USS Stark

Submitted by FC2(SW) Justin (United States), Feb 14, 2003 at 17:50

In regards to the attack on the Stark, it was in fact two Iraqi Mirage fighter planes that attacked the Stark with AM-39 Exocet anti ship cruise missiles. The first missile penetrated the hull and passed through seven bulkheads before splitting into two pieces. It was hardly ineffective. While true it didn't detonate, the hundreds of pounds of fuel ignited fires that were nearly impossible to combat. To top that off, the second bird detonated nearly right on top of it igniting everything that remained. 37 sailors died that night and the rest survived only through their bravery and the skill of their damage control personnel. Being a radar technician in the Navy, I find it hard to believe that with a modern fighter such as the Mirage, an accident like this could happen. Let's do those sailors who died some justice and stop calling it that, and finnally put to an end the reign of the madman who allowed it to happen.

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