ANSWERS - Submarine Mystery Questions (11-22-2011)

For the accompanying background and related links provided with last week's questions, please refer to the original 11-22 post.

ANSWERS:

1. In which country with nuclear powered submarines are even those subs barred from all of its mercantile ports? ANS: The UK. source

2. When did President George Herbert Walker Bush first announce his initiative to offload all tactical nuclear weapons from all surface ships and submarines? ANS: 27 Sept 1991. source (pdf).

3. In what country was a bomb set off at a local square superficially injuring 3 sailors from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) after its CO stated, "I cannot confirm or deny that possibility", referring to conveying nearly 100 nuclear weapons? ANS: Chile (Valparaiso) 1 Nov 1990. [ibid]

4. Based on official U.S. Navy documents, what other country alleged that a U.S. destroyer had loaded nuclear weapons aboard prior to arriving in their port during 1988? ANS: DENMARK, 16 Sept 1995. [ibid]

5. Submarines have not been the only U.S. Navy vessels impacted by nuclear concerns. Earlier, a U.S. destroyer had been denied tug-boat assistance into an Australian port when members of the Fireman and Deckhands Union objected to servicing a nuclear armed vessel. Identify the destroyer (name and hull number), the year, and the port. ANS: USS Ingersoll (DD-990), 17 Sept 1988, New Castle, Australia. [ibid]

6. How many of you visited Naples on an SSN; your SSN, no doubt, anchored out. Does Italy still bar nuclear subs from docking in ports? ANS: Yes, although requiring anchoring out of nuclear vessels since the mid 1900s, since the Italian nuclear power referendum of November 1987, Italy has reaffirmed its commitment to remaining a nuclear free zone. source

Submarines are always silent and strange.