I sent the below two paragraphs to my local talk show host.
Also here is the link to the best article I have seen so far on the subject:
http://www.boblonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4
From: Larson, Lars [mailto:lars.larson@alphamediausa.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 8:56 PM
To: Retian Mike
Subject: Re: The Two Boats and the Iranians
Agreed
Lars
Thinking of my own time leading small boat detachments, I wonder why they got there in the first place? There were two boats, so one could have towed the other. Was no one paying attention? They even have GPS now. Back in my Old Navy even if I was leading LCM-8 landing craft without radar, I would have had a chart and noted danger bearings. Could be the Iranians have a different definition of territorial waters to which they want this Administration and our Navy to subscribe? Finally how could the Navy lose track of these boats? Why were the crews not initiating contact? During an amphibious exercise our 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.
The events with the two riverine boats directed my memory back to the Cold War, which involved Communist China as well as the Soviet Union. We had a destroyer squadron stationed in Taiwan that was discontinued by the time I joined the my LST in Japan. As a substitute every time a ship stationed in Yokosuka Japan went down to Vietnam it went through the Taiwan Straits. Our captain made it clear that if any ChiCom ship tried to intercept us we would fight. The prospect was not that exciting because our heaviest armament were three dual 3â€50cal anti-aircraft mounts. But the Pueblo incident was on everyone’s mind and that was going to be our response.
Very interesting. Thanks.