A Drunk Boater Hit the USS Midway
The incident cost over $100,000 in damages, marking the third collision in the historic aircraft carrier’s long service life.
It was 45 years ago this month that the former USS Midway (CV-41) collided with a Panamanian freighter while transiting the Balabac Strait that connects the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea off the coasts of the Philippines and Borneo. Two sailors on the conventionally powered warship were killed, and three more were injured as a result of the incident, which also ruptured fuel lines, damaged an aircraft elevator, and resulted in damage to several F-4 Phantom aircraft.
An investigation determined that the Panamanian freighter Cactus veered into the path of the aircraft carrier, striking its port side.
The warship, which has the distinction of being the longest-serving US Navy aircraft carrier, having been commissioned in September 1945 and remaining in service until 1992, suffered another collision just last week. Given that the USS Midway has been a floating museum since 2004, it was immediately apparent that the fault lay with the 40-year-old captain of the 65-foot pleasure craft, Offshore Lifestyle.
At just before noon on Friday, July 18, the cabin cruiser collided head-on on the port side of the retired carrier. The vessel proceeded to flee the scene, but was later located near the Coronado Ferry Landing on the other side of San Diego Bay. The boat’s operator was also identified as Frank D’Anna, who was arrested on multiple charges, including operating the boat with a blood alcohol level over .08.
How Badly Was the USS Midway Damaged?
The collision resulted in no apparent structural damage to the retired US Navy warship; yet, early estimates conducted by the USS Midway Museum suggest the scuffs and scratches could still tally upwards of $100,000. Museum spokesperson David Koontz told Stars & Stripes that a “special paint” is used to provide “a protective coating against the elements, including salt waters.”
The electrical systems designed to prevent or at least slow corrosion will also need to be inspected.
It is unclear how repairs will be carried out, but it is unlikely the warship will need to be moved to a dry dock. The warship was last dry-docked in 2003 in Oakland, California, in preparation for the conversion to a floating museum ship.
Many Ships Have Crashed into the USS Midway
Although the USS Midway was commissioned after the end of World War II, the famed carrier saw service in the Vietnam War, being among the warships present during the fall of Saigon in April 1975. CVN-41 later took part in 1991’s Operation Desert Storm, before being retired just a year later.
The lead vessel of the Midway-class conventionally powered carriers, CVN-41, has been preserved as a museum ship since 2004. She has the distinction of being one of only five retired carriers preserved in this role, and the only non-Essex-class flattop.
Although USS Midway never took direct fire from the enemy, last week’s incident marks the third collision involving the aircraft carrier, and the second since it became a museum. In August 2018, a sailboat crashed into the side of the retired warship.
Retirement has not been uneventful.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Matthew G Eddy.
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