European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 3, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Taking no chances in the associated press he Captain of the . Navy guided missile frigate Reuben James was growing edgy. An iranian ship steamed nearby. Two iranian speedboats darted into sight and a flock of Lour news Media helicopters roared overhead it was an inkling i did t like what i said cmdr. John j. Kieley Iii. Recounting one of his recent persian Gulf operations. I decided to go All the ship s Loudspeaker blared general quarters. General quarters All hands Man your Battle stations the us warship then continued its escort of american flagged kuwaiti tankers through Tho navigational Frallic Jam of the persian Gulf without incident the captains of the naval ships that ply the Gulf especially those newly assigned to the Region like Killcy say they Lake no chances even at the risk of frequent false alarms. And Whilo the Central command which controls the us. Gull forces has decided the kuwaiti Tanker convoys have become so routine they no longer will be regularly announced operations in the Gull appear far from routine. At night the ships involved m Convoy operations Man three to four limes the number of lookouts than when they Aro steaming in most other areas of the world. Heightened Alert status is the Norm. Orders Lor general quarters Are common. Gulf the threat of mines iranian speedboats and silkworm missiles have dominated to Fly debates in Washington but senior officers in the Gull Region say in is the potential or accidental attacks that concern them Tho most. We re looking in the errant Iho unexpected said Kelley. Scanning Iha nary horizon As his ship trailed the Rel lagged Tanker Middle own toward the Strait of Noimia. We re looking or the Needle in the another senior Ottimer was More Blunt our biggest ear is being sucker punched like the Slark. She paid a Price. But she helped the real of Tail try Beven sailors died when an iraqi Pilot tin Blakenly tired two exocet missiles into the guided missile Rigato Slark last May 17. The alack for which Washington accepted Iraq s apologies touches almost every aspect of operations in Iha Gulf. Navy investigations criticized the Stark s Captain and other key officers for not being More observant to the potential threat of the iraqi Pilot alter less than a month in the Gull the slightest Chance of hostile actions sends Victey running to Ira highly computerized combat interrelation Center that tracks ships and aircraft. Today he returned to the Bridge alter a sudden summons Only to report a false alarm a commercial iranian air plane that appeared on the radar Scopes had not properly identified sell despite the heightened state of Alert on . Wats Hipa in he Gull ship s commanders say they worry about their Crews becoming Loo complacent alter the initial anxiety of working in the inn Iraq War Lone wears off. They re concerned about crewmen like Petty officer 3.c. Jim Johnson who has one of the loneliest jobs on the Edo Man Reuben James. He is the Forward Lookout on 1he Bow of the frigate Lor the mid watch1," the Midnight to 8 . Shift. Pounded by relentless winds Johnson scans the Waters Lor mines and the horizon for suspicious aircraft and boats. A pair of infrared binoculars uses Starlight to turn the inky Black sea into a Green tent to but Daylight Clear View of Waves and floating of Els. His Only contacts with allow human Are the scratchy radio voices that talk to him from the Bridge. He maintains his concentration by singing songs and trying not to think about missing Home in Detroit by 2 . The watch had t promised much excitement. His sightings one dead cow Jwo dead sheep and a Lishing for the crewmen Manning the Navy s Middle East Force inside the Gull the reactions to the dangerous Mission vary dramatically. Petty officer 3.c. Wade Dudley sees ii As an adventure your adrenaline is pumped. I gel a charge out of being in dangerous but most like Petty officer 1,0. Karl Dobrowolski we far More cautious sure i m nervous but somebody s got to do editor s note this Story based on a report filed by Molly Moon of the Washington Post 9 member of the Pentagon Media poll in tha persian Gull the unlikeliest Shore leave my Nail of a mosque town or owl in Bahnen. Page 14 the stars and stripes by John Rice associated press Jet Here s Little fun a Shoro for the sailors of the Western navies in the persian Gulf. With conservative Arab states frowning on alcohol and shorn leave Means More real than recreation. Its not see anyplace else. There s nothing to do said Mike Bruce of West Pelzer . A crewman aboard the us. Navy Guk Jed fissile Cruiser Richmond . Most Gull states ban alcohol but where liquor a permitted nigh dubs and bars lend to be restricted to expensive International hotels. That s Generady Well received by older officers but Many of the younger onus and the Enisley men say they gee something a bit live for alter you be been at sea Lor a month or two you re ready for some pretty heavy partying said Jeff Lee of Lockport n.y., a shipmate of Bruce s. The iwo were unwinding with friends h one of Ine Lew bars in Manama Bahrain that eaters to sailors guarding the Gull s Oil routes from iranian attacks in the so called Tanker War with Iraq Iran and Iraq have been War since 1980. Loud Rock music boomed from speakers Hulk Hasan wednesday i
