Submarine

Safari was then 240 miles to the eastward of STRIFOR'S advanced screens and Jessup had immediately detached three guided-missile destroyers. They raced through the heavy seas and were due to reach the British submarine by 0930 if the weather did not detoriate further. Jessup also scrambled a fighter patrol and flew off two stand-by Vikings. He decided not to move his force until the situation clarified. The two carriers, Constitution and Carl Vinson, remained cruising 150 miles west of Isfjord.

Shortly after her amplifying report, Safari signalled that she was picking up Maydays on international distress frequency from the Typhoon's last known position. At 0216 Viking Lima, homing on the transmissions, sighted the Typhoon's red and white beacon marked with the letter 'H' — the Russian system for donating a submarine bow marker. Viking Hotel joined Lima at 0337 but, though the beacon continued to transmit, there was no sign of life from the monster submarine lying stricken 960 feet down below the edge of the polar ice. It was after Jessup requested the RAF for further LRMP support that the character of the operation changed abruptly.

At 0342 the President talked directly to Jessup: the Kremlin was not denying that a Typhoon could be missing. The situation was still sensitive, but the President was cautiously optimistic. He certainly sounded delighted over Safari's success. The Limeys were a ruthless bunch, the admiral mused, once they were roused. There was no news yet of Orcus. Perhaps the end justified the means — for the British.

At 0400 Safari reported that the damage was repaired. She was diving and her ETA Cape Leigh Smith, Nordaustland, was 1400. The recently raised optimism in Carl Vinson was then shattered when Viking Hotel's flash came through at 0456: the LRMP was investigating further distress transmissions — but now originating from Safari's estimated position. Jessup's submarine staff officer confirmed that the British submarine indicator buoys had homing capability — and at 0500 Safari failed to report.

CINCEASTLANT transmitted the SUBSMASH at 0504 and soon after Jessup's force was ordered to proceed with utmost despatch to Isfjord. Two DSRVS, already earmarked for Operation sow, were being air-lifted from Prestwick, ETA Isfjord 1000.

The next five hours were memorable. The two carriers' dash eastwards into the head seas developed into a race, the ageing Constitution losing by only a short head. Both ships arrived forty minutes after the DSRVS landed. The destroyer screens, unable to keep up, waited outside for the carriers' turnaround. The helo-lift began at 1130, Avalong landing on Carl Vinson's flight deck at 1205. Then fell the most cruel of blows.

At 1142 the helo carrying the main body of DSRV Avalon 4 suffered a tail rotor failure. The DSRV, its crew and that of the helo were lost in eight hundred feet of water. STRIFOR proceeded with Avalong at full speed for the SUBSMASH datum position 'X'.

Then came some welcome news from CINCEASTLANT: the Soviet command was sailing a rescue task force to the Typhoon's position. The Kremlin was requesting co-operation and assuring the President that STRIFOR would not be harassed. Jessup was to maintain full alert and air cover. He was to inform the Russians of all his intentions.

It was a hard flog all right, the wind whipping up to Force 9. Blizzard conditions existed during the afternoon and even the great carriers were forced to reduce speed. At twenty-five hours' steaming Carl Vinson expected to be at position 'X' tomorrow at 0500 — Monday, 19 May.

Jessup laid the Proceedings State to one side. It was 2130 already, twelve hours since the destroyers had been on station over Safari's position — and he was glad that Safari had not been told that only one DSRV was now available. He wondered how the DDGS were faring, though the wind was beginning to ease. He yawned and stretched, yearning for his bunk. Tomorrow would be another hectic day — and patience was not one of Jessup's qualities. He did not know how he could endure another ten hours of waiting for Carl Vinson to reach 'X' — the position which, due to the terrible weather, was likely to become Safari's watery tomb. As a professional, Jessup was used to facing facts — and he could not dodge this one.

Chapter 30

USS Carl Vinson, 19 May.