The USS Benfold guided-missile destroyer spent four days without power in the South China Sea in July after experiencing an engineering failure.
The Benfold reported an “engineering casualty involving its generators” on July 24, which caused the ship to lose power, Cmdr. Matthew Comer, spokesperson for U.S. 7th Fleet, told The Epoch Times in a statement on Aug. 18. Comer said the ship was conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific region at the time of the power loss.
The Benfold is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer that operates as part of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, which supports the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. The strike group was spotted heading toward the Middle East following the USS Abraham Lincoln’s extended deployment to the region during the war with Iran.
“There were no injuries to the crew, who demonstrated resilience, grit, professionalism, and unwavering steadiness in their response,” Comer said in the Aug. 18 statement.
The power loss on the Benfold disrupted potable water, air conditioning, galley services, and toilets, Comer said. He said the George Washington Carrier Strike Group supported the guided-missile destroyer during the power loss. The USS Robert Smalls, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, also provided meals for the crew.
Contracted tugboats towed the Benfold into Subic Bay, Philippines, where experts from the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center helped repair the ship, starting on July 28, Comer said. The Benfold’s crew was provided food and received contracted lodging off the ship on July 29, and the ship’s power was restored on July 30.
Repairs were completed by Aug. 7, when the Benfold conducted a berth shift for fueling before departing from Subic Bay on Aug. 8. Comer said the combat systems, crew support systems, and engineering were all functioning properly, allowing the missile-guided destroyer to resume its operations in the 7th Fleet.
“We commend the crew on their actions and resilience,” Comer said. “The crew was directly supported by ships in the strike group while at sea and every effort was made to ensure the crew was supported on arrival in Subic Bay, Philippines.”
Comer added that the quick recovery of the Benfold and its return to operations demonstrated the professionalism of both the Benfold’s crew and the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center.
The 7th Fleet confirmed that the cause of the Benfold’s engineering casualty that triggered the power loss remains under investigation. The Navy did not immediately reveal whether the engineering casualty impacted the ship’s navigation, propulsion, weapons systems, sensors, communications, or emergency power. The incident was first reported by USNI News three weeks after the ship lost power.
Comer’s confirmation of the Benfold’s power loss came after media reports circulated last week regarding family members’ concerns about an alleged increase in mental health challenges, including suicidal thoughts, among the crew of the Lincoln. The aircraft carrier has been on an extended deployment since Nov. 21, 2025, and has assisted the U.S. military in combat operations against Iran following the start of the war on Feb. 28.
U.S. Central Command refuted reports by media outlets about conditions aboard the Lincoln in a social media statement on Aug. 13. The command described the reports as “rampant misreporting.”
Asked about concerns regarding the conditions on the Lincoln last week, President Donald Trump said, “That ship is moving right now, or very shortly, and it’s being replaced with another very similar ship.”
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao confirmed on Aug. 14 that the Lincoln would soon be returning to the United States as part of a planned rotation.
“The Lincoln was extended because the mission demanded it. Deployments are hard. Combat operations make them harder,” Cao said. “There is no question our young men and women have been pushed to their limits—but they have never broken. They are rightly tired—but have never been out of the fight.”
The Navy confirmed that the George Washington Carrier Strike Group left port in Da Nang, Vietnam, on Aug. 5. The strike group was spotted heading west toward the Middle East last week.
