quote:

Originally posted by Icabod:
In April the US took out a Syrian Air Force base used for chemical attacks. You don't suppose the Iranians thought the Prisdent might got irks at them?

This same type of response occured right after Reagan bombed Gaddafi's tent, Clinton bombed Bosnia, and W invaded Iraq. Nothing impresses Arabs and Moslems like a good show of force.

The Iranians pulled their boats back for a mandatory safety stand-down to complete all their required annual safety training. Then they had to do mandatory EO, SHARP and transgender awareness training.

It's a real head scratcher:

The parts fund allocated to replace their newly updated green-hybrid fuel filters, were diverted to Hezbollah.

Budget decisions you know.

Which branch, jimmy?

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I like CNN's story better where they specify 36 unsafe encounters in 2016, 14 in 2017, and zero year to date.

Link

Gee, I can't quite put my finger on what might be the causative factor here.

^^^^^^^^^
That’s easy, they ran out of gas.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Which branch, jimmy?

Jimmy probably didn't serve in any branch Boss, he's probably on the civilian type of AWOL.

quote:

Originally posted by CQB60:these drones are roughly the same size of the MQ-1 Predator and often fly without navigation lights or transponders turned on....

In that case they can't grumble if a few of them, acting like this, get taken out by a Phalanx or CWIS doing a routine firing check-up right?

tac

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
They're afraid that a US military boat will run into them!!!!!!!!!!!

In which branch of our armed forces did you serve, jimmy?

The United States Merchant Marines.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
They're afraid that a US military boat will run into them!!!!!!!!!!!

In which branch of our armed forces did you serve, jimmy?

The United States Merchant Marines.

You know, I like reading the majority of your posts and I believe you have a breadth of knowledge in many areas, particularly yachting...but...come on. If you never served in the military, just fess up.

This

https://news.usni.org/2018/01/...oat-harassment-drops

quote:

Originally posted by CQB60:
Actually, The reason is because they’ve ramped up the use of drones and now use them to harass ships in the gulf. The drones are proving much more of a threat & annoyance than the speedboats.

The Iranian QOM-1, also known as the Shaheed 129, are weapons capable and have been conducting
“1 to 2” maritime flights per day over the strait of Hormuz and southern Arabian gulf in recent months. These flights quite often approach U.S. Navy ships operating in the region. For perspective, these drones are roughly the same size of the MQ-1 Predator and often fly without navigation lights or transponders turned on....

This forum is inhabited by many Navy veterans, Jimmy. I shouldn't have to say any more than that.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
They're afraid that a US military boat will run into them!!!!!!!!!!!

In which branch of our armed forces did you serve, jimmy?

The United States Merchant Marines.

Is that a joke, Jimmy? The Merchant Marine are not part of the armed forces.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
This forum is inhabited by many Navy veterans, Jimmy. I shouldn't have to say any more than that.

I have never once stated I have served in The US Navy, nor air force, nor marines, nor army etc. Many times I have openly said I have not.

I am an officer in the United States Merchant Marines. In the course of that over the years I have worked for the DoD and CIA very briefly.

Given the Navy's collision rate of 1% of all ships in 1 year, the comment is valid.

However, here is an overview of what the US Merchant Marines is: (these are just bits and pieces pulled from the link)

The United States Merchant Marine[1][2] refers to either United States civilian mariners, or to U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, and engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States.[3] The Merchant Marine primarily transports cargo and passengers during peacetime; in times of war, the Merchant Marine can be an auxiliary to the United States Navy, and can be called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military.[4] Merchant Marine officers may also be commissioned as military officers by the Department of Defense. This is commonly achieved by commissioning unlimited tonnage Merchant Marine officers as Strategic Sealift Officers in the Naval Reserves.[5][6][7]

The merchant marine was active in subsequent wars, from the Confederate commerce raiders of the American Civil War, to the assaults on Allied commerce in the First and in the Second World Wars. 3.1 million tons of merchant ships were lost in World War II. Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 24, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service.[30] All told, 733 American cargo ships were lost[31] and 8,651 of the 215,000 who served perished in troubled waters and off enemy shores.
Merchant shipping also played its role in the wars in Vietnam and Korea. During the Korean War, under the operational control in theater of the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), the number of chartered ships grew from 6 to 255. In September 1950, when the U.S. Marine Corps went ashore at Incheon, 13 Navy cargo ships, 26 chartered American, and 34 Japanese-manned merchant ships of the MSTS participated.[32]
During the Vietnam War, at least 172 National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) ships were activated, and together with other US-flagged merchant vessels crewed by civilian seamen, carried 95% of the supplies used by the American armed forces.[33] Many of these ships sailed into combat zones under fire. The SS Mayaguez incident involved the capture of mariners from the American merchant ship SS Mayaguez.[34]
During the first Gulf War, the merchant ships of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) delivered more than 12 million metric tons of vehicles, helicopters, ammunition, fuel and other supplies and equipment. At one point during the war, more than 230 government-owned and chartered ships were involved in the sealift.[35]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ates_Merchant_Marine

What's wrong with you? What makes you think I have to put up with lip from you for one solitary second in this forum? You can be a Starship Captain in the United Federation of Planets, and my response would be the same- stop making snarky remarks about naval collisions. I don't want to get any more complaints from our Navy veterans.

Savvy?

I was thinking Jimmy was making a joke. I served and would not complain about someone noting that accumulation of major errors (sadly including multiple fatality's) of my branch of the service (army).

I didn't know the Merchant Marines were still a thing. You never hear of them anymore. Neighbor was one during WW2. I was in the 5th grade when he gruffly noted this to us kids(about women) sounding much like a pirate only louder because real men of that era never wore hearing protection: "Arg, ya stand them on their heads and they all look alike".

I asked him: "what does that mean?" But I didn't get an answer. I puzzled over the comment for years, but finally figured it out:-)

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
What's wrong with you? What makes you think I have to put up with lip from you for one solitary second in this forum? You can be a Starship Captain in the United Federation of Planets, and my response would be the same- stop making snarky remarks about naval collisions. I don't want to get any more complaints from our Navy veterans.

Savvy?

My entire post was one sentence, partially made as a joke and entirely true.

With all due respect I am not giving you any lip. I am stating facts. The Merchant Marines suffered a FAR HIGHER casualty rate during WWII than ANY other branch of the armed forces carrying their machinery, bullets, tanks,FUEL and everything else they used to fight the war with so please do not insult Merchant Mariners participation in keeping this country safe. How do you think the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy get their equipment to another continent so that they can fight their war? Without the Merchant Marines, There isn't a single armed branch that could fight a single war on foreign soil because they have no way to move hardly any equipment in with Merchant Marine ships to do it.

"P.L. 95–202, approved November 23, 1977, granted veteran status to Women Airforce Service Pilots and "any person in any other similarly situated group" with jurisdiction for determination given to the Secretary of Defense who delegated that determination to the Secretary of the Air Force.[16] Although the Merchant Marine suffered a per capita casualty rate greater than those of the US Armed Forces, merchant mariners who served in World War II were denied such veterans recognition until 1988 when a federal court ordered it. The Court held that "the Secretary of the Air Force abused its discretion in denying active military service recognition to American merchant seamen who participated in World War II."[16]

3.1 million tons of merchant ships were lost in World War II. Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 24, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service.[30] All told, 733 American cargo ships were lost[31] and 8,651 of the 215,000 who served perished in troubled waters and off enemy shores.
Merchant shipping also played its role in the wars in Vietnam and Korea. During the Korean War, under the operational control in theater of the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), the number of chartered ships grew from 6 to 255. In September 1950, when the U.S. Marine Corps went ashore at Incheon, 13 Navy cargo ships, 26 chartered American, and 34 Japanese-manned merchant ships of the MSTS participated.[32]

In 2003, 40 RRF ships were used in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. This RRF contribution included sealifting into the combat theater equipment and supplies including combat support equipment for the Army, Navy Combat Logistics Force, and USMC Aviation Support equipment. By the beginning of May 2005, RRF cumulative support included 85 ship activations that logged almost 12,000 ship operating days, moving almost 25% of the equipment needed to support operations in Iraq.[37]
The Military Sealift Command was also involved in the Iraq War, delivering 61,000,000 square feet (5,700,000 m2) of cargo and 1,100,000,000 US gallons (4,200,000 m3) of fuel by the end of that year. Merchant mariners were recognized for their contributions in Iraq. For example, in late 2003, Vice Adm. David Brewer III, Military Sealift Command commander, awarded the crew of the MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal.[38]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ates_Merchant_Marine