Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Back at Sea After Collision Repairs
25th February 2025
The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is back at sea conducting routine operations after a week or so in port in Greece for repairs. Truman collided with the cargo ship M/V Besiktas-M in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt’s Port Said earlier this month.
Souda Bay is in Crete, which is technically Greece, but the write-up implies that it is on mainland Greece, which would be incorrect. When I was in the Navy my ship stopped at Souda Bay, which has absolutely nothing to recommend it.
“Led by Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC), Truman completed the five-day ERAV at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Greece,” according to a Navy press release. “In an all-hands effort, Sailors worked with FDRMC personnel, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and local industry partner Theodoropoulos Group to assess damage, develop a repair plan, and restore weathertight integrity to the ship following the collision on Feb. 12.”
So this is just a temporary patch-up job to allow the ship to continue operations. No doubt full repairs will be scheduled for the next RAV (restricted availability) period when back from deployment.
“Our ship remains operationally ready to complete deployment with mission and purpose on full display by the entire crew,” Navy Capt. Christopher Hill, Truman‘s commanding officer, also said in a statement. “We are out here launching and recovering aircraft, ready to ‘Give ‘em Hell’ with combat credible power.”
‘Combat credible power’ sounds like a blurb from the old Wacky Races TV cartoon program.