Chapter 172

I slipped on a tee shirt, pajama bottoms and slippers, then with agents and the football in tow made my way to the elevator for the tunnel and then the command center where any conversation could be secure.

Tom was working the control panel as we went in.

“I guess you have been told what has happened. Aaron is sending the video from the fast ships in a few minutes, Andy is on his way over. He should be here in the next few minutes.”

“Ok - I need you to connect to a government link.” I gave him the connection information. After a few minutes I was looking at the night crew from the joint chiefs.

Rear Admiral John Beck was the Navy representative tonight. “Madam President, at 1000 Saudi Arabia time 0300 local, the destroyer USS Hammann was attacked in the Persian Gulf off Al Jubayl in the transition area to enter Ad Dammam international seaport. The ship was severely damaged but is still afloat. One hundred sailors are dead and over one hundred injured,” he said.

“Who were the attackers?” I asked as if I didn’t know.

“Iranian fast boats and several helicopters,” the rear Admiral said.

“All the video from the GoPro cameras has loaded,” Tom said just as Andy stepped into the room.

“Add Aaron to this conversation. Let’s find out what happened!” I said.

Aaron came on the screen that was now divided into four smaller ones.

“Aaron, can you tell us what happened?” I asked.

“Last night at 2000 hours four of our escort ships from the Dubai site escorted the tanker Exxon Orient out of the Persian gulf and into the Arabian sea where they were picked up by four more from the Masqat site. The USS Hammann was steaming into the Persian Gulf to dock at Ad Dammam.”

“Our ships accompanied the Hammann into the gulf. The four ships handed off the Hammann to four of our ships from the Ad Dammam site at the Dubai - Qatar temporary anchorage,” Aaron said.

“The four Ad Dammam ships picked up the tanker Global Mystic from the temporary anchorage and the USS Hammann and along with two of the Dubai escorts that were going to the Ad Dammam maintenance site dry dock for service.”

“The Ad Dammam harbor master directed the USS Hammann to the transition site to wait until it’s docking and display area was ready. It was to be a thirty minute wait. Our six fast ships also went to the transition area because of congestion in the harbor.”

There were two transition areas. One encompassed the Saudi Arabia territorial waters and other Iranian territorial waters. A buoy marked neutral zone between the two for ships transiting further up the gulf.

“Minutes after the radio message four Iranian helicopters came over the horizon from the north east and twenty IRG fast boats came out of the marshes off Fars Island,”

“The helicopters opened fire with missiles when still twelve miles away. The close in defense systems disposed of fourteen of the missiles, but two still hit the ship. The ship fired anti-aircraft missiles and destroyed all four helicopters just before the missiles hit the ship. The Iranian fast boats moved in to attack firing more missiles as the JBG ships moved in to help the Hammann.”

“Four missiles from the fast boats made it past the close in defenses and struck the Hammann. They had fired over twenty.”

“The JBG fast ships took on the Iranian fast boats. The Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70s sank ten of them. The other ten were raked with gunfire from the Hammann and the JBG ships sinking eight more. The last two fled the area,” Aaron said.

“I have serious injuries and three casualties in the JBG force, all ships have battle damage,” Aaron added.

“Tom, copy all the GoPro video to thumb drives, I will look at them in Washington,” I said.

“Admiral Beck, do you have an update from the Hammann? I is it going to stay afloat or sink?” I asked.

“The report indicated damage control has stopped the flooding, it is under its own power. Fires are still burning but contained and nearly out,” Admiral Beck said.

“The ship’s triage teams are treating minor injuries aboard ship, the serious are being taken to the hospital in Ad Dammam. As soon as they are transportable they will be flown to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany and then home,” Admiral Beck added.

“JBG ships are assisting in transporting the injured to awaiting ambulances. When that is complete they will assist in transporting the deceased to shore,” Andy said.

“Andy, give all the help you can to the Hammann. Transfer men to do it, whatever it takes! We will work out the details later. It’s going to take hours for the Navy to get there. I don’t want that ship sinking there,” I said.

“A C5M out of Germany is on the way to pick up the deceased. They will be flown to the morgue in Dover for identification and prepared for funeral. A 747 medical unit with staff is flying in to pick up the injured. It will be there in three hours,” Lt General Rogers said. He was the Air Force duty officer to the joint chiefs.

“First is to find out if the ship will survive or do we need to take other measures quickly. Next is the injured to see if they are getting the care they need, make sure it is timely and then get them home. It looks like that is in progress. Third is the deceased and their return to the US. I will be in Washington within the hour; I want to be updated when I get there,” I said.

“Order Marine One to pick me up in the marked landing area by the parking lot in twenty minutes,” I instructed the Secret Service officer.

My mates and JBG employees were flying out so much that Marcy had a landing pad poured behind the offices for helicopters. The marsh and tree line deadened the noise.

I went back to house to dress and tell everyone I was going back to Washington for a while.

Jenny was awake as I dressed so gave her a quick overview and that I was going to Washington and planned to be back in time for the cookout, at least for a while. A hug and a kiss finished the conversation.