The USS Benfold, a US guided-missile destroyer, lost power in the South China Sea on 24 July after an “engineering casualty involving its generators” and was towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines four days later, according to a statement from Commander Matthew Comer and reporting by the US Naval Institute News.
The outage left sailors without galley services, toilets and air conditioning. The cruiser USS Robert Smalls helped provide meals, while the destroyer’s power was restored two days after it was towed.
What happened aboard the destroyer
The USS Benfold is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer that had been sailing with the George Washington carrier strike group. The ship weighs about 10,000 tons and remained without power until it was moved to Subic Bay.
Comer, a spokesperson for the US Seventh Fleet, said there were no injuries. He credited the crew with resilience, professionalism and steadiness in responding to the failure.
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Why the incident matters for deployed sailors
The loss of basic services highlighted the difficult conditions faced by sailors on extended deployments. The incident came as concerns were being raised about operational demands and the strain placed on military personnel and their families.
The George Washington carrier strike group was heading to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln had been deployed for more than 200 days without a port call, according to reports cited in the source material, while officials disputed accounts of worsening morale and mental-health problems aboard the carrier.
What officials have said
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected accounts that conditions aboard deployed ships had been misrepresented, saying the Navy provides ships, crews and captains with what it can. Navy officials said they had not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the Lincoln based on information available to the command.
Adm Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, said the Lincoln’s crew was tired but continuing to operate under intense pressure. He also acknowledged that long periods at sea are uniquely challenging and that not all conditions aboard the carrier were perfect.
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