Free Republic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the U.S military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels. Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become, with ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area. The U.S. military had conducted airstrikes targeting...

The good news is that the pilots are safe. There were no fatalities, but it could have been a tragic accident. We have confirmed reports of a friendly fire incident occurring in the Red Sea, where an F-18 fighter jet was blasted out of the sky. American forces have been conducting airstrikes in Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The fighter jet was accidentally shot down by a cruise missile cruiser, which is under investigation. Both pilots were able to eject from the aircraft and rescued shortly thereafter (via USNI News)

Two U.S. Navy pilots ejected safely over the Red Sea after their F/A-18 fighter aircraft was mistakenly shot down early Sunday in what military officials are calling "an apparent case of friendly fire." One of the pilots has minor injuries, according to a news release from U.S. Central Command. The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the aircraft, that was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman, according to the news release. The military said a full investigation is underway.

Two U.S. Navy aviators are safe after their two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet was shot down by an American ship by mistake, according to a late Saturday statement from U.S. Central Command. The Super Hornet, assigned to aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), was flying over the Red Sea when guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64) fired upon it, according to the CENTCOM statement. “Both pilots were safely recovered. Initial assessments indicate that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries. This incident was not the result of hostile fire, and a full investigation is underway,” reads a statement from CENTCOM....

USS GETTYSBURG, At sea (NNS) -- While on patrol in the western Caribbean Sea, USS Gettysburg (CG 64), with its embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, completed a major drug interdiction in January. Assigned under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Gettysburg is deployed as part of a Joint Inter-Agency Task Force conducting counter-narcoterrorism operations in the Western hemisphere. The operation resulted in the seizure of approximately 1.5 tons of cocaine and eight suspected drug traffickers. After boarding and thoroughly searching the vessel, Gettysburg discovered and seized 50 bales of narcotics. Following the seizure, the narcotics...

NORFOLK, VA (NNS) -- USS Gettysburg (CG 64) rescued four civilian mariners in distress at sea May 3. The mariners were rescued approximately 50 miles east of Mayport, Fla. The Mayport-based guided-missile cruiser was conducting routine operations off the coast of Mayport when it received a radio distress call. The crew responded immediately, racing to the scene and recovering the four mariners with one of the ship’s small boats. The Capolla had been at anchor earlier in the morning, when a large wave capsized the 23-foot fishing vessel, throwing the four mariners into the Atlantic Ocean. They had spent 10...