excuse like "sorry we flew 150 miles past our destination,we were having a row". I suspect there was some arseing about going on.We'll never know. Steve

10-31-2009, 12:46 PM	#13
RabidAlien Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hurst, Texas Posts: 2,823	I can see the guy getting busted down to E-nothing, reduced pay, extra duties, etc, if it happened out at sea or somewhere in the US. But in a foreign port, creating an international incident (which the Poles could have pushed for, if any damages/injuries were found), I'm afraid they're gonna come down on him/her with both feet and every Book they have available. __________________ Pillage, then burn. Argue not with dragons, for thou art crunchy and go well on toast.

10-31-2009, 01:35 PM	#14
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,490	Gotta agree with u, but then again, the Navy in its infinite wisdom could just hush hush it and say the sailors been "transferred" to another command for re-training and bury him somewhere invisible... We probably will never know exactly what happened on deck... Ive seen it done before, and u have too probably... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

10-31-2009, 01:36 PM	#15
Butters Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Shore of Nova Scotia Posts: 299	Now that a state of war exists between Poland and the US, will the rest of the Nato member nations be allowed to choose sides, or are they obligated by treaty to declare war against the aggressor nation, ie; the USA? An apprehensive Canuck wants to know! JL

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