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Military History: The Attack of the USS Stark by an Iraqi Warplane in 1987

Posted on 27 July 2016 by The Tactical Hermit

USS Stark

On May 17, 1987, the U.S. Navy guided missile frigate USS Stark was on a patrol in the central Persian Gulf, about three kilometers outside the Iraq-declared war-zone off the coast of Iran.

Around 22.00hrs local time, Stark came under attack from an Iraqi air force fighter jet. Radars on the U.S. warship tracked the aircraft as it approached, and Capt. Glenn R. Brindel ordered his radioman to issue a warning and request the pilot to identify himself.

The Iraqi did not respond. Instead, he approached to a range of 35 kilometers and fired two Aerospatiale AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.

Stark’s radars failed to detect the incoming missiles and thus the crew realized much too late that it was under fire. Underway at an altitude of only three meters and guided by their relatively simple active-radar homing heads, both missiles aimed for the part of the ship with the highest radar cross-section.

The first penetrated the hull directly under the bridge. It failed to explode but its unspent rocket fuel ignited and sparked a raging fire. The second Exocet hit almost the same spot and detonated, tearing a three-meter by 4.6-meter hole in the hull.

Combined, the two missiles inflicted massive damage and ignited a conflagration that burned for almost 24 hours. In order to prevent his ship from sinking, Brindel ordered the flooding of the starboard side of the ship, thus keeping the hole on the port side above water.

Supported by the destroyers USS Waddell and USS Conyngham, the ship barely managed to reach the port of Manama in Bahrain the next day. The destroyer tender USS Acadia affected temporary repairs.

Twenty-nine U.S. Navy personnel died in the initial explosion and fire, two of whom were lost at sea. Eight others died of their injuries, while 21 were injured. The Navy’s incident review board relieved Brindel of command and recommended him for court-martial. Eventually he received non-judicial punishment and retired early.

Read the Remainder at War is Boring

0 thoughts on “Military History: The Attack of the USS Stark by an Iraqi Warplane in 1987”

  1. Lisa the Infidel says:
    27 July 2016 at 22:57

    Unrelated – but I wanted to share with you — do you see the Hillary comment — Thoughts?
    https://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2016/07/27/lind-pussycats-martin-van-crevelds-important-new-book/

  2. Pingback: Military History: The Attack of the USS Stark by an Iraqi Warplane in 1987 — Hammerhead Combat Systems | Rifleman III Journal
  3. GP Cox says:
    28 July 2016 at 05:46

    [off topic] Have you ever seen this page?
    http://nypost.com/2015/04/12/hillary-clinton-faces-scandal-amid-expectant-presidential-run/

  4. Hammerhead says:
    28 July 2016 at 05:50

    Just ordered the book..will do a review when I am done. As far as the HRC comment, I could care less Lisa…as a Constitutionalist, I firmly believe POWER still resides with the People and worrying about what some corrupt Politician is going to do is a waste of our time…the bigger issue at hand is HOW we raise our kids to become fruitful members of society. Bottom line if we don’t do it, the STATE certainly will and the end result will be Neutered, subservient ZOMBIES. Is that what we want? of course not!! Every society that has flourished in the last 2,000 years has been a society full of CHRISTIAN WARRIOR SCHOLARS..and that is exactly what I am raising my kids to be.

  5. Hammerhead says:
    28 July 2016 at 06:16

    Honestly GP I have checked out of politics. I have come to the conclusion my time is better spent preparing and training for a life of self-sufficiency rather than following the immoral escapades of professional liars and crooks.

  6. GP Cox says:
    28 July 2016 at 06:25

    Gotcha, great idea!!

  7. Lisa the Infidel says:
    28 July 2016 at 06:38

    yes sir thank you for your input

  8. Hammerhead says:
    28 July 2016 at 06:39

    Thanks for the books suggestion…Looks like a really good one!!

  9. Lisa the Infidel says:
    28 July 2016 at 06:42

    I asked the blogger if he had read yet. I feel a great need to be ready when the 2nd Tuesday in November rolls around.

  10. Hammerhead says:
    28 July 2016 at 07:30

    I have been preparing for the last 15 years…who rents the White House for the next 4 years is not going to change my plans…We Prepare Now so we don’t have to “React”…we just keep moving forward.

  11. Lisa the Infidel says:
    28 July 2016 at 08:11

    AMEN I have only been for 10 and still never feel I have done enough or all I could/can.

  12. Hammerhead says:
    28 July 2016 at 10:48

    If you are doing ANYTHING, even just buying some prepping supplies every month or putting away food and water, you are WAY ahead of the average American, I can assure you.

  13. Lisa the Infidel says:
    28 July 2016 at 11:13

    Yes we each have our tasks and goals

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