Chapter 174

Sunday morning after breakfast I went to the Oval Office and read the new reports. The C5 bringing the bodies had been delayed in Germany and was not going to land in Dover until Monday at 1800. That delay was to allow the morticians more time to clean up the bodies and perform DNA test on body parts.

It would allow the families time to come to Dover if they wanted. It also gave me a day to spend with the family they could wait and go home tomorrow morning.

We went swimming in the private presidential pool for several hours before lunch. After lunch we played games in the game room with the boys. They had supper with me and we had a good night together.

With the family gone I started Monday’s routine only to be interrupted by Troy.

‘‘There are four senators in the lobby anxious to see you,’’ he said

‘‘Ok send them in,’’ I said.

‘‘Senator Harcourt, Senator Johnson, Senator Williams and Senator Bright how you today?’’ I said.

‘‘We are fine. People are mad, others are worried that you may lead us into an extended Middle East war again,’’ Senator Johnson said.

‘‘There will be no extended Middle East war - I can assure of that,’’ I said.

‘‘The Senate is going to take up your request and vote on the authorization after lunch. The Navy is sending someone to give testimony and update the Senate on the crew and the condition of the ship,’’ Senator Williams said.

‘‘That someone is the Chief of Naval Operations and he has classified video of the attack. It is not for those that are weak in the stomach,’’ I said.

‘‘Just where and how did you get video?’’ the Senator asked.

‘‘It’s from the JBG fast ships under contract to the OPEC five. Vicky had to get the King’s approval to allow it to be released. All the fast ship crew wear Go-Pro cams on duty. It works similar to a body cam worn by police officers. It allows the job to be critiqued on attitude and efficiency or problem child.”

‘‘The House is voting before lunch. There are several opposition groups there,’’ Senator Williams said.

‘‘The Chief of Naval Operations should be showing the film in a few minutes there. There was a hold up with some of the members wanting to release the film to the public.”

After much bickering and grandstanding for the cameras, they were allowed back in. Special interest groups that some of the members were indebted to finally gave in and the House passed the resolution at 1145. The vote was four hundred for and thirty against with five voting present.

The Senate didn’t have the problems the House did. The Sergeant at Arms ran the media out, closed and locked the doors and turned off all recording devices.

The piece of film that we had chosen to be shown to both houses was from Squadron Six. Squadron Six was a six ship unit under the command of Commander John Fitzgerald, he also was the captain of ship six. There were three six ship squadrons at Ad Damman. Vicky was now getting the ship numbers into the contract numbers.

Lt Mickey Butler was the weapons officer. The weapons officer could pilot the ship when any of the fixed weapons were fired.

The fixed weapons were two Hellfire missiles, one on each side of the overhead. In between the Hellfires were 12 improved Hydra Seventy rockets. The Hydra Seventy rocket started its life as a dumb fin stabilized rocket that had to be carefully aimed at what you wanted to hit.

The Hydra Seventy rockets that JBG had were advanced models modified at the Israel Mossad secret research facility. They were still fin stabilized but now had target acquisition and lock on target ability. They were a foot longer than the original version.

Mack Rubble was the Mark 38 chain gun operator on the port stern. The Mark 38 was 25 MM or 95 caliber with an effective range of ten thousand feet and a maximum range of twenty three thousand feet. As a chain gun it was battery powered - in this case from the ships 24 volt power system.

Jeff Briggs was the operator on the twin fifty mounted on the on the starboard stern. He was also in charge of the depth charge rack.

Billy Hammond was on the bow Mark 38 chain gun. Eddie Foster was the odd man out; he was responsible for the engines and filled in any gun position on the ship.

We chose the helmet video of Commander Fitzgerald because it was the most complete video of the thirty minute attack and response. Squadron six was in the transition area with the other seven ships and the Hammann and maintaining position with the engines.

‘‘What the hell was that?’’ John said.

‘‘Missiles 11 o’clock, four helicopters, Iranian fast boats coming at 10 o clock,’’ Billy yelled.

‘‘Battle stations, lock and load, belt in; going to full throttle,’’ John ordered.

‘‘Ad -Dam control we need back up NOW; we are under attack, helicopters and Iranian fast boats,’’ he radioed.

Lock and load puts a round in the chamber; at that point the gun is ready to fire when the trigger is squeezed. All the guns are aim-able on restricted turret mounts limited by their location on the ship. For instance, the bow gun has a sweep of two hundred and twenty degrees.

Each of the stern guns has a sweep of roughly one hundred and eighty degrees. Two guns could be fired on any target by positioning the ship at a slight angle, easily done with the drive units on the ships. It could actually crab sideways.

Each of the gun mounts had an operator’s half seat with a safety belt. When all five thousand horsepower was put to the propellers, you better be belted in and hanging onto something.