tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807471294226985918.post6209137237745391885..comments2023-05-23T07:52:11.335-04:00Comments on Stories Of The Cold War: I Can't, Sir!Phil Gardockihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213683478302437856noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807471294226985918.post-80744604555403893852017-12-19T13:41:50.522-05:002017-12-19T13:41:50.522-05:00Thanks Darrell. I left the King in 82. And yes, ...Thanks Darrell. I left the King in 82. And yes, the Stark effectively did everything wrong. As a former FTM, I know when you are in that environment you track inbounds with a FC radar. ("in God, we trust, all others we track" The 55B would have picked up missile separation, and then provide an option to track that incoming. On the other hand, the Iraqi's were regarded as "friendly" of sorts. I have never heard what motivated the attack. We also have to give credit to the Iraqi pilot. He did everything right. He waited to fire after the 48 had swept past him, giving the missile 8 seconds to drop to the sea level. You also have to give credit to the DC crew and the ship architects. The Stark stayed afloat, the Sheffield, which was a larger ship, sank. Phil Gardockihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13213683478302437856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807471294226985918.post-57253322826657757982017-12-19T00:16:20.110-05:002017-12-19T00:16:20.110-05:00Dateline: Surf/Turf Patrol line, Persian Gulf, 17 ...Dateline: Surf/Turf Patrol line, Persian Gulf, 17 May 1987. USS Stark hit by two Iraqi Exocets, 37 KIA, 21 WIA. Something not common knowledge is that one man responded exactly correctly prior to the hit - the forward lookout manned the port .50cal M2HB and attempted to fire - but the ammo was secured as it was after sunset, and the .50 were only intended to be used against small craft.<br /><br />Stark managed to do everything wrong before she was hit, but deserved a BZ for doing everything right afterwards. I heard the whole story in an 4 hour class at the SWO reserve midgrade course at Newport in 1991.<br /><br />Phil I probably missed you on the King, I was with NR DDG King 4113 from Oct 1984 to Jan 1991, ending up as CO of the ~120 man reserve unit. I first mobilized to King Thanksgiving 1984, taking 25 men with me to meet her in Rota for the trip back across the pond. But that engendered another sea story.Grathianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00438182376232891447noreply@blogger.com