Miss you Tonk.
Posted on 01/21/2009 3:33:53 PM PST by SandRat
AT SEA ABOARD USS SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 21, 2009 – Navy and Coast Guard boarding teams are working together to ensure safe operations in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Indian Ocean as part of Combined Task Force 151, a multinational counter-piracy task force.
Coast Guard and Navy teams board suspect vessels to detect, deter and disrupt piracy activities.
"This is a law-enforcement operation to deter piracy and make the waters safe for all nations," Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Greg Ponzi, officer in charge for Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 405, said.
Each boarding team for CTF 151 missions includes Navy and Coast Guard personnel. The size of each team depends on the size and type of the vessel the teams must board. Available for missions are 14 Navy “visit, board, search and seizure” members and eight Coast Guard personnel from the law enforcement detachment.
"Our visit, board, search and seizure teams will play a central role here, as will the ship's ability to survey the water and air space to search for suspected pirates," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sean Kearns, USS San Antonio's executive officer, said.
Team members attend daily training in boarding policy, maritime laws, evidence handling, handcuffing, defensive tactics and searches. Additionally, detachment personnel instruct the Navy VBSS team in boarding procedures, evidence-package preparation and safe and humane treatment of suspects.
"Our role in CTF 151 is to augment and train the San Antonio's VBSS team," Ponzi said. “The [law enforcement detachment] has years of boarding experience and collectively has safely completed hundreds of vessel boardings.”
The combined boarding teams are well prepared for the CTF 151 mission, having worked together earlier in the deployment.
"We've also conducted significant amounts of training alongside the various embarked forces, learning to work effectively together and to leverage off of each other's capabilities to create a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts," Kearns said.
"Our goal is to combine our two services to ensure safe and successful operations," Ponzi said. "The top priority of any boarding team is the safety of the boarding team and the success of the mission."
Boarding teams work together to ensure law enforcement actions are completed and collect evidence to aid in potential prosecution.
"Piracy is one of three international crimes and one that the United Nations Security Council has given special attention to in the past year," Ponzi said.
Coalition air and sea assets compel suspect vessels to stop and comply with the boarding team.
"This mission is described as an antipiracy mission, which is true, but in a broader sense, it is also the mission that has been the central focus of the U.S. Navy since its inception, and that is maritime security," Kearns said.
"This is about keeping the international waters of the world open to free, safe and unencumbered access by mariners, not only for our nation, but for all nations,” he said.
(From a Combined Task Force 151 news release.)
Thinking of Tonk
After finishing out his service at sea, I forsee a long career for Lt. j.g. Ponzi at the Social Security Administration...
Heh. An unfortunate name, to be sure. He’s probably heard all the jokes by now.
RIP Tonk.
Tonk Memorial bump
Tonk indeed would have loved a role in a mission such as this... so would this old squid, but alas, shortly after 9-11 a Navy recruiter told me I was too old to re-enlist.
Nonetheless, my heart sets sea with these present day warriors with each deployment.
Hand Salute! ... two
I speak as a SO-SR and VFC with over 12 years in the Aux. I do miss Tonk.
God bless TONK. I rmember talking to him several times on the phone back during Kerry’s WH bid and my research in to VVAW, John Kerry and the FBI files.
I am sure he is looking down on our brave men and women.
For more information regarding pirates, piracy look here:
#
Note: The following text is a quote:
Weekly Piracy Report
13 January 2009 - 19 January 2009
Suspicious crafts
None reported
Recently reported incidents
15.01.2009: 0145 UTC: 06:05.37N - 001:15.68E, Lome anchorage, Togo.
Seven, armed robbers in a motor boat attempted to board a bulk carrier at anchor. Duty officer raised alarm and crew prepared fire hoses. Upon seeing crew alertness the robbers aborted the attempted attack. Port control informed.
15.01.2009: 0235 UTC: 06:05.37N - 001:15.68E, Lome anchorage, Togo.
Four robbers in a motor boat attempted to board a bulk carrier at anchor. Duty officer raised alarm and crew activated fire hoses. Upon seeing crew alertness the robbers aborted the attempt. Master heaved up anchor and proceeded to open sea for drifting.
12.01.2009: 0340 LT: Anchorage, Port Au Prince, Haiti.
Three robbers in a small boat approached a RORO ship at anchor. One of the robbers attempted to board via side ramp. Duty A/B shouted at the robber and raised alarm. The robber jumped off the ramp and escaped with his accomplices.
10.01.2009: 2300 LT: Fortaleza port, Brazil.
Four robbers in a boat approached a product tanker at berth. One of the robbers boarded the tanker using a hook attached to a rope. Duty A/B noticed the robber and raised alarm. The robber jumped overboard and escaped with his accomplices and ship’s stores..
15.01.2009: 0415 LT: Posn: 10:14.97N - 107:04.02E, Vungtau outer anchorage, Vietnam.
Two robbers boarded a bitumen tanker at anchor. Duty A/B noticed the robbers and raised the alarm. The ship’s whistle was sounded and crew mustered. Upon hearing the alarm, robbers jumped into the water and escaped with ship’s stores in a small boat.
14.01.2009: 1245 UTC: Posn: 13:02.18nN- 046:41.06E, Gulf of Aden.
Eight pirates armed with guns in two boats attempted to attack a tanker underway. Master raised alarm, sent distress message, contacted coalition warships and took evasive manoeuvres. A coalition warship responded and was ready to dispatch a helicopter. Pirate boats slowed down and aborted the attempt upon noticing the British security team at the bridge wings armed with axes.
13.01.2009: 0810 UTC: Posn: 12:24.5N – 044:57.7E, Gulf of Aden.
One boat with six pirates armed with guns / RPG chased a container ship underway. Pirates open fire with RPG. Two warships in the vicinity provided assistance to the vessel. After half an hour the attack was abandoned. The Russian warship chased the pirate boat but was instructed by Aden control not to interfere.
08.01.2009: 0030 LT: Posn: 01:44.58S - 041:29.7E, Kiunga, Kenya.
Heavily armed pirates in a speedboat came alongside a fishing vessel at anchor. They boarded the vessel and tied up all crewmembers. They stole cash, some valuable equipment and forced three crewmembers into their speedboat and escaped. Some of the crew swam ashore and reported the incident to the local police. The fishing vessel was brought back to Mombasa. Kenyan police are investigating the incident.
04.01.2009: 0335 UTC: Posn: 13:24N - 048:15E, Gulf of Aden.
Five pirates, in a speed boat, armed with machine guns attempted to board a tanker underway. Master raised alarm and the contacted coalition warships. The crew activated anti-piracy measures. Pirates came close to the tanker but were unable to board her due to running waters from the fire hoses. Pirates aborted the attempt.
02.01.2009: 0440 UTC: Posn: 13:13N - 047:32E: Gulf of Aden.
Two speed boats with pirates armed with guns and RPG chased a general cargo ship underway. The ship immediately contacted the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre for help. Duty officer at the, 24 hour manned, IMB Piracy Reporting Centre advised master to take evasive manoeuvres to delay and prevent boarding and then immediately contacted coalition naval forces for help. Two warships were dispatched. Meanwhile ship’s crew used various preventive measures and prevented boarding. Later, pirates aborted attempt and moved away.
02.01.2009: 1120 LT: Gulf of Aden.
Armed pirates in a boat approached a general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive manoeuvres and contacted coalition warships. Pirates fired upon the ship with rockets and guns. Ship’s crew fired rocket flares at the pirate boat which caught fire. Five pirates were apprehended by a coalition helicopter which arrived and shot at the pirate boat.
01.01.2009: 0730 LT: Posn: 14:21N – 050:34E: Gulf of Aden.
One skiff with six pirates approached a bulk carrier underway. Owners contacted IMB Piracy Reporting Centre for assistance. Duty officer immediately contacted the coalition naval forces to render assistance to crew and vessel. Meanwhile, ship’s crew enforced preventive measure and master reported sighting automatic weapons and RPGs in the skiff. Attack was aborted.
01.01.2009: 1405 LT: Posn: 14:47N - 051:47E: Gulf of Aden.
Two skiffs approached the bulk carrier from aft. Pirates in both skiffs were armed with automatic weapons and RPGs. Ship made evasive and preventive measures to prevent boarding. Pirates opened fire with automatic weapons at ship. One skiff came very close to ship’s port side. Due to aggressive preventive measures, the pirates aborted the attempted boarding. A warship arrived at location and detained the pirates who claimed that they were fishermen. Pirates threw their weapons into the water. Warship contacted vessel to obtain concrete evidence against the pirates.
I am.
They used to know how to deal with this at one time.
You are very correct, Tonk would have loved this and if there were any way possible he’d have SOMETHING to do with it.
I often hear the CG helicopter go by and think of what he’d be doing if he was around. He still gets calls to schedule vessel inspections.
SALUTE to our dearly missed friend.
*sniff* Sure do miss that guy!
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