Attacks on U.S. Naval Ships Short of War

 

 

Attacks on U.S. Naval Ships Short of War

 

From its inception as an independent nation, the United States has been a sea-going nation, building up a powerful naval force to protect American shipping and economic interests, as well as to defend the coastline. In the nation’s history, several attacks against U.S. Navy ships have occurred outside of an actual war. Below is a list of those attacks, listed chronologically by ship name.

 List of Attacks on U.S. Naval Ships

USS Chesapeake (1807)–June 22, 1807, the British frigate H.M.S. Leopard attacked and boarded the US Naval ship USS Chesapeake.

Little Belt Affair (May 16, 1811)–Naval battle between USS President and HMS Little Belt . This was one of the precursors that led up to the War of 1812.

USS Water Witch (February 1855) The USS Water Witch, a U.S. Navy steamer, was surveying the Río de la Plata off the coast of Paraguay, when she was fired upon by the Paraguayan military post, Fort Itapirú. The Paraguayan shelling killed U.S. Sailor, helmsman Samuel Chaney. This attack cause the Water Witch to halt the surveying mission . The gunboat, however, continued her mission in other areas of the southeastern coast of South America until 1856.

On May 8, 1856, she returned to the Washington Navy Yard for repairs and went out of commission on May 12. In response to this attack, the U.S. sent a naval squadron of 19 ships, including the repaired USS Water Witch, arrived off of the shores of the Paraguayan capital city, Asuncion, causing Paraguay to apologize to the United States, indemnified the family of the the late Samuel Chaney, and granted the United States a new and highly advantageous commercial treaty.

USS Maine (Feb. 15, 1898)

U.S. battleship, the USS Maine, blew up in the harbor at Havana, Cuba. The island was at that point a colony of Spain, and was in the midst of a war of independence. The Maine was sent to Havana as a show of force, (U.S. public opinion favored the Cuban rebels), and the explosion of the Maine proved to be the spark that ignited the Spanish-American War.

USS Maine–From the U.S. Navy’s website.

 

 Attacks on U.S. Navy Ships in Leading to World War Two

USS Panay (Dec. 12, 1937)–During theSino-Japanese War, the U.S. Navy maintained several river gunboats to protect American interests on the Yangtze River in China. In late 1937, the Japanese advance on Nanking, which served as China’s wartime capital city, caused the American embassy there to evacuate. While conducting the U.S. diplomatic evacuation and while also escorting American Standard Oil barges, one gunboat, the USS Panay, came under attack from Japanese warplanes.

After several runs by the Japanese planes, the Panay and two of the oil barges were sunk. The surviving crew and passengers escaped and found shelter with friendly Chinese until they could be picked up by other U.S. ships. Two U.S. sailors and one civilian passenger were killed, while eleven others were wounded.

The Japanese government claimed the attack was an accident, saying that their forces mistook the American ships for a Chinese river convoy, despite the American flags painted on several parts of the ship. Japan did apologize profusely and paid an indemnity. Most likely the attack was ordered by members of a faction in the Japanese military who sought either to provoke a war and/or discredit the civilians in the government. At this point in time, the U.S. was busy with domestic matters dealing with the Great Depression and the American public had no stomach for war at this time.

PR-5 USS Panay-outside link.

USS Tutuila (July 30, 1941)–Japanese aircraft bomb USS Tutuila (PR-4) at Chungking, China; First U.S.Navy ship damaged by Axis during World War II.

USS Greer(Sept. 4, 1941)–A German submarine, U-652, attacks the USS Greer, which was tracking the submarine southeast of Iceland. The Greer is not damaged, but in turn was able to damage U-652 by dropping depth charges.

USS Kearny (Oct. 17, 1941) –The destroyer USS Kearny (DD-432) is torpedoed anddamaged southwest of Iceland. U.S. Navy orders all U.S. merchantment in Asiatic waters to put in to friendly ports.

USS Salinas (October 30, 1941) — The oiler USS Salinas (AO-19) is torpedoed 700 miles east of Newfoundland. There are no casualties and the ship makes port.

USS Reuben James (Oct. 31, 1941) – -German submarine U-552 sinks USS Reuben James (DD- 245), which was escorting Convoy HX 156, with loss of 115 lives. First U.S. ship lost to enemy action in World War II. NOTE: The U.S. did not enter the war against Germany until December 8, 1941.

Cold War Attacks on U.S. Navy Ships

USS Liberty (1967)– -During the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 (also known as the Six-Day War), Israeli warplanes attacked the USS Liberty, claiming that they believed it was a ship belonging to their Arab enemies.

USS Pueblo (Jan. 23, 1968)— During a period of increased tension on the Korean Peninsula, North Korean forces fired upon and captured the U.S. surveillance ship, the USS Pueblo. This nearly set off a new Korean War. The crew, who were tortured during their confinement, were released after several months.

USS Stark (1987)– -During the First Persian Gulf War (also known as the Iran-Iraq War), an Iraqi warplane shot a missile at the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf. As the U.S. was effectively on Iraq’s side in this conflict, the United States accepted the claim from Saddam’s government that the pilot fired in error.

USS Samuel B. Roberts (April 14, 1988)— During the First Persian Gulf War (also known as the Iran-Iraq War), the USS Samuel B. Roberts, a frigate, struck an Iranian mine and sustained heavy damage. This incident caused the U.S. to respond with “Operation Praying Mantis,” in which U.S. forces destroyed two oil platforms being used by Iran as bases for commando attacks on merchant ships in the Persian Gulf. American forces also destroyed three Iranian naval ships and sank six Iranian speedboats.

War on Terror Attacks on U.S. Navy Ships

USS Cole (Oct. 12, 2000)-– During a port stop in Aden, Yemen, al-Qaida terrorists rammed an explosives-filled boat into the USS Cole, causing serious damage. See USS Cole for more information.

USNS Impeccable(March, 2009)-– About 70 miles off the Chinese coast, the USNS Impeccable was harassed by Chinese naval vessels. See Naval Incidents Between the United States and China (2009) for more information.

USS Mason (Oct. 9, 2016)– Off the coast of war-torn Yemen, the USS Mason was targeted by two missiles fired from territory controlled by Yemen’s Houthi faction. The Houthis are a Shiite group from northern Yemen who are at war with a Sunni faction for control of the nation. In the current war, U.S. allies Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emiriates are fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthis. The U.S. is also involved in the war as an ally of the pro-Saudi faction and the U.S. has also targeted al-Qaida and ISIS factions in Yemen. The USS Mason was not hit in this attack, but did have to deploy anti-missile countermeasures.

USS Mason (Oct. 12, 2016)– Two more missiles were fired at the USS Mason from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen. On Oct. 13, 2016, the U.S. retaliated against the Houthis by launching Tomahawk cruise missiles from the destroyer USS Nitze. Three radar-control sites were reportedly destoyed in the American strike.

USS Mason (Oct. 16, 2016)-Once again, missiles from Houthi-controlled territory were launched at the USS Mason. The ship again deployed countermeasures and was not struck by the enemy missiles.

 

2023 Attacks on U.S. Naval Ships

USS Carney, USS Thomas Hudner, and USS Mason (Oct. 19, 2023-Present)-As a part of the Israel-Hamas War, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, Houthi forces in Yemen began targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, as well as launching missiles towards Israel. Several US Navy destroyers intercepted multiple Houthi drones and missiles beginning on Oct. 19, 2023. Several drone attacks were also directed at the American naval ships, with no U.S. casualties. Also, a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down by the Houthis on November 8. The U.S. claimed the drone was flying a recon mission.  

In December, 2023, a multi-national naval force was announced called Operation Prosperity Guardian. The goal is to protect Red Sea shipping. The force is led by the U.S. Navy.

 

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