MovieChat Forums > Crimson Tide (1995) Discussion > A few questions about procedures etc.

A few questions about procedures etc.

posted 11 years ago by TerraFirma69
5 replies | jump to latest

I don't know a lot about the Navy and less about subs, but a couple of things I'm wondering about:

Would there have been anything in the galley that could have resulted in that severe a fire? I thought they'd be very careful about quantities of flammable oils, naked flames etc. in a submarine galley.

Would the executive officer be permitted to take part in the fire fighting?
I'd suppose that everyone on submarines is trained to respond to any emergency, but surely the circumstances would have to be extraordinary for him in particular to justify himself getting involved.

What are the fitness requirements to serve on a submarine? The cardiac arrest victim for one was quite big (and in an unhealthy way) and so was the COB. I'm guessing that height alone would be an impediment on a submarine, as would bulk and especially obesity. On the subject, are there height restrictions?

[–] Jeneral28 11 years ago

galley: Yes, fires can happen, no part of the ship is fire proof and procedures arent always great.

Yes, especially if he was nearby. If he didn't, people would say he was a coward.

It's Hollywood. But you don't have to be a muscular build to serve everywhere in the armed forces. Look at some senior commanders.

You shouldn't be too tall in a Sub.

[–] TerraFirma69 11 years ago

"Yes, especially if he was nearby. If he didn't, people would say he was a coward."

Can't agree with that. If I was the captain I'd have something to say about my second in command putting himself directly at risk of serious injury like that unless it was absolutely essential, and there wasn't a lot else happening to prevent other men from attending to it. This was demonstrated perfectly when the captain called a drill and the XO was busy doing things he didn't need to be doing. And if he had been injured doing it?
I don't believe infantrymen would consider their generals cowards because they aren't fighting alongside them.

"It's Hollywood. But you don't have to be a muscular build to serve everywhere in the armed forces. Look at some senior commanders."

I don't mean muscular, in fact I'd imagine smaller wiry men would be at an advantage on a submarine, I meant not obese as heart attack man and the COB were. Of course it's only Hollywood, but it just seemed like an odd inclusion. Surely any man who's so large and unfit that he can't pump out ten pushups is not going to be welcome.

Yes some senior military commanders may be overweight but a sub would seem to me to be one particular environment where that is not going to be tolerated.

[–] Jeneral28 11 years ago

In the past, submariners were known to be the shorter sailors. I think that has changed but surely you can't have a six foot plus guy around. You don't need to be a super fit person to qualify in most Navy posts but you still have to pass standards. Owing to operational security, I don't think Hollywood directors/producers would ever get the chance to see the full interior layout of a sub and what the average sailor there would look like. But there is definitely no blige bay and it is highly unlikely, in reality, that a SSBN can lose communication like that.

[–] TerraFirma69 11 years ago

My question about the height of the crewmembers was really Is there (or has there been in the past) an official maximum height in regulations etc.?

I'm quite tall and I've worked in a lot of tight spaces and am known for hitting my head, I can imagine on a sub if there are too many tall guys the medico may have a regular job of patching up bleeding scalps. Or are they roomy enough?

[–] Jeneral28 11 years ago

There probably is but no one can stop any say from serving in nuclear submarines just because they tower over others.