Washington — The U.S. Navy confirmed that the destroyer USS Benfold experienced a major engineering casualty on July 24, leaving the ship without power for four days while operating in the Pacific Ocean. The incident affected a crew of about 300 sailors, who were forced to endure a lack of drinking water, meals, functioning toilets and air‑conditioning during the outage.
According to Navy spokesman Cmdr. Matthew Comer, the loss of power was caused by a failure of the ship’s generators. The crew, he said, responded with “resilience, grit, professionalism, and unwavering steadiness.” No injuries were reported.
Assistance and repairs
After the casualty, the Benfold received aid from the George Washington carrier strike group. The cruiser USS Robert Smalls delivered meals to the stricken destroyer, and the strike group’s assets helped stabilize the situation. On July 28, the Benfold was towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs. While docked, the sailors were provided with food and lodging off the ship.
The vessel left Subic Bay on August 8, with all engineering, combat and crew‑support systems reported as functioning normally.
Broader context
The breakdown comes amid growing scrutiny of the Navy’s ability to sustain ships during extended deployments, especially as the Pentagon confronts challenges in the Pacific and the ongoing conflict with Iran. Recent reports have highlighted supply shortages and morale concerns aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent a record‑setting 250 consecutive days at sea.
Meanwhile, ships from the George Washington strike group, including the carrier USS George Washington, were observed moving toward the Middle East. The carrier is expected to replace the Abraham Lincoln, which acting Navy secretary Hung Cao said will soon return home. This shift could leave the Pacific without a U.S. carrier presence for an uncertain period.
Defense analysts note that the Pacific theater remains a focal point of U.S. strategy, with the current administration viewing China as a settled power that must be deterred rather than the primary global adversary. The incident underscores the importance of maintaining robust logistical and engineering support for forward‑deployed naval forces.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
