From: clarinews@clarinet.com (UPI)
Newsgroups: clari.news.military
Subject: Navy missle said accidentally launched in 1982
Keywords: military
Date: 15 Nov 92 22:14:37 GMT
ACategory: usa
Slugword: missile
Priority: regular
Format: regular
ANPA: Wc: 325; Id: z3877; Sel: xxnm.; Adate: 11-15-515pes
Codes: ynm.rxx., xxxxxxxx, tncn...., tdza....


	HOUSTON (UPI) -- A powerful sea skimmer Navy missile was accidentally
launched in the Caribbean Sea in 1982, posing a deadly threat to
civilian and military ships in the area, the Houston Chronicle reported
Sunday.
	The newspaper said that during gunnery exercises near St. Martin
island, a Navy guided missile destroyer accidentally launched the self-
guiding missile capable of locating and striking a moving vessel 90
miles away.
	According to the report, the Navy admitted the missile flew to the
limit of its range just above the wave tops before falling harmlessly
into the sea.
	The missile is armed with a 500-pound warhead and is designed to blow
up after it penetrates the hull of a ship.
	The Chronicle said the error came to light during the Navy
investigation of last month's accidental missile launch that killed five
Turkish sailors. On Oct. 2, the USS Saratoga mistakenly fired two Sea
Sparrow missiles, at least one of which struck the Turkish destroyer
Mauvenet.
	The 1982 accidental launch involved a Harpoon missile, the Navy's
premier anti-ship weapon that contains a radar system in its nose to
guide the missile to its target. The newspaper said the Navy is trying
to determine whether there have been similar misfires of the Harpoon.
	The Chronicle said the missile was mistakenly launched in the spring
of 1982 from the USS Coontz as a stunned crew watched the Harpoon race
toward the horizon.
	A sailor working on the main deck of the Coontz was Seaman Charles
Sutton, who said he ``heard this huge roar and realized there was all
this smoke right over my head.'' Sutton, who now works as a printer in
Houston, said ``it was a miracle I didn't get roasted.''
	The sailor told the newspaper that he and other crewmembers feared
the missile could hit a Soviet warship they believed was in the area, as
well as a merchant or passenger vessel.

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Does anybody know the result of the investigation about 2 missiles fired
from USS Saratoga against the Turkish ship Muavenet? Has it become one of
the many forgotten accidents? What about the mining accident which occured 
last winter in Zonguldak area? Do we still care about the people of Erzincan
who have suffered terribly with the earthquake? It is the winter time in that
area and the winter there is like hell. The only difference is that it is cold,
not hot. What precautions are being taken for traffic accidents which is the
number one reason for deaths in Turkey? 

Have we forgotten all these disasters so quickly? I have started to believe that
it is one of our national characteristics to forget disasters so quickly and 
never take any precautions to prevent them happening again or be ready for the
next time or question the mistakes. Are we so much senseless? 

Two weeks ago I received a letter from my brother saying that one of my
closest friends was  wounded in Muavenet hit by USS Saratoga missiles.
I could have been there if I had not quit Naval Lycee years ago. This time
it is my friend. Unfortunately one never really cares about the terrible things
which are happening around unless he/she gets affected one way or another.
The same is true for Erzincan earthquake. It is my hometown. My brother is a
mining engineer. He could have been in Zonguldak when the terrible accident
occured. You see, we are not so far away from the disasters as you might think.
Tomorrow another one can catch you (I hope not). So let's be more sensible
to the accidents/disasters which are happening around. Let's question the
authorities, the responsible people. Let's really care about the ones
who are affected with the terrible consequences of the accidents/disasters.
Let's be sure that they get compensated for their losses. And let's make sure
that these accidents/disasters are minimized if we can.

Have a nice week...

M. Okan Tanrikulu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish