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USINDOPACOM Stories

Underwater Construction Team 2 Completes Critical Maintenance Across the Pacific

21 December 2015

From Construction Mechanic 1st Class Jeff Snider

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JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 2's Construction Dive Detachment Charlie (CDD/C) completed five months of maintenance and repairs to U.S. 7th and 3rd Fleet Naval facilities, Dec. 12. 

In keeping with the UCT's mission of providing construction, inspection, repair, and maintenance of ocean facilities, the detachment completed work to fleet mooring systems at Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan, maintenance to cable systems at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Kauai, Hawaii, as well as repairs to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam's submarine piers.

In Yokosuka and Sasebo, Seabee divers inspected 36 fleet mooring systems, replacing over 1,200 zinc anodes, which protect the systems from corrosion. 

Fleet moorings are comprised of buoys attached to anchors by large steel chains allowing naval vessels to moor up during berthing, refueling, and resupply operations without having to drop anchor, saving time and manpower.

"Most people don't understand what's actually underneath those buoys when they see them. There are a lot of components that connect the buoys to the ocean floor, and it's our job to make sure they remain capable of safely holding the fleet's ships," said Utilitiesman 2nd Class Erick Martin, the project planner. "As Seabees, most of us have never been on a Navy ship, but we do help ensure they are ready by fixing waterfront facilities that support their mission." 

At any given time, there are 50-70 ships assigned to the 7th Fleet, whose area of responsibility encompasses more than 48 million square miles in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

CDD/C logged 27 hours of bottom time over 30 days, utilizing full face mask MK-20 scuba equipment. Much of the diving was performed in harbors where visibility can be less than a couple of feet. 

"It becomes almost pitch black on the bottom at the mudline," said Steelworker 2nd Class Tyler Ault, CDD/C's newest diver. "Luckily dive school prepared me for those kinds of underwater situations."

Peacetime missions like these fleet mooring system inspections prepare the UCT's for one of their primary wartime missions - battle damage repair of waterfront facilities. 

"This work isn't just important for the readiness of 7th fleet, it sharpens our skills for the moment we get the call to do our most critical missions", said Chief Construction Mechanic Timothy Plummer, CDD/C's officer-in-charge.

At the PMRF in Kauai, Hawaii, UCT TWO was called upon to maintain and repair a vital underwater cable system used to train PACFLT's submarine force. CDD/C took advantage of the calm weather and conditions in July and August to inspect and repair the damaged areas of the range. During the winter season, storms and swells over 25 feet often damage the underwater cables and instruments on the range. 

After inspecting miles of underwater cables and conduits looking for abrasions, cuts, and breaks, the damaged areas were covered with heavy, cast-iron split pipe to prevent further damage to the system, and large zinc anodes were then attached in various places along the cables to prevent corrosion. Some cables were completely severed, cut by large swells and jagged coral on the ocean floor.

With the cable maintenance complete, CDD/C moved its attention to deep water training buoys off the coast of Niihau, 20 miles west of Kauai. The tops of the buoys sit at 110-150 FSW, with their mooring systems extending down to 300-500 FSW. 

"It's pretty eerie" said Builder 2nd Class Joseph Hophan. "You can't see the bottom (ocean floor) even from 150 FSW; it's just blue water all around." 

Something the divers saw plenty of this year in Kauai were sharks. 

"The buoys attract fish, which eat the organisms that grow on the structures and those fish, in turn, bring in the sharks," said Builder 2nd Class Ben Reed.

Navy Divers are trained to recognize when dangerous marine life is exhibiting aggressive behavior. The sharks here were content with just watching the divers work.

CDD/C's last stop was Pearl Harbor, where they repaired a deteriorated submarine pier. The Sierra Piers, which are used to berth fast attack submarines, were originally built in the 1940s.

Seabee Divers utilized their expertise in carpentry, electrical, metal work, concrete, and diving to accomplish the mission. 

"This job could only be accomplished by the UCTs," said Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Jesse Good, the detachment's support mechanic. "It calls on someone with the above water skills of a Seabee and the underwater proficiency of a diver" he added. 

Underwater Construction Teams provide a capability for construction, inspection, repair, and maintenance of ocean facilities in support of Navy and Marine Corps operations including the repair of battle damage. The teams have the capability to support a Fleet Marine Force (FMF) amphibious assault, subsequent combat service support ashore, self-defense for their camp and facilities under construction, and conduct emergency/disaster control and recovery operations.

For more news from Naval Construction Group 1, visit www.navy.mil/local/ncg1/

 

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