Haha, Jeff. thats funny.
CNN just reported that P-3 is on station now.
I have to say that I’m somewhat surprised as to how the media is playing this. First of all, I’m looking at today’s Boston Herald, and on the front page they have a container ship, with an 2/3 aft house, Maersk Line on the side. Then on page 4, where the whole story is, they have a DIFFERENT ship, with an after house, 2 cranes, and Maersk Sealand on the side of it, which looks like the Maersk A-class. In today’s world of technology, especially google, why is it that they can’t even find the right ship to put on the cover?
Another thing, and I’ll probably get blasted for this, but can somebody (John) explain to me why gCaptain called the ship? I know why the AP and all these other media outlets called, because they don’t really know any better. But I’m surprised that a professional in the industry would call the ship during such a sensitive time in the process, where nobody really knows what’s going, and things can turn at any point. Maybe it’s just me, but if I’m in that situation, I’m going to hang up the sat phone instantly on anybody who cannot help me out.
On another not, I wonder what would have happened if this was one of the LMSR’s that I was a cadet on that used to be run by Maersk…we had a big ass safe full of pistols, M14s, and shotguns, and I wonder if they would have been used in this situation. Granted, the pirates probably couldn’t have caught that ship, since it could do 29 knots, but I’m still curious.
[QUOTE=cmjeff;11182]“the lifeboat seized by the pirates came to a halt – apparently because of lack of fuel”
Funny just yesterday I told our jr mate “You f$@# 3rd mate’s never get the PM’s right.” Now I have proof!! (he’s really going to hate me now!)[/QUOTE]
Sorry for my ignorance, but, whats a PM?
Preventitive Maintenance…but isn’t the engine the ENGINE department’s responsibility???
I’m sure everyone has already heard, but Phillips tried to jump out of the lifeboat and swim to one of the Navy ships, but somehow the pirates caught him and got him back.
Here’s my question - they sent 18 SEAL’s (at least one story reported them as SEAL’s) on the Alabama so it would be safe as it continued on. Did anybody think to keep a team onboard, so they can swim over to this lifeboat in the pitch dark and either ‘subdue’ the pirates, or get Phillips back with those underwater motor things that the scuba divers use?
Keep in mind there is a full moon out now so it would’nt be pitch dark
True, but they’re SEAL’s…they should be able to figure something out!
It appears that the Navy wasn’t ready for the possibility of a jump and swim as a couple of marksmen under the full moonlight should be able to pick off whoever was trying to recapture him.
Greetings All,
One of the “lessons learned” lectures that we received at SAR school all those years ago revolved around two pilots having a knife fight in their raft - I believe that there was a bit of disagreement over the reason their plane wasn’t still in the air. The swimmers solution was to put his knife in the raft, there by putting the two pilots in his environment - the water. Long story short, I wonder why the folks from the Team on site don’t just sink the life boat out from under the current occupants - and put them all in the water where they can be “sorted”…
MTSKIER
Sounds like the Captain is a gutsy guy. God bless him.
Navy crew probably did not want to miss the midnight buffet and movie aboard the cruise ship Bainbridge. Too bad they missed an opportunity.
It’s also possible that every Navy action has to be cleared by the politically correct folks in Washington. Getting an answer could take time. Months even.
US Navy Reaction… Pathetic!
Bainbrige crew look’s like a bunch of Girl Scouts swinging pocket books! Disgusting!
I feel your frustration but I would just bet that the Bainbridge crew would love to have a shot at those pirates…Their hands are tied, awaiting orders from on high , that will undoubtedly be of a passive nature…
Political correctness will ruin this country …
[QUOTE=Shellback;11265]I feel your frustration but I would just bet that the Bainbridge crew would love to have a shot at those pirates…Their hands are tied, awaiting orders from on high , that will undoubtedly be of a passive nature…
Political correctness will ruin this country …[/QUOTE]
Sometimes the old days when you had to send a vessel back to the US for orders were better, each naval ship’s captain was his own boss. Its called a small boat action, fast and quiet.
Kinda funny its the USS BAINBRIDGE, Captain Bainbridge himself would be the PERFECT man for this situation.
Sniping and a diver attacks are not the options at this point. In reality a peaceful resolution is the best. If that wears thin, then let the SEALs do their sh!t. I doubt the security team put on the ALABAMA were SEALs. That would be like using a ferrari as a grocery getter. More than likely its an element of the embarked Marine Corp Maritime Special Purpose Air/Ground Task Force (MSPAGTF for short) from the BOXER. They might have scout/snipers as part of that team, but the team are properly just Jarheads.
Very ironic indeed…And as you said, the perfect man for the job…Thanks for directing me to the history…
Capt Kelly Sweeney just completed an excellent interview on Fox - very eloquent.
Shellback, Bainbridge had some miss-steps when he first took on pirates, but redeemed himself when he took over the CONNY from Hull. The story of the founding fathers of the US Navy (not to be confused with the continental navy) is fascinating. There is a line of succession, Farragut of civil war fame was a middy under Prebble. Dewey of Spanish/American war fame was a middy under Farragut, and Nimitz was a middy under Dewey. I’m sure the line continues, but I digress from the subject at hand.
I highly doubt Shane Murphy ever thought he’d get promoted quite this way…
I’ve seen his dad do a few interviews now. I have always like Captain Murphy. He came to Maine to help us study. I know others don’t.
Saw a Somali Ex-pat today on TV that said the only way to root out the pirates is to go after the clan leaders ashore.
[quote=drkblram;11281]Shellback, Bainbridge had some miss-steps when he first took on pirates, but redeemed himself when he took over the CONNY from Hull. The story of the founding fathers of the US Navy (not to be confused with the continental navy) is fascinating. There is a line of succession, Farragut of civil war fame was a middy under Prebble. Dewey of Spanish/American war fame was a middy under Farragut, and Nimitz was a middy under Dewey. I’m sure the line continues, but I digress from the subject at hand.
I highly doubt Shane Murphy ever thought he’d get promoted quite this way…
I’ve seen his dad do a few interviews now. I have always like Captain Murphy. He came to Maine to help us study. I know others don’t.
Saw a Somali Ex-pat today on TV that said the only way to root out the pirates is to go after the clan leaders ashore.[/quote]
We have had the boats TV locked on to the news for any info…I saw the same statement…
Interesting lineage, I wonder how far it goes…It seems that in our history there has always been one or two people that were in the right place at the right time…I look back to history , of the Battle of Midway, when Halsey was out of commission and he named Ray Spruance to as his replacement…Spruance was junior to alot of people…But he was the right guy for the job…Lucky for us…
MSNBC is reporting that Capt. Phillips has just been freed from the pirates (Around 13:30 EST). Details are still blurry. But supposedly the Navy made some sort of rescue and a couple of the pirates may have been killed in the process.