Posted on 05/14/2009 4:28:29 PM PDT by SandRat
ABOARD USS GETTYSBURG AT SEA, May 14, 2009 – Ships from Combined Task Force 151 prevented a piracy attack in the Gulf of Aden, which resulted in the apprehension of more than a dozen suspected pirates aboard an alleged "mothership" yesterday.
The South Korean destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great and guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg responded to a distress call from the Egyptian-flagged motor vessel Amira, which reported being attacked about 75 nautical miles south of Mukalla, Yemen.
Several assault rifle rounds and a rocket-propelled grenade round struck the Amira, causing little or no damage. A rope was thrown from the skiff in an attempt to board, but the attempt failed and the suspected pirates abandoned their attack.
Gettysburg and Munmu the Great launched their embarked helicopters which flew immediately to Amira's location. During its flight, the SH-60B helicopter assigned to Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light 46 located a small boat suspected of serving as a pirate mothership.
A Gettysburg visit, board, search and seizure team boarded the boat along with members of U.S. Coast Guard Legal Detachment 409 and apprehended the suspected pirates after finding eight assault rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and a rocket-propelled grenade. All 17 of the passengers were brought on board Gettysburg for further questioning.
"This is another clear example of how coordination between the Combined Maritime Forces resulted in the successful disruption of pirate activity," said Royal Navy Commodore Tim Lowe, deputy commander of the Combined Maritime Forces. "It is imperative that all maritime forces continue to synchronize their efforts to deter and disrupt these unlawful and aggressive acts."
Gettysburg and Munmu the Great are operating in support of CTF 151, a multinational task force established to conduct counterpiracy operations under a mission-based mandate throughout the CMF area of responsibility to deter, disrupt and suppress piracy and secure freedom of navigation.
(From a Combined Maritime Forces news release.)
aye, make him walk the plank, matey.
If the Koreans who captured these scumbags are anything like their compatriots were in Vietnam they might have been better off to have just drowned themselves.
I had a good friend who worked with the ROK soldiers in Vietnam and he compared their operations in Vietnam to a cross between Atilla The Hun and the SS.
Take no prisoners, leave no flotsam.
ah.. yes the White Horse Division.
“which resulted in the apprehension of more than a dozen suspected pirates aboard an alleged “mothership” yesterday.”
Wrong policy. They should have blown the ship out of the water. Any surviors would be allowed to swim back to shore.
Interesting name.
This is what needs to be done. Hope they continue.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.