USS Benfold Lost Power for 4 Days in South China Sea, Forcing Tow to Philippines
Updated
Updated · The Daily Beast · Aug 17
USS Benfold Lost Power for 4 Days in South China Sea, Forcing Tow to Philippines
3 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · Aug 17
Summary
USS Benfold drifted powerless for nearly a week in the South China Sea after a generator casualty left the destroyer unable to maneuver; repairs were completed by Aug. 8.
Four days without toilets, galley service, air conditioning or potable water left the crew operating in sweltering conditions, while USS Robert Smalls and other ships delivered meals and support before the tow to the Philippines.
The outage is under investigation and marks the second Pacific destroyer power loss this year, after USS Higgins suffered an electrical casualty in May.
The breakdown lands amid wider scrutiny of Navy ship conditions after families from USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Boxer reported poor supplies, broken sanitation and worsening sailor mental health, concerns Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have downplayed.