Can you believe the stones on these guys?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080924/ts_nm/us_somalia_piracy_navynews_1

49 minutes ago

LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy said on Wednesday it appeared pirates had tried to attack one of its big military oil tankers.
T

A security team aboard the vessel opened fire on two small boats near Somalia after they ignored warnings and pursued the ship, a U.S. Fifth Fleet spokesman said.

"From all appearances it does look like it was a pirate attack and the incident is currently under investigation," he said by telephone from Bahrain.

He said the Military Sealift Command (MSC) oil tanker, the John Lenthall, which usually carries a range of fuels for the U.S. armed forces, was transiting outside Somalia's territorial waters when the incident took place.

In a statement the navy said a whole range of warnings were given before the security team opened fire on the small open skiffs which came within 400 yards of the tanker.

The skiffs then retreated and the navy said there were no reports of any casualties.

"This incident is clear proof that all mariners must remain vigilant," said Captain Steve Kelley, the commander responsible MSC ships in the region.

Somali pirates have in the past mounted attacks on merchant shipping from skiffs launched from so-called "mother ships" in the waters in and beyond Somalia.

Heavily armed Somali pirates have hijacked more than 30 merchant vessels of the Horn of Africa country this year, with attacks off its coast and the Gulf of Aden almost every day.

(Reporting by Stefano Ambrogi; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

It's clear proof that the sailors need some target practice, the fact that they escaped is embarrassing..

Natural selection at work.

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

In their defense it was at a distance of a quarter mile and there was no mention of the type of arms used. It'd be tough to hit a fast-moving skiff while standing on a rolling deck with light arms (if that is what they were using) at a quarter mile.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

You don't have to hit it, but the concussion from probably their smallest mounted gun would have been enough to roll the craft. They didn't do it because they didn't want to have to rescue them and send them to Guantanamo and deal with another round of BS from around the world. I think it was a good move they stuck with 'fire across the bow.' Instead of processing prisoners, they are sticking to their mission.

MSC are noncombatant gov vessels under Navy command but civilian crews.

Dunno who the security folk were. Contractors?

to the best of my knowledge, MSC ships have no "mounted guns"

I thought they had escorts though.....

-John

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Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

I think the crews are mixed--since all contracted ships are American flagged, a lot of the officers are grads of the USMMA. My old roommate who sailed on MSCs during Gulf I got 'called up' status for the six years he owed the Navy as well as combat (hazardous duty?) pay. I have an inquiry in to him about guns and escorts.

If the ship is outfitted in this way today, the return fire was probably small arms. No wonder they missed. I don't see any deck guns on her.

http://navysite.de/ao/ao189.htm

I registered there one time. I'm here: http://navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&squad=false&starty=1970&endy=1977&ship=LPD%2015

I found ya.

That is a very cool site guys. Kicked in my nostalgia/melancholy about not having served, though

4 years compresses nicely into 2-3 sentences. That's about what you missed.

They must not have realized that it was a "military" vessel until they were shot at. Piracy like this certainly isn't uncommon. Usually they just take the cash that is onboard the ship but taking the entire ship and its cargo isn't unheard of.

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"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

OK, I was wrong on my recollection about these ships. Here is what my pal relays:


Yes, i was on an oil tanker chartered to MSC, the XXXXXXXX, however, it was NOT an MSC tanker.

There was no security detail but we had security training at Diego Garcia. We received small arms training and drilled with the Navy a couple of times while at anchor.

Once while we were underway we practiced with the Navy.

We were NOT called to active duty, but NEITHER would an employee on an MSC tanker. I was employed by OSG; MSC ships are civilians employed by various vessel owners or bareboat charterers.