Could it be the Iranians demand a different definition of territorial waters and require this Administration and our Navy to subscribe to it? Regardless my CO and I would have laid out a course which intercepted the friendly shore at least by the latitude of the Iranian island. We would have avoided the island, and the refueling ship would have been where we assigned it. Most likely we would have chosen courses which kept us in sight of land the whole way.
Next how could the Navy so lose track of these boats, that they asked the Iranians for help? Why were the crews not initiating contact? During an amphibious exercise my wave of assault boats were swallowed by a fog. When I saw that fog coming I made sure the flag ship could vector us back to our LPD. In this case the departure port, the refueling ship, and the destination port should have all shared the same radio frequency and made regular radio checks.
In my Old Navy if we were going anywhere near harm’s way we would have done so intentionally and been prepared to kick the sh*t out of the Iranians to help them understand they should obey the law. This event directs my memory back to the Cold War involving China as well as the Soviet Union. Navy ships stationed in Yokosuka Japan ”patrolled” through the Taiwan Straits as they transited to Vietnam. Our captain told us that if any Chinese ship tried to intercept us we would fight. The prospect was not that exciting because our heaviest armament were three dual 3in50cal anti-aircraft mounts. But the Pueblo incident was on everyone’s mind and that was going to be our response.
Supposedly this evolution violated every standard of basic seamanship (Should it be personship in the new Navy?) and was definitely inconceivable in my Navy. As far as I am concerned everything we have been told by this Administration and their Navy acolytes is a lie and I will keep my own council.
That was an excellent story, thanks for sharing. As you point out these are different times and as another poster stated this Admin is to blame for the weakness in which our armed services respond.
I hope in today’s Marine Corps had this occurred the Marines would have created hell on earth damn the international consequences and made the mooslims think twice before engaging a small unit of Marines
Back before Obama’s time two MK-5s were moving along Iran’s side of the Gulf at night, everyone was bored and quiet. A crewman in the lead boat known for being a bit of a prankster decided to drop a heating tab from their food into a water bottle and he tossed it over the side into the path of the second boat.
When it got to the side where the petty officer was drowsily leaning it popped with a loud bang.
This caused everyone on that boat, followed almost instantly by the first boat, to light up the Iranian night thinking the Iranians had fired on them because only the prankster knew they hadn’t.
This is the proper reaction in that area... Iranians aren’t to be allowed to get close, period. Not even imaginary Iranians.
So there’s no excuse for these guys. They certainly had the weapons on board to keep the Iranians at bay, and dual equipment for navigation and communications, and even though they aren’t SWCC they should have been able to ward off Iranians.
What were they doing when the Iranians found them, swimming?
Either things have totally changed for the worse since "our time in the military", or this was a result of bad decisions at or above the warrior level.
The bottom line now is simply that the iranians are not afraid of us and will do whatever they want in the gulf.
First, thanks for your service.
Seems like the PBR Commodore violated basic practices before they even cast off. Check boat condition, all systems.
Sad to say, that’s all basic stuff the USCG teaches in their power squadron classes. WTH really happened. The small info trickle released makes the PBR crews seem ill prepared for real duty anywhere, much less the Gulf. And command seems no better. Makes one wonder if political officers (JAGS) are running ops like the old Soviet navy, IMO.
http://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/