TOP SECRET STORY TIME: #DesertStorm30 yrs ago today I endured my first of 3 actions in 100 hours. I was Cryptologic Intelligence Chief (forward) on USS Tripoli (LPH-10) sweeping Iraqi sea minefields for an amphib feint to make Saddam think we were invading Kuwait from the sea.
We knew there were at least 1000 sea mines across the gulf. Tripoli had helicopters to sweep lanes to the Kuwait coast. When I went to bed on the 24th something made me put away my “abandon ship pack.”Personal photos, Candy bars, an ID card wrapped in waterproof plastic.
I lived with the Marine Gunnies forward of the bridge below flight deck. The minehunting helicopter Squadron found plenty of mines and cut a lane for us & the battleships. At zero dark 30 30 years ago today we found one! It exploded just in front of where I was sleeping.
We went to battle stations and I told the marines “We’re fine! Relax! So long as we don’t lose power.“ At that moment the ship lost all power. Then I said “Ok we’re fine so long as the generators come on.“ Little did I know the mind flooded the forward generator. So darkness!
For about five minutes we were trying to get to our battle stations in the dark. The aft generators came on promising there would be coffee in my space. Priorities! When I got to our space the ships Intel officer was trying to do Emergency Destruct of 10 safes full of TS docs.
The ship starting to lean to the Starboard but it was a big ship. I told him it would take about 10 hours to destroy everything & if we were going to sink it would be now. I told him to put the master inventory in a waterproof bag and we just slammed all the safes shut. ED Done!
Then we sat back got everybody prepped for abandon ship. Fortunately that wasn’t necessary. As I relaxed with my 1st cup of coffee our secure radio crackled “This is USS Princeton! We have just struck a mine!” Ok 2 ships hit in 1 hour? Not good.
Princeton was a brand new Cruiser. And had detonated an Italian Manta bottom mine. We were ancient and had hit a World War II style contact mine. We had a giant hole in our hull. Princeton hit a giant watery speedbump. Both were frightening. Damage control stop our flooding.
That night when I went back to my berth the Marines were having a grand old time making fun of me. Seems that morning when all the Marines were throwing on body armor and grabbing rifles while the ship was sinking I apparently threw my hands in the air and shouted ...
“Everybody relax!! It’s just mine! We’re not sinking...well, a little!” Whenever they saw me all the marine SNCOs would wildly wave their hands in the air & shout my assurance we were not fully sinking. I have no memory saying that ...at all. Next TSST: My Battleship under attack
The hole 
Actually that was on the 17th. We hit the mine on the 18th. The 25th would bring a completely different surprise. Missiles!
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