Vengeance

33 USS MICHIGAN

Five hundred feet beneath the ocean’s surface, USS Michigan was traveling toward its operating area in the Black Sea. Seated in the Captain’s chair on the Conn, Captain Murray Wilson surveyed the watchstanders in the Control Room as they prepared for a trip to periscope depth.

The submarine’s Officer of the Deck, Lieutenant Brittany Kern, stood on the Conn between the two lowered periscopes as she initiated the routine procedure.

“All stations, Conn. Make preparations to come to periscope depth. Helm, ahead two-thirds. Dive, make your depth two hundred feet.”

The submarine tilted upward, slowing as it ascended to ordered depth. The sonar technicians on watch adjusted the sonar lineup, beginning a detailed search for surface contacts.

Michigan was in the northern Indian Ocean, having completed three-fourths of its journey to the Black Sea. After Russia’s transgression against Ukraine, the United States was moving as much firepower as possible within striking distance of Russian forces, with Michigan joining another SSGN, USS Georgia, from the Atlantic Fleet, which was already on station in the Black Sea.

After Michigan leveled off at two hundred feet, Lieutenant Kern ordered, “Sonar, Conn. Report all contacts.”

A few minutes later, Sonar reported, “Conn, Sonar. Hold no contacts.”

Kern briefed Wilson on the ship’s status and contact picture. After obtaining permission to proceed to periscope depth, Kern announced, “Raising Number Two scope,” then reached up and twisted the periscope ring above her head.

After the periscope finished its silent ascent, she lowered the handles and placed her right eye against the scope optics.

“All stations, Conn,” Kern called out. “Proceeding to periscope depth.”

Sonar, Radio, and the Quartermaster acknowledged, then Kern ordered, “Helm, ahead one-third. Dive, make your depth eight-zero feet.”

The Diving Officer directed the two watchstanders seated in front of him, “Ten degrees up. Full rise, fairwater planes.”

Aside from periodic depth reports from the Diving Officer, it was silent in the Control Room as Michigan tilted upward and rose toward the surface.

As the Diving Officer called out eight-zero feet, the scope broke the water’s surface and Kern started circling with the periscope, searching for nearby contacts. After several revolutions, she announced, “No close contacts.”

Conversation in Control resumed, and Radio reported over the 27-MC, “Conn, Radio. Download in progress.” The Quartermaster followed with, “GPS fix received.”

Kern acknowledged the reports, and a moment later, Radio reported Michigan had received the latest round of naval messages. “Conn, Radio. Download complete.”

With both objectives for their trip to periscope depth completed — a satellite navigation fix and receipt of the latest batch of messages — Kern called out, “All stations, Conn. Going deep. Helm, ahead two-thirds. Dive, make your depth two hundred feet.”

Each station acknowledged and Michigan tilted downward, leaving periscope depth behind as Kern lowered the scope back into its well. After Michigan leveled off at two hundred feet, a radioman entered Control, delivering the message clipboard to the submarine’s Captain. Wilson began reviewing the messages, studying the one on top. Michigan had received new operational orders, which caught Wilson by surprise.

Michigan was being diverted to the Persian Gulf, where it would be attached to the Theodore Roosevelt strike group. Roosevelt had just been relieved by Eisenhower and was supposedly on its way home to San Diego. Why were Michigan and the Roosevelt strike group being sent into the Persian Gulf? Although Michigan’s new operational orders were clear, the reason for the change in plan was not explained.

Wilson flipped to the next message on the clipboard — Michigan’s new waterspace assignment — which allocated a new corridor for Michigan to travel within, plus a higher transit speed, taking the submarine into the Persian Gulf. Unfortunately, like the operational order, no reason for the new destination or accelerated transit was provided. However, the third message, a tactical picture update, answered Wilson’s question.

Michigan had been out of communication for the last twelve hours, traveling deep, ascending to periscope depth to copy the broadcast only twice each day. As a result, Michigan’s crew had been unaware of the recent events in the Persian Gulf. Only now was Wilson learning of the merchant ship attacks.

He turned to Lieutenant Kern. “Come down to five hundred feet, course three-four-zero. Increase speed to ahead flank.”