USS McCampbell sinks Canadian Sailing vessel

[sfc_darrel]

USS McCampbell Makes Successful Drug Bust on First Deployment
Story Number: NNS030530-03
Release Date: 5/30/2003 9:58:00 AM



By Ensign Joel Jackson, USS McCampbell Public Affairs

ABOARD USS MCCAMPBELL, At Sea (NNS) -- USS McCampbell (DDG 85), on its first operational deployment, seized 1.36 metric tons of cocaine from a sailing vessel off the coast of Central America.

McCampbell is conducting a counter drug deployment under the control of Joint Interagency Task Force ? West.

In the predawn hours of May 12, 2003, ship?s force and members of a U.S Coast Guard law enforcement detachment conducted a discrete boarding of the ?Sin Rumbo,? a Canadian flagged sailing vessel. Inside the vessel, the boarding team discovered 1.36 metric tons of cocaine packaged for shipment and valued at more than $20 million.

The master of the vessel, along with the narcotics, were transferred to McCampbell and detained until he could be handed over to proper authorities. Following discussions with appropriate law enforcement authorities, McCampbell destroyed the sailing vessel with the ship?s Mk-45 5-inch/62 caliber gun weapon system .

Ensign Danielle Kaegel was the officer of the deck both when the vessel was first approached and boarded, and then later when the vessel was destroyed and sunk.

?I had very good timing and was lucky that I was able to experience both of these events during my watches,? said Kaegel. ?It was a unique, interesting learning experience; something I probably will not see again. It was rewarding to prosecute and accomplish our mission.?

The law enforcement detachment officer-in-charge commented, ?This is our bread and butter. It?s what we do best.? He continued, ?This takedown started high risk, but once the vessel was under our control, it was a textbook case. The McCampbell has been great; a top-notch crew with a supportive, positive climate where everybody is more than willing to help.?

The teamwork between the ship's crew, the law enforcement detachment, and embarked Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 43 make for an impressive counter-narcotics effort.

McCampbell?s assignment on this deployment is occurring while the ship is still in its initial shakedown period, less than one year since leaving the shipyard in Bath, Maine. McCampbell is part of a Commander Naval Surface Forces, Pacific Fleet and Commander, 3rd Fleet's initiative to employ newly commissioned warships immediately upon delivery and prior to their normal rotation as Carrier Striking Group escorts. McCampbell is assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron 1 and is homeported in San Diego.

For related news, visit the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cnsp.

[Boats]

Hey Darrel,

Great picture's - I was on the Kitty and I've never seen her dry docked and the photo's are excellent. You really never know how much more ship is under the water line until you dry dock her.

I worked on Bonny Dick (CVA31) during her dry docking stage in Long Beach. I was impressed but she's dwarfed by the Kitty and I can imagine what some of the larger carriers are like in dry dock.

Thanks for the story on the drug seizer and for the link.

[sfc_darrel]

Just more of our hard working Navy

The message from our favorite Navy Gunner's Mate:
"Yep, 5 continuous round on top of each other with a big fireball in the middle of it all. It was beautiful! "