Recently terrorist cowards in a Yemen port exploded a large bomb next to the hull of one of the finest fighting ships the U.S. Navy has afloat. This bomb was detonated during a refueling operation and we must thank God for two very fortunate things for the outcome of this sinister endeavor could have been much worse and many more precious lives would have been lost. 1) There was no fire and praise God for this.....and 2) the two stupid misguided sons of Allah who carried out this treacherous act failed to place their attack boat in a more vulnerable spot on the USS Cole. She stayed afloat. There were no secondary explosions. We mourn the senseless loss of life and with great sadness send our condolences to the loved ones of the women and men who perished or were injured.
Below is a first hand account from the USS Cole and another from the USS Anchorage that I received in an E-mail and then further on down are some pictures of the USS Cole which show just how devastating this event was.
NC1(SW/AW) Christina Huber
Hello Everyone,
First let me start by saying I appreciate the show of support I have received
from all of you. The way the email is working on one of the other ships
that have arrived here (the Hawes) is letting us save emails on disk and
then they take them back to their ship and send them, they are also bringing
emails to us a couple times a day. The problem is, we don't always have power
and we only have two offices on the ship with working computers, one being mine
and we can't use it because the FBI is using my office and we're not allowed in
there.
Okay, so what has been happening here. They may screen this so I don't know if
all of it will make it to you. This also may be more than some of you may want
to read about, I need to express exactly what I saw.
We had stopped in Yemen to gas up the ship. It was approximately 1115 and Steve
had just stopped in my office to see if I was ready to go to lunch. We were
standing there talking when out of the blue we heard and felt this tremendous
explosion. We took off running to go to General Quarters, but we didn't get the
alarm and no one was saying anything on the 1MC. People were running everywhere
wondering what in the world had happened. The ship was listing to the port side
(the side my office is on). someone yelled that we couldn't get to my Repair
Locker (where I go for GQ). So we started running up and to the starboard side.
There were people covered in blood, covered in this black stuff like oil or something. Only one person was screaming. The place filled up with smoke immediately. We were trying to get organized, wondering where to go, what to do and trying to calm people and task them with something to do. We still didn't know what happened. We thought it may have been an explosion having to do with the refueling. Then people started coming out from the mess decks, injured. We had a hard time breathing. We were trying to get the injured into some areas out of the way and to administer first aid. The hardest part for me was not knowing what to do medically, all I could do was comfort and give oxygen. People had feet barely hanging on, legs mangled to really weird positions, internal injuries, amputations, broken jaws, cuts and bruises and so on. In the meantime, we're flooding and DIW (dead in the water or no power at all). Later, I went with several others to the galley area to apply AFFF into the cavernous area because we were also losing our fuel and we didn't want a fire. How we avoided one to begin with is a mystery to everyone. I have never seen such a horrible sight. Everything was blown towards the starboard side and mangled. There were people pinned against the walls, body parts in and under metal, legs and torsos hanging from the rafters.
Very few people have cried. Lots of people have been snapping at
each other. That night we had to attempt to sleep out on the filthy, bumpy
flight deck, most people couldn't sleep. Some electrical power has come on and
off. The engineers have been working non-stop to try and keep our one generator
that is left, running.
So, I haven't slept in my rack. If something gives way we have more flooding.
We only had the one toilet that is out on the refueling pier, we couldn't take
showers, I did get to take a cold one this morning and it was wonderful. We also
have a few toilets working right now. Just pray it stays that way until they
decide to take us off the ship. Last night they sent some people to another ship
to clean up and spend the night, we have some cots now, but not enough.
I could keep going but someone else wants to send an email.
Oh yes, myself and several others have dysentery(?) now and we have started meds
for malaria. A few people are sunburnt, but I brought
sunscreen so I don't have that problem. The temp is in the 100's.
The other ships that have pulled in have shown us tremendous support. They took
some of our laundry today and they have been bringing us food so we're eating
well and staying hydrated with lots of warm bottled water. I'm not allowed to
eat today but I'm drinking plenty.
Well, you all take care.
Love, Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: LN1 OWENS
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2000 7:34 AM
Subject: FW: News from USS Cole
To John,
Your friend said it all. We too are on station and I will be going over there in
the morning to provide a lunch. I wanted to grill steak for them on their deck,
but there is still too much oil and fuel, not to mention every square foot of
deck is now their living space, to set up a grill. Their requests have been
simple, hot food, cold drinks and dry coveralls and boots. The ships here are
all taking turns doing their laundry and cooking their meals. The Cole's crew
has been offered repeatedly to take R&R on another ship but most have
refused. They refuse to leave their ship. The details of their shipmates having
to be cut from the bulkheads and descriptions and photos of the destruction have
filtered to our ship. It is amazing that more were not killed. It is equally
amazing that it is still afloat. The keel is ripped apart and at present cannot
even be towed to open water to be placed on a dry-dock vessel. The #1 engine
room is flooded solid, as is AUX 1. The Messdecks deck is now pressed against
the overhead. The entire galley was pushed to the starboard side and the
equipment is unrecognizable. This is where many crew members died. The ship was
very nearly lost. They are truly heroes.
We all have a lot to do to save this vessel but the crew of the Cole has endured the brunt of it so far. I have vowed myself and my department to offer any comfort, large or small that we are capable of providing, to the Cole. None of my guys have once complained and all have volunteered to help in any way. The Cole's Suppo was injured and flown home. The disbo is now running things. I will assess his needs when I go over. The Suppo on the Hawes has been controlling the efforts but now that the Tarawa is on station they seem to be taking the reins, but I think I can at least provide him some insight.
Let there be no doubt that this is a hostile land. It took days before we were even allowed to enter territorial waters and still we are heavily restricted in flights and must maintain a constant vigil against additional hostile actions. The Yemen government is still not being very helpful and we are trying to place all personnel onboard the ships that are currently staying at the two hotels in town. The Cole's crew remains emotionally and physically drained I'm told. So, since you have experienced Navy life, try relay to those back home the sacrifices we make, hardships we endure, and the dangers we face in an effort to keep those Stars and Stripes flying high over a ship 10,000 miles from home.
Take care and sleep well knowing the US Navy is on watch tonight, but say a
prayer for the 250 members of the Cole who must wake tomorrow to another day of
fighting for their ship.
USS ANCHORAGE
Cole To Arrive at Mississippi Port
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - The USS Cole, damaged by a terrorist bomb in Yemen that killed 17 sailors, will complete its journey across the Atlantic Wednesday. The vessel is being transported aboard a Norwegian-owned heavy-lift ship and is due to arrive at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula where it will be repaired. The ship was christened at the same shipyard in 1995. Den Knecht, vice president of industrial relations for Ingalls, said the repairs will take about a year and will cost roughly $240 million. Yemeni and American law enforcement authorities are still investigating the Oct. 12 attack on the destroyer. The FBI has not reported any conclusions, however Yemen's prime minister has said at least three Yemenis suspected of belonging to an international terrorist network will go on trial next month in connection with the attack. |
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The Cole was attacked two years ago in Yemen by a small boat that was loaded with explosives. Seventeen American crew members were killed in the attack.
Click on this link to go to the official USS Cole web site.
The USS Cole Aboard The Blue Marlin
Ship Characteristics
DIMENSIONS
Hull Length
(Overall) 505 Feet
Beam, Max/WL 66/59 Feet
Draft, Navigation 31 Feet
Displacement 8,300 Tons
Highest Point 148 Feet
Speed 30+ Knots
WEAPONS
One MK 45
MOD 1 5"/54 caliber Gun Mount
Two MK 41 Vertical Launching Systems
Two Harpoon Anti-shipping Missile Quad Canisters
Two MK 15 MOD 12 Close-in-Weapons Systems (Phalanx Mounts)
Two MK 32 MOD 14 Triple Torpedo Tubes (MK 50/46 Torpedoes)
SENSORS
AN/SPY-1D
3-D Search/Track Radar
AN/SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search Radar
AN/SPS-64(V)9 Surface Search Radar
AN/SQS-53C(V) Hull Mounted Sonar
AN/SQS-19(V) Tactical Towed Array Sonar System
AN/SQQ-28(V) LAMPS III Shipboard Electronics
ESM/ECM
AN/SLQ-32(V)3
AN/SLQ-25A NIXIE Torpedo Countermeasures
MK 36 MOD 6 Decoy Launching System (6 Launchers)
ENGINEERING
4 LM2500
Marine Gas Turbine Engines (100,000 SHP)
3 Allison 2500 KW Gas Turbine Generators
2 Shafts with CRP (Controllable Reversible Pitch) Propellers
2 Rudders
Click on this link to go to the official USS Cole web site.