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No wonder the Iranians try to jerk us around after we let them capture two of our coastal patrol craft traveling in international waters. My CO’s would have never let that happen. They would have demanded I be within radar range of the coast and have continuous radio contact with the refueling ship as well as the base we were leaving, and the base we were going to.

On station at the Mekong Delta, I had one ambiguous situation when a VN fishing boat approached close aboard our LST at night and the guy began yelling at me. I called the captain, who had completed an in-country tour as a junk force advisor. He was able to understand I had wandered into his fishing nets. That was really helpful information, because I could have wrapped his monofilament line around the packing gland that protected the propeller shaft from letting in water. After scoring the gland badly, we would have had to continuously pump the shaft alley and been drydocked when we returned to Japan. All very embarrassing.

The guy never showed a weapon and stayed on our starboard quarter, so I didn’t have to figure out where the safety was on the M-79.

1 posted on 05/22/2020 10:12:28 AM PDT by Retain Mike
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To: Retain Mike

Great story and thanks for being there.


2 posted on 05/22/2020 10:19:25 AM PDT by Portcall24
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To: Retain Mike

I’m not sure the Iranians care about our warnings, our protests and our strong statements. They don’t seem impressed enough to deter their aggressive acts.

They will only get the message when we do something that sends an unmistakably clear message.


3 posted on 05/22/2020 10:38:50 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: Retain Mike

With the way Trump has locked down Iran - the Iranians are now oil Importers! So, without oil revenues, Iran will not be able to afford making trouble in Middle East for much longer.


4 posted on 05/22/2020 10:39:07 AM PDT by MattMusson (Sometimes the wind blows too much)
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To: Retain Mike

American capital ships operating in the narrow, shallow Gulf have always been in great danger. Their defensive systems are best suited for deep blue water. The Iranians have purchased state of the art stealthy Chinese made shore to ship stealth missiles.The shores of the Gulf are fortified with them The Chinese made a huge effort designing these missiles. They designed these missiles to sweep the Taiwan Strait of hostile naval elements when they invade Taiwan. It would be a mistake to underestimate their effectiveness. The sailors on those ships would have very little time to react if they are launched especially in conjunction with an asymmetrical attack. That asymmetrical attack would consist of speedy small craft or speed boats armed with missiles or acting as suicide boats. The Iranians have been making faux attack runs at American capital ships whenever they can. This results in multiple “alerts” and drills on those ships that inevitably leads to dangerous complacency. One of those runs at the ships may be the real thing. It is imperative that the US Navy make it clear that any such “run” is a hostile act and will be met with a definitive defensive response.


5 posted on 05/22/2020 10:39:32 AM PDT by allendale (.)
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To: Retain Mike

100m is too close.


7 posted on 05/22/2020 10:52:51 AM PDT by rfreedom4u (The root word of vigilante is vigilant!)
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To: Retain Mike

Shoot me. Sink em. Then warn them!


10 posted on 05/22/2020 11:26:40 AM PDT by Bommer (t'am a MAGA-Deplorian! It is the way! It is the only way!)
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To: Retain Mike
That is why, in the Before Times, you had a Marine detachment aboard every Navy ship, even if it was only one gun crew.

The safety was that little sliding thingy behind the barrel latch. Another bit of absolutely useless information left over from my misspent youth.

12 posted on 05/22/2020 11:49:39 AM PDT by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: Retain Mike

Hey, no more warnings, next time they harass one of our ships, blow them to bits!


17 posted on 05/22/2020 12:53:23 PM PDT by kenmcg (tHE WHOLE)
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To: Retain Mike
Based the "current" Navy's last decade of performance, this warning is a monumental joke...

The only effective "warning" will be 2 or 3 large Iranian-navy ships slipping slowly to the bottom...

Of course, obunghole's Pentagon (in perpetuity) will never allow this to happen... Unless we get a president who believes the most efficient way to clean out an over-filled toilet is to flush it... Using a "plunger" if necessary...

18 posted on 05/22/2020 1:14:58 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is Sam Adams now that we desperately need him)
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