Action on the east coast has not met with any weather problems. The west coast is another story. Above the surface, heavy winds and drenching rains cover the entire northwest, from Canada all the way south to central California.
Naval vessels trying to maintain the vigilant watch they’ve been assigned are bouncing about like corks in a pond. Aircraft flying over the given parameters have their own set of problems.
The USS Hawkeye DDG 94 is maintaining her station on the most northern point of the picket line. Her radar picks up the launching of a cruise missile from Kilo 102.
Captain Jesse Meyers runs from the bridge down to the combat information center.
“Missile launch identified,” he says, keeping his voice as controlled as possible, under the circumstances. “Get fire control ready to create a solution.”
“Aye, sir,” responds the watch officer.
“Fire Control, CIC. We have a missile launched from below the surface at 325 degrees, range fifty miles.”
Fire control officers and sailors work feverishly to create a firing solution on the radar blip they have just identified as a cruise missile heading inbound toward San Francisco.
As the turret for the Sparrow missiles begins to turn, a complete systems failure occurs. The control officer tries three more times. Each time, the turret fails to respond.
“Captain, we have a systems failure on the Sparrow launcher,” yells the Fire Control officer from the other end of the CIC.
“What do you mean, systems failure?”
“Everything just shut down, sir. We don’t know why yet. Someone else better back us up for this shot.”
“There’s an emergency restart on that system. Have you tried that?”
“Yes sir. Three times.”
“I want a report from your crew on my desk as soon as you find the problem.”
The captain grabs a phone which allows him to communicate via satellite with Pacific Command directly.
The phone rings three times, which feels like a lifetime to the frustrated captain. Finally the secretary for Vice-Admiral Kevin O’Rourke answers it.
“This is an emergency. I need the admiral, right now. This is Captain Jesse Meyers of the USS Hawkeye.”
“Yes, sir.”
Almost immediately, the admiral is on the phone. “Captain, this is Admiral O’Rourke.”
“Sir, we’ve detected a missile launch, heading for San Francisco. We are the northernmost vessel of our group and our Sparrow system has failed to operate. Notify land-based command to use their surface-launched ground-to-air missiles to take this thing out.”
“Your current coordinates for the missile, Captain?”
The captain has the watch officer give him the coordinates, which he relays quickly and clearly to the admiral.
“Captain, I want a report from you on why that Sparrow system failed to function.”
“Yes, sir. I do too. You’ll have it, as soon as I do.”
The captain and the admiral hurriedly hang up.
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