Have A Thought For USS Firebolt
USS Firebolt is a PC–a small patrol craft which can move fast, operate RHIBs, and carry SOF. It’s in the Persian Gulf right now, and it’s apparently had a difficult deployment.
First this happened (note the dateline).
Since the ship arrived on station in February, 2003, it has completed three crew swaps with other Norfolk-based patrol coastal ships.
Now this.
Petty Officer 1st Class Michael J. Pernaselli, a 27-year-old originally from Rochester, N.Y., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher E. Watts, a 28-year old from Knoxville, Tenn., were part of a seven-person team attempting to inspect a dhow, a small commerce ship, that was nearing an oil terminal in the northern Arabian Gulf.
Also killed was the first Coast Guardsman in this kind of action since Vietnam.
This kind of work is not easy. (This may be true or not–I didn’t hear about it–but if true, it reinforces the truth that the sea is a mighty enemy.) Think about how these guys feel–23 enlisted on the ship, and seven have just gotten killed or injured–and how their community of fellow PC folks must feel. I have served with several of the CO’s, and I know they must be feeling badly tonight.
I will try to go to the memorial service if I can. I’m not part of the PC community, so I do not wish to be in the way during their time.
By the way. The article at the beginning says:
The Navy forbids boats to get within two miles of the terminals and standard security procedures require the team to investigate any vessel that nears them, officials said.
The team, riding on a 24-foot rigid-hull inflatable boat, was sent from the Virginia Beach-based USS Firebolt, a 170-foot coastal patrol boat.
The dhow exploded as the team drew close, flipping the inflatable boat and sending the crew into the water.
…
Roughly half an hour after the deadly explosion, two more small boats neared the oil terminals and exploded. Combined, the three attacks disabled Iraq’s largest oil terminal for more than 24 hours.
Think about that for a minute.
And please have a kind thought for the families of those who died, and for those who were gravely injured, and for those who grieve because they survived instead.
Update: Bill Powell has a great remembrance of earlier danger for small warships and a link.
9 Responses to “Have A Thought For USS Firebolt”
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April 27th, 2004 at 10:39 pm
I am glad that someone else mentioned this other than me. As a Coastie who was a boarding crew member in the mid 1980s I can only imagine how rough it is.
I am trying to find a way to support the Coastie’s Wife who passed away. To that end I contacted the Coast Guard Mutual Aid office at Miami Air Station, but only got voice mail, hopefully they will call back.
If you are going to the service for the three of them, I would like to ask if you could let me donate money for flowers.
Jim McMurry
April 29th, 2004 at 6:15 pm
I used to be a crewman aboard the USS Antelope (PG-86) in the seventies. The PGs were pretty much the same size as the PCs. Yep, Mother Nature can be real up-close and frightening when you are that small. During storms, we came so close to going completely airborne that we were tempted to put in for flight pay. During Vietnam, several of the PGs were shot up pretty badly. The USS Canon (PG-90) had half the 28 man crew wounded in just one engagement.
>>With repairs completed by 27 July, CANON returned to its patrol duties, this time to Market Time Operation Area 8B. Again, routine >>operations were a matter of course with escort duty serving as a secondary responsibility. On 9 August, CANON returned to the Bo De/Cu >>Lon Rivers and the next day escorted USS BRULE (AKL-28) to Sea Float. After spending the night as naval gunfire support ship for Sea Float, >>CANON returned to the river to conduct routine patrol. At 0920 CANON encountered hostile forces for the second time and received fire >>from both banks of the river. The crew responded quickly and inflicted heavy damage on the enemy, employing both the ship’s main >>armament and small arms fire. This action by the enemy resulted, in part, in the following:
>>Eight B-40 rocket hits to port and starboard;
>>Extensive rocket damage to the bridge;
>>fourteen personnel casualties, including the Commanding Officer, of whom five were medevaced.
>>For this action, members of the crew were rewarded for their heroism with three Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars.
Here’s the link if you are interested in the PGs: http://gunboatriders.com/
May 5th, 2004 at 7:16 pm
i would like to say that i served with michael pernaselli in groton ct and he was a true shipmate..
May 5th, 2004 at 7:41 pm
John–
I offer my condolences. The wounded guys have arrived here in Portsmouth, and the service for those killed was well attended.
Chap.
August 11th, 2004 at 6:31 pm
IF you are still looking for info on contacting the families of the deceased, I can forward your request to the ombudsman of the crew in question. Please respond to address below.
Regards,
Plesso@REMOVESPAMTRAPyahoo.com
August 11th, 2004 at 6:34 pm
Update:
For the family of Coast Guardsman Brukenthal Trust Fund
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/psc/bruckenthal.htm
April 24th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Gday all,
Just want to pass on my well wishes and ask to remember those who have served and continue to serve in the ADF and support agencies this ANZAC Day.
This Is a particularly meaningful day for me as it marks the 2nd anniversary of the terrorist attack on the iraqi oil terminals on 24th April 2004 whilst I was ships company on HMAS Stuart. Unfortunately the Cyclone class patrol boat, USS Firebolt, bore the brunt of the attack with 3 members killed whilst trying to board a dhow. We were tasked to recover the dead and injured whilst maintaining our patrol of the oil fields.
After rescuing the remaining survivors and returning them to Stuart, it was evident that these guys were special. For one they had horrendous injuries however their spirits were unbroken and to the extent that they were jovial. This warmed the crew and steeled them even further. They were, and still are, an inspiration for me.
Thanks for your time and enjoy your Anzac Day.
Hooroo
Rob Forsyth
CPOCSM
(then)HMAS Stuart
April 24th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
Shipmate,
Thanks for that, and for the excellent reminder. I’ve bumped your comment to the front page.
April 24th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
[...] It’s a good time to remember. From a comment on this post, I learn that we’ve got some tough allies alongside us, and also about the toughness of Firebolt sailors. Gday all, Just want to pass on my well wishes and ask to remember those who have served and continue to serve in the ADF and support agencies this ANZAC Day. This Is a particularly meaningful day for me as it marks the 2nd anniversary of the terrorist attack on the iraqi oil terminals on 24th April 2004 whilst I was ships company on HMAS Stuart. Unfortunately the Cyclone class patrol boat, USS Firebolt, bore the brunt of the attack with 3 members killed whilst trying to board a dhow. We were tasked to recover the dead and injured whilst maintaining our patrol of the oil fields. After rescuing the remaining survivors and returning them to Stuart, it was evident that these guys were special. For one they had horrendous injuries however their spirits were unbroken and to the extent that they were jovial. This warmed the crew and steeled them even further. They were, and still are, an inspiration for me. Thanks for your time and enjoy your Anzac Day. Hooroo Rob Forsyth CPOCSM (then)HMAS Stuart [...]