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During the first Gulf War, I was the Air Boss on the USS La Salle (AGF-3).
I got to do a lot of cool stuff, flew with HC-2 Desert Ducks, did all the mine clearing into Kuwait prior to the end of the war, got some H-60 time the day the war ended (we flew COMIDEASTFOR to the quay, shut down and had a nice walk about), and pretty much had a hoot.
After five days in Kuwait we headed back to Bahrain, our home port.
The first night out, we were attacked by pirates, who mistook our ship for a merchant. They came in a swarm, three boats, all about 20 foot outboards.
The Officer of the Deck that night was a very crusty, very combat experienced Warrant Officer (brown water navy in Vietnam, happened to be a Rappahannock Indian, last name Bird). He and I are still friends.
Good for us, bad for the pirates.
I was not on the bridge that night: I was asleep in my state room when GQ was sounded and I struggled to get to my guys who were manning the eight aft 50's around the flight deck.
The Bos'un mates who were on the bridge told me later that Bird was the man. The pirates fired first, a shot across the bow.
Warrant Bird did all the right things, positioned the ship perfectly and the Captain of the ship ordered fire.
I have never seen anything like it...50 caliber rounds, from offset angles, are lethal...I can still remember the thumps as the rounds impacted the pirate boats. All three were sunk. Bird circled the mess, making sure.
Arm merchant vessels...
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1996 FJ80.
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