I love the successful resolution of this crisis. Don't mess with a US flagged ship.
Unfortunately the French are not quite as adept...
Unfortunately the French are not quite as adept...
US Navy Seals 3, Pirates 0
- Thread starter FlorIdaho Chris
- Start date
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
It's about time.
I hope they don't release DETAILS of exactly how the deed was done. No sense letting the all the rest of the pukes know the particulars of that specific tactic.
I hope they don't release DETAILS of exactly how the deed was done. No sense letting the all the rest of the pukes know the particulars of that specific tactic.
cedarstang
GT Owner
America! F&*# Yeah!
Somalia has to be very very high on the list of useless places in the world. Anyone wants to make a bunch of money, I'd imagine the demand for competent military trained maritime security around the horn of Africa is immense right now. Consider that tens of millions in ransoms have been paid over the last year for a small number of ships.
Somalia has to be very very high on the list of useless places in the world. Anyone wants to make a bunch of money, I'd imagine the demand for competent military trained maritime security around the horn of Africa is immense right now. Consider that tens of millions in ransoms have been paid over the last year for a small number of ships.
CH53Driver
Shelby GT500 owner
Kingman
GT Owner
Victory at Sea.
Dave,
One of my best friends is the chief of personnel at Blackwater (now Xe, whatever the hell that means). They have well-trained and highly armed teams of former Seals aboard many ships traveling around the horn of Africa. They have yet to have an encounter, or perhaps they have had one but have remained silent for obvious reasons. What is surprising to me, given the great risks to shipping in that area, are the number of shipping companies that still provide no security for their vessels and crew. This type of piracy is not at all hard to stop. The personnel and equipment necessary are both available and relatively inexpensive. What is missing here, is resolve.
Chip
Dave,
One of my best friends is the chief of personnel at Blackwater (now Xe, whatever the hell that means). They have well-trained and highly armed teams of former Seals aboard many ships traveling around the horn of Africa. They have yet to have an encounter, or perhaps they have had one but have remained silent for obvious reasons. What is surprising to me, given the great risks to shipping in that area, are the number of shipping companies that still provide no security for their vessels and crew. This type of piracy is not at all hard to stop. The personnel and equipment necessary are both available and relatively inexpensive. What is missing here, is resolve.
Chip
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
Right. "Resolve" - and their "bean counters" figuring the $$$ costs of security outweigh the risks/odds of being hit.
Let 'em tell THAT to their crews. 'Pretty much like playing Russian roulette with THEIR lives if you ask me.
Mark06GT
GT Owner
Snipers - 3 head shots on rolling seas. Wow.
(Fox News)
Arlington, Va. -- Captain Richard Phillips is now safe and healthy aboard the USS Boxer after Navy Seals launched a rescue attempt that ended when snipers killed three pirates in three shots, all direct hits to the head.
Vice Admiral William Gortney, Commander of Navy's 5th Fleet, told journalists at the Pentagon Sunday evening a decision was made to take the shots after the pirates were spotted pointing an AK-47 into the back of Captain Phillips.
As soon as the shots were fired, Navy Seals "scurried down" a tow line attached to the lifeboat, and were the first to get to Phillips. They surveyed the scene and found three dead pirates. Phillips was alive, although tied up.
The fourth pirate, who is now in U.S. custody, left the lifeboat hours earlier with the understanding he would negotiate from on board the USS Bainbridge, the massive Navy destroyer that shadowed the lifeboat for several days.
It soon became clear the younger pirate was simply turning himself in and had no intention of going back to lifeboat, according to defense officials.
Shortly after the Seals reached Captain Phillips, a Navy RIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) approached the life boat and safely escorted Phillips back to the Bainbridge. He has since undergone a medical exam and had the chance to take a shower.
According to Admiral Gortney he's healthy and unharmed.
The scene got "tenuous" according to one official, shortly after the three pirates agreed to let the Bainbridge tow their boat. The sea conditions were worsening and the lifeboat was "floundering" before pirates acknowledged that by establishing a tow, it would be a smoother ride.
But sometime shortly after the boats were hooked together, shots were fired from the lifeboat and the pirates were seen holding a gun to Captain Phillips back. Acting on a standing order from President Obama to move in when Phillips was in "imminent danger" snipers were ordered to fire.
They established clear head shots on all three pirates: one was visible through the front window, and the other two were revealing their heads through the top hatch, presumably to get fresh air. It would be their last breath.
It was an extremely happy ending to a story that doesn't often end well. Just last week the French lost one a hostage after their Navy raided a hijacked sailing yacht.
Admiral Gortney left with a warning that today's outcome could lead to more violence in future hijackings, perhaps in the form of retaliation of losing their own.
(Fox News)
Arlington, Va. -- Captain Richard Phillips is now safe and healthy aboard the USS Boxer after Navy Seals launched a rescue attempt that ended when snipers killed three pirates in three shots, all direct hits to the head.
Vice Admiral William Gortney, Commander of Navy's 5th Fleet, told journalists at the Pentagon Sunday evening a decision was made to take the shots after the pirates were spotted pointing an AK-47 into the back of Captain Phillips.
As soon as the shots were fired, Navy Seals "scurried down" a tow line attached to the lifeboat, and were the first to get to Phillips. They surveyed the scene and found three dead pirates. Phillips was alive, although tied up.
The fourth pirate, who is now in U.S. custody, left the lifeboat hours earlier with the understanding he would negotiate from on board the USS Bainbridge, the massive Navy destroyer that shadowed the lifeboat for several days.
It soon became clear the younger pirate was simply turning himself in and had no intention of going back to lifeboat, according to defense officials.
Shortly after the Seals reached Captain Phillips, a Navy RIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) approached the life boat and safely escorted Phillips back to the Bainbridge. He has since undergone a medical exam and had the chance to take a shower.
According to Admiral Gortney he's healthy and unharmed.
The scene got "tenuous" according to one official, shortly after the three pirates agreed to let the Bainbridge tow their boat. The sea conditions were worsening and the lifeboat was "floundering" before pirates acknowledged that by establishing a tow, it would be a smoother ride.
But sometime shortly after the boats were hooked together, shots were fired from the lifeboat and the pirates were seen holding a gun to Captain Phillips back. Acting on a standing order from President Obama to move in when Phillips was in "imminent danger" snipers were ordered to fire.
They established clear head shots on all three pirates: one was visible through the front window, and the other two were revealing their heads through the top hatch, presumably to get fresh air. It would be their last breath.
It was an extremely happy ending to a story that doesn't often end well. Just last week the French lost one a hostage after their Navy raided a hijacked sailing yacht.
Admiral Gortney left with a warning that today's outcome could lead to more violence in future hijackings, perhaps in the form of retaliation of losing their own.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
"Admiral Gortney left with a warning that today's outcome could lead to more violence in future hijackings, perhaps in the form of retaliation of losing their own."
That works both ways, Admiral. :mad
Hopefully, shipping companies will now decide provide heavily ARMED security personel for vessels traveling those waters.
That works both ways, Admiral. :mad
Hopefully, shipping companies will now decide provide heavily ARMED security personel for vessels traveling those waters.
As crude as it sounds, I hope Dept of Defense releases the images of the 3 pirates/hijackers with their skulls blown apart so that anyone can post the pix online as a future warning to similar scum. There is something to be said for using positve results as a deterent for other's bad behavior.
Triheart7
GT Owner
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
H
HHGT
Guest
Before I sold my company I used to spend a reasonable amount of time on board many US Naval ships. Most of the "Special Ops" teams are brilliant at what they do. These are men and women in their young 20's and to watch them train was truly amazing.
This more than likely was a small team of Seals - 1 to 2 snipers per shit-head. The full details will not be released as it may harm future rescue missions.
Go Navy!!!
This more than likely was a small team of Seals - 1 to 2 snipers per shit-head. The full details will not be released as it may harm future rescue missions.
Go Navy!!!
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
S592R
GT Owner
- Dec 3, 2006
- 2,800
Neilda
GT Owner
A very good result.
I feel sorry that the French navy commandos (who have several successes under their belts) and who freed four hostages lost one in the shoot-out.
There were six boats with hostages taken just last week - it's an incredibly lawless part of the world.
I feel sorry that the French navy commandos (who have several successes under their belts) and who freed four hostages lost one in the shoot-out.
There were six boats with hostages taken just last week - it's an incredibly lawless part of the world.
Talk about serious shooting by the way. Night shot, in choppy seas, with only heads and shoulders visible, from distance. All one shot kills. That's amazing.
Sorry to hear about the French action. Hostage situations are a terrible thing to deal with and almost always end poorly.
Sorry to hear about the French action. Hostage situations are a terrible thing to deal with and almost always end poorly.
GT38
GT Owner
I had some exposure to the capabilities of the various services' special forces teams in the mid-seventies (five years of flying Special Ops in Jolly Greens). Those guys were always my heros.
EP is right about keeping their mouths shut about exactly how they did it - the less said the better. Cheers to the Seals! :cheers
EP is right about keeping their mouths shut about exactly how they did it - the less said the better. Cheers to the Seals! :cheers