USS COLE BOMBING

On January 3rd, 2000, the destroyer THE SULLIVANS (DDG-68) moored in the port of Aden, Yemen, for refueling.  While her crew worked, unseen Al-Queda operatives pushed a small boat loaded with explosives into the harbor. But the boat was overloaded and sank.  US Navy ships called on Aden 3-4 times each month for refueling, so the operatives bided their time, awaiting the next of Osama bin Laden’s year 2000 millennium strikes.

On this day 25 years ago, USS COLE (DDG-67) entered Aden harbor for refueling after transiting the Suez Canal and Red Sea.  She approached a fueling dolphin in the center of the harbor about 600 meters from land.  By 0930 she was moored, and at 10:30 she began what was expected to be a 4-hour fueling evolution.  Fishing boats and other small craft crisscrossed the harbor observed by COLE’s lookouts, who stood with unloaded guns and orders not to shoot unless fired upon.  About a quarter after eleven an inflatable open boat approached the fueling destroyer.  The deck watch stiffened, but the boat’s two occupants respectfully came to attention as their boat approached.  Suddenly, at 1118, the boat sped up and crashed into COLE’s port side, amidships.  Six hundred to 1000 pounds of high explosives crudely shaped to stove-in COLE’s hull detonated.

The explosion ripped a 40′ X 60′ gash in the hull, opening the mess deck to the sea.  Hungry sailors lining up for chow were blasted, seventeen in all were killed.  CDR Kirk Lippold’s damage controlmen struggled to keep the destroyer afloat as the ship’s IDC, HMC James Parlier, made his way to the deck.  On the way he came across a critically injured shipmate with several others standing by helplessly.  Parlier had a hatch taken off its hinges to transport the sailor to the deck and started CPR.  But shortly another Chief stopped him, saying there are many others worth saving who needed his help.  Parlier left the critically injured sailor to tend to the 39 other wounded.  The shipmate died.

DONALD COOK (DDG-75) and HAWES (FFG-53) were shortly on the scene to provide assistance and security.  Over the next few days the wounded were medevaced to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany.  The Norwegian semi-submersible heavy lift ship Blue Marlin was retained to transport COLE back to Mississippi, where she arrived on Christmas Eve.  Her repairs totaled $240 million, nearly a quarter of her original cost.  A JAGMAN investigation concluded that CDR Lippold acted responsibly and could not have prevented the attack.  Despite this he was passed over for promotion in subsequent years, and retired from the Navy at the grade of CDR in 2007.

Watch for more “Today in Naval History”  18 OCT 25

CAPT James Bloom, Ret.

McMichael, William H., “10 Years after the COLE Bombing, a Different Navy,” Navy Times, 11 October 2010.

Piszkiewicz, Dennis.  Terrorism’s War with America:  A History.  Westport, CT: Praeger Pub., 2003, pp. 122-23.

Polmar, Norman.  The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 18^th ed.  Annapolis, MD: USNI Press, 2005, p. 151.

Schogol, Jeff.  “Memories Strong Five Years after COLE Blast.”  Stars and Stripes, 12 October 2005.

Sweetman, Jack.  American Naval History:  An Illustrated Chronology of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-Present, 3^rd ed.  Annapolis, MD: USNI Press, 2002, p. 305.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:  Linkage of this attack to Osama bin Laden’s Al-Queda terrorist group was later established, although technically, under US law “terrorism” cannot be charged when perpetrated against a military target.  Subsequent investigation determined that Sudan had materially aided Al-Queda’s plot to bomb a US warship in Aden harbor, and US Courts found the Sudan liable for $8 million in damages to the families of COLE’s deceased.  The Sudanese government is appealing this decision.

As a result of this incident the rules of engagement have been revised to allow more forceful actions against apparent terrorists, even if no “shooting” has occurred.

USS COLE remembers SGT Darrell S. Cole, USMC, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for actions on Iwo Jima during WWII.  Cole’s MOS was bugler but never endorsed that rating.  He fought at Guadalcanal, Tinian, Saipan, and Iwo Jima as a machine gunner.

The post USS COLE Bombing appeared first on Today in Naval History.

                  THE FIGHTING FIELD MUSICIAN

Darrell Samuel Cole could see the war clouds on the horizon in the Fall of 1941.  Wanting to be ready to fight himself, on 25 August 1941 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.  But upon graduation from basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, to his utter disappointment he was assigned to Field Musician School to address the shortage of buglers.  He completed musician school only to request a transfer to line duties.  Assigned as bugler for the 1st Marines, 1st MarDiv, he shipped out in 1942 to the first Allied offensive of the Pacific at Guadalcanal.  Here, the loss of a machine gunner gave Cole the opportunity for which he longed.  But his second request for transfer was torpedoed again by the shortage of buglers.

Cole’s second combat tour in the Pacific saw the 1944 assaults on Kwajelein and Roi-Namur.  Again, Cole stepped up when a regular gunner fell, contributing to the American victory on Roi-Namur that left only 51 surviving Japanese from the original garrison of 3500.  At Saipan, Cole’s prowess with a machine gun caught the attention of his company commander, who detailed Cole as a gunner despite his Field Musician MOS.  When Cole’s squad leader was killed, Cole assumed command of the entire squad, executing successful machine gun support of the infantry advance.  Cole received the Bronze Star for his machine gunnery, as well as the Purple Heart!

Again at Tinian, Cole led a machine gun squad, at the same time submitting his third request to be redesignated from musician duties.  This time the Corps could hardly ignore the spirit and skill of the “Fighting Field Musician.”  Now SGT Cole readied himself next for the coming assault on Iwo Jima.

Cole’s squad hit the beach on D-Day, advancing toward a key Japanese airfield.  But the airfield was heavily defended with well dug-in bunkers.  Cole’s men became pinned-down by two enemy pillboxes, prompting Cole to lead an attack in which he personally destroyed the positions.  On they advanced, until again this squad was pinned under three enemy bunker positions.  One was neutralized by a gunner from the squad.  But when Cole’s gun jammed, he leapt from cover with just his pistol and grenades.  He charged the enemy bunkers, returning to his lines twice for more grenades.  Finally on his third parry, the Japanese positions were destroyed.  However, as Cole triumphantly stepped back to his lines an enemy grenade landed nearby, killing him instantly.

As a result of Cole’s actions his squad was able to support the ultimate capture of the enemy airfield.  Cole received the Medal of Honor for his actions this day.  Our modern Arleigh Burke-class destroyer COLE (DDG-67) remembers SGT Cole.

Watch for more “Today in Naval History”  25 FEB 23

CAPT James Bloom, Ret.

“Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, USMCR, (1920-1945).”  Naval History and Heritage Center website.  AT: www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-c/d-cole.html, retrieved 19 April 2013.

United States Congress.  United States of America’s Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients and their Official Citations.  Columbia Heights, MN: Highland House II, 1994, p. 282.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:  USS COLE was the destroyer attacked by a suicide boat in the harbor at Aden, Yemen, on 12 October 2000 in which 17 American sailors lost their lives and 39 were injured.

DDG-67 is the first warship to remember SGT Cole.  The earlier Wilkes-class destroyer COLE (DD-155) remembers a WWI USMC Major who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions at Belleau Wood.

The post The Fighting Field Musician appeared first on Today in Naval History.