In April 1983, an event unfolded that would leave an indelible mark on the history of the United States Navy and its storied vessel, the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, returning from its 10th deployment, ran aground on a sandbar in San Francisco Bay, a mere 1,000 yards from eager families awaiting the crew’s return. This grounding led to the delay of the sailors’ reunion with their families, incurred a hefty $17 million in damages, and ultimately resulted in the relief of the ship’s captain, Robert Leuschner.
On the morning of the grounding, the USS Enterprise sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge, heralding the end of an eight-month-long Western Pacific deployment. Yet, in an unforeseen turn of events, the 90,000-ton vessel missed the edge of the designated 400-yard-wide ship channel amidst cloudy, windy weather conditions. As the ship listed 10 degrees to port, the shocking sight was visible to the 3,000 friends and family members gathered at the pier, who watched with bated breath as the homecoming took a dramatic and frustrating detour.
The effort to free the ship was monumental. It reportedly took nine military and civilian tugboats to rock the enormous carrier off the sandbar. After nearly six hours of coordinated effort with the tide, the Enterprise was dislodged at 3:12 p.m. and eventually docked at Alameda by the late afternoon. The crew’s and families’ frustrations turned into relief as they finally reunited after the unexpected delay.
An official from the San Francisco Bar Pilots Association stated that a civilian pilot had initially steered the Enterprise but had handed over command to a Navy pilot before the incident. Following the grounding, divers conducted nearly 400 man-hours of underwater inspections to assess potential damage. The investigation revealed that a distraction caused by a false report of a gunman below decks had led to a critical lapse in attention, resulting in the carrier’s approach to the sandbank.
Captain Leuschner’s cruise had been challenging, and the incident only compounded the difficulties. The Navy relieved him from duty after it was confirmed that the grounding had caused substantial financial damage.
The USS Enterprise, known as “The Big E,” has a legendary status. It is the successor to the original USS Enterprise (CV-6), a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier that served with distinction during World War II and was the most decorated U.S. Navy warship of the war. The CVN-65, also nicknamed “The Big E” and the longest naval vessel ever built at over 1,000 feet, carried on the proud name until this unfortunate event.
Relevant articles:
– USS Enterprise: The Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier That Dangerously Ran Aground, The National Interest
– USS Enterprise (CV, navy.mil
– The time a nuclear aircraft carrier ran aground right before homecoming, We Are The Mighty, Jan 6, 2022
– USS Enterprise: The Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier That Dangerously Ran Aground, The National Interest, Nov 30, 2023