USSStarkincident

USSStarkincident
Part of theIran–Iraq War'sTanker War
USSStarklisting after being struck by two IraqiExocetmissiles in thePersian Gulf
Date 17 May 1987 Location Persian Gulf 26°47′N51°55′E Result U.S. frigate severely damaged by Iraqi aircraft
Belligerents
United States	Iraq
Commanders and leaders
Glenn R. Brindel	Abdul Rahman
Units involved
USSStark	Iraqi Air Force
Strength
Sea: 1frigate Air: 1aircraft	1aircraft
Casualties and losses
37 killed 21 wounded 1 frigate damaged	None

TheUSSStarkincidentoccurred during theIran–Iraq Waron 17 May 1987 in thePersian Gulf,when an Iraqi jet aircraft fired twoExocetmissiles at the U.S.frigateUSSStark.A total of 37United States Navypersonnel were killed or later died as a result of the attack, and 21 were injured.

Incident

TheUSSStarkwas part of the Middle East Task Force assigned to patrol off the Saudi Arabian coast near the Iran–Iraq War exclusion boundary.

TheUnited States Central Commandidentified the attacking aircraft as an IraqiDassault Mirage F1fighter.Later reports asserted that the attacking aircraft was aFalcon 50business jet which had been modified with a radar andmissile hardpointsto carry twoAM-39 Exocetmissiles for anti-shipping operations. The F1EQ-5 variant of theMirage F1operated by Iraq was capable of carrying only one Exocet. Iraq had used modified Falcon jets in civilian markings to conduct covert photographic reconnaissance in thePersian Gulfto avoid attracting suspicion.

Initially not alarmed, at 22:09StarkCaptainGlenn R. Brindelordered aradiomanto send the message: "Unknown aircraft, this is U.S. Navy warship on your 078 (degrees) for twelve miles. Request you identify yourself".The pilot did not respond to the message. The ship's captain ordered a second message sent, to which there was no reply. At 22:10 Brindel was informed the aircraft had targeted the ship,lockinghis Cyrano-IVfire-control radaronto theStark.The aircraft then fired the first Exocet missile 22 mi (35 km) from the ship and the second from 15 mi (24 km); the pilot then banked left and began to withdraw.

Stark's search radar,ESMandCIWSsystems failed to detect the incoming missiles.The first Exocet missile struck theport sideof the ship near the bridge. Although it failed to detonate, rocket fuel ignited and caused a large fire that quickly spread throughout the ship's post office, storeroom and the combat operations center (where the ship's weapons are controlled).

The second Exocet also struck the port side, 30 seconds later.This missile detonated, leaving a 10 by 15 ft (3.0 by 4.6 m) hole in the frigate's left side. Electronics forStark'sStandard Missiledefense went out and Brindel could not order his men to return fire. AnAWACSplane was still in the area and just after witnessing the attack, radioed a nearby Saudi Arabian airbase to send aircraft for an interception but theground controllersdid not have the authority to order asortieand the jet left unharmed. The US Navy'srules of engagementallowedStarkto defend herself after sufficiently warning the hostile aircraft.

A total of 37 crew were killed in the attack, 29 from the initial explosion and fire, including two lost at sea. Eight later died from their injuries. Twenty-one others survived their wounds.

Brindel ordered the starboard side flooded to keep the hole on the hull's port side above water. This helped prevent theStarkfrom sinking. Brindel quickly dispatched a distress call after the first missile hit. It was received byUSSWaddell,which was in the area andUSSConynghamwith two-thirds of its crew on liberty in Bahrain.WaddellandConynghamarrived to provide damage control and relief to theStark's crew. According to the Pentagon, an Iranian helicopter joined a Saudi Arabian vessel to aid in rescue operations.

Aftermath

Damage toUSSStark's hull and superstructure in thePersian Gulf

Starkarrived atBahrainthe following day, 18 May 1987. There she was temporarily repaired by thedestroyer tenderUSSAcadiabefore setting a course forMayport Naval Station,Florida,the ship's home port. A court of inquiry underRear AdmiralGrant Sharp was formed to investigate the incident and later Captain Brindel was recommended forcourt-martialbut was ultimately only reprimanded and relieved of duty.The flag officer in charge of the operation,Rear AdmiralHarold Bernsen,was found blameless and continued in his post.It was found thatStarkwas 2 miles (3.2 km) outside the exclusion zone and had not violated neutrality as the Iraqis claimed.Iraq apologized,andSaddam Husseinsaid that the pilot mistookStarkfor an Iraniantanker.

U.S. officials claimed that the Iraqi jet's pilot was not acting under orders from his government and that he was later executed, but anIraqi Air Forceofficer later stated that the pilot was not punished and was still alive.According to Jean-Louis Bernard, author ofHeroes of BagdadT1 (Editions JPO 2017), the pilot, Abdul Rahman, would have received the medal of bravery at the end of a joint Iraqi-U.S. commission of inquiry. His subsequent defection to Iran is not mentioned in this book. Jean-Louis Bernard also confirms the use of a Falcon 50 during this action.

Iranian Prime MinisterMir Hossein Mousavicalled it a "divine blessing" and reiterated the standard Iranian view that the Persian Gulf "is not a safe place for the superpowers and it is in their interest not to enter this quicksand". A spokesman for the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Iraq would never intentionally attack any target in the Gulf unless it was Iranian, and laid the blame on Iran.

Washington used the incident to pressure Iran, which it later blamed for the whole situation. US PresidentRonald Reagansaid "We've never considered them [Iraq's military] hostile at all", and "the villain in the piece is Iran".

The Joint Chiefs of Staff investigation into the incident recommended that Iraq be held accountable, a finding the government of Iraq eventually complied with. Captain Brindel was relieved of duty and retired as a commander for not defending his ship, whilsttactical action officerLieutenant Basil E. Moncrief resigned.

Claims

On 21 June 2011, an agreement was reached between the governments of the United States and Iraq regarding claims of United States citizens against the regime of Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi government established a fund of $400 million to compensate prisoners of war and hostages in thePersian Gulf War,and those killed or injured in the 1987 attack onStark.TheUnited States Department of Statewas to establish a mechanism to process applications for compensation.

Memorials

The memorial plaque for the killed U.S. sailors atMayport, Florida

On 22 May 1987, a eulogy was given by US President Ronald Reagan atMayport Naval Station,Jacksonville, Florida.

A ceremony is held at Mayport Naval Station on 17 May each year to remember the 37 men who died in the incident.

See also

• USSVincennesincident
• USSPanayincident
• USSLibertyincident
• USSPuebloincident
• Gulf of Tonkin incident
• Battle of Đồng Hới

Sources

• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
• Levinson, Jeffrey L.; Randy L. Edwards (1997).Missile Inbound.Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-517-9.

Further reading

• Formal Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Attack on the USSStark(FFG 31) on 17 May 1987 (U)
• "Terms of Reference – Joint Investigation Group"(PDF).Office of the Secretary of Defense & Joint Staff FOIA Requester Service: US Department of Defense. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 12 July 2013.Retrieved28 July2013.
• Wise, Harold Lee (2007).Inside the Danger Zone: The U.S. Military in the Persian Gulf 1987–88.Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.ISBN978-1-59114-970-5.