Operation Praying Mantis was an April 18, 1988 attack by
U.S. naval forcesThe United States Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. As of 31 December 2008, the U.S. Navy had about 331,682 personnel on active duty and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than...
in retaliation for the
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
ian
miningA naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of or contact with an enemy ship...
of the
Persian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes controversially referred to as the Arabian Gulf by most Arab states or simply The...
and the subsequent damage to an American warship.
On April 14, the guided missile frigate
USS Samuel B. RobertsUSS Samuel B. Roberts is one of the final ships in the United States Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided missile frigates . The ship was severely damaged by an Iranian mine in 1988, leading U.S. forces to respond with Operation Praying Mantis.-Commissioning and namesake:The frigate was...
struck a mine while deployed in the Persian Gulf as part of
Operation Earnest WillOperation Earnest Will was the U.S. military protection of Kuwaiti owned oil tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest naval convoy operation since World War II.The U.S. Navy warships that escorted the tankers,...
, the 1987-88 convoy missions in which U.S. warships escorted reflagged
KuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a...
i oil tankers to protect them from Iranian attacks. The explosion opened a 25-foot hole in the
Robertss hull and nearly sank it. The crew saved their ship with no loss of life, and Roberts
was towed to DubaiDubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
on April 16.
After the mining, U.S. Navy divers recovered other mines in the area. When the serial numbers were found to match those of mines seized along with the Iran AjrIran Ajr, formerly known as the Arya Rakhsh, was a Japanese-built landing craft used by Iran to lay naval mines during the Iran–Iraq War...
the previous September, U.S. military officials planned a retaliatory operation against Iranian targets in the Persian Gulf.
This battle was the largest of the four major U.S. surface engagements since the Second World War, which also include the
Action of 2 July 1950The Action of 2 July 1950 was the only action fought between surface combatants during the main phase of the Korean War. It began after an Allied flotilla encountered a Korean People's Navy supply fleet.-Battle:...
during the
Korean WarThe Korean War is a war that started between North Korea and South Korea on 25 June 1950 and paused with an armistice signed 27 July, 1953...
, the
Gulf of Tonkin incidentThe Gulf of Tonkin Incident is the name given to two separate incidents involving the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. On August 2, 1964 two American destroyers engaged three North Vietnamese torpedo boats, resulting in one of the torpedo...
during the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
and the
Action in the Gulf of SidraIn the spring of 1986, the US Navy deployed aircraft carrier groups into the Mediterranean Sea, specifically the disputed Gulf of Sidra. Libya claimed that the entire Gulf is their territory, 32 degrees, 30 minutes north with an exclusive fishing zone, Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi asserted...
in 1986. It also marked the
U.S. NavyThe history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was also notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy", the result of a modernization effort that began in the...
's first exchange of anti-ship missiles by ships.
The attack by the U.S. helped pressure Iran to agree to a ceasefire with Iraq later that summer, ending the eight-year conflict between the Persian Gulf neighbors.
The battle
In 1988 the Americans attacked with several groups of surface warships, plus aircraft from the carrier
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth U.S. naval vessel to bear the name...
, and her ASW/AAW escort . The action began with coordinated strikes by two surface groups. One group, consisting of the
destroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range but powerful attackers .Before World War II, destroyers were light vessels without the endurance...
s
USS Merrill (DD 976)USS Merrill , named for Rear Admiral Aaron Stanton Merrill USN , was a laid down 16 June 1975 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.She was launched 1 September 1976 and commissioned 11 March 1978.-History:USS Merrill had the distinction of being the...
and
USS Lynde McCormick (DDG 8)USS Lynde McCormick was a Charles F. Adams-class destroyer in the United States Navy.Lynde McCormick was laid down 4 April 1958 by Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan; launched 28 July 1959; sponsored by Mrs. Lillian McCormick, wife of Admiral McCormick; and commissioned at Boston 3...
, plus the
amphibious transport dockAn amphibious transport dock is an amphibious warfare ship, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. Several navies currently operate this kind of ship...
USS Trenton (LPD-14)USS Trenton , an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the capital of New Jersey.-Building process:...
, neutralized the Sassan oil platform. The Iranians on the platform were given the opportunity to abandon it for a tugboat waiting alongside, but instead opened fire on Merrill, whose auto-loading 5-inch, 54-caliber guns quickly destroyed the smaller, platform-mounted Iranian gun with artillery shells. Immediately afterward,
U.S. MarinesThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
from
Marine Air-Ground Task ForceThe Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
(MAGTF) 2-88 fast-roped onto the Sassan platform, gathered intelligence, and set explosive charges to render it unusable. The other group, which included a guided missile cruiser and two
frigateA frigate is a warship. The term has been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and manoeuvrability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s, attacked the
SirriSirri Island , is an island in the Persian Gulf.The Sirri island is situated 76 km from Bandar-e Lengeh and 50 km eastern Abu Musa island, in the Persian Gulf. This island is one of six islands in the Abu Musâ Island Group in Iran. It covers an area of 17.3 km². The highest point on the...
oil platform.
Iran responded by dispatching Boghammar speedboats to attack various targets in the
Persian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes controversially referred to as the Arabian Gulf by most Arab states or simply The...
, including an American-flagged supply ship and a Panamanian-flagged ship. After these attacks,
A-6E IntruderThe Grumman A-6 Intruder is a twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather replacement for the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider medium attack aircraft. A specialized electronic warfare derivative, the...
aircraft from the VA-95 "Green Lizards" were directed to the speedboats by an American frigate. The two aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant Commander James Engler and Lieutenant Paul Webb, dropped Rockeye
cluster bombCluster munitions or cluster bombs are air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapons that eject smaller submunitions: a cluster of bomblets. The most common types are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
s on the speedboats, sinking one and damaging several others, which then fled to the Iranian-controlled island of
Abu MusaAbu Musa is a 12-km² island in the eastern Persian Gulf, part of a six-island archipelago near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The island is administered by Iran as part of the Iranian province of Hormozgan, but is also claimed by the United Arab Emirates .Historical ownership of Abu Musa is...
.
Action continued to escalate. The
JoshanJoshan has been the name of a number of Iranian naval vessels.The latest Joshan is P225, an Iranian fast attack/patrol missile boat claimed by the Iranian government as one of the best PT boats in the world...
, an Iranian Combattante II KamanFast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa were originally built for the German Navy as Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft. When they were transferred to Hellenic Navy, the class was renamed Combattante IIa, as with similar French made ships. All the ships were under mid-life updates in...
-class fast attack craft, challenged USS Wainwright
(CG-28) and Surface Action Group Charlie, firing a Harpoon missile at them. The USS Simpson
(FFG-56)USS Simpson is an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson.-History:...
responded to the challenge by firing two Standard missilesThe RIM-66 Standard MR is a medium range surface-to-air missile originally developed for the United States Navy . The SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships...
, while Wainwright
followed with one Standard missile. The attacks destroyed the Iranian ship's superstructure but did not immediately sink it, so USS Bagley
(FF-1069)USS Bagley was a Knox-class frigate of the United States Navy. She was the 18th ship of the Knox class, built as a destroyer escort and redesignated as a frigate in the 1975 USN ship reclassification...
fired a Harpoon of its own; the missile did not find the target. The Wainwright
of SAG Charlie closed on the Joshan,
destroying it with its five-inch gun.
Two Iranian F-4 fighters then approached the Wainwright
. One fighter left the area soon after the cruiser placed its 55B Fire Control Radar in search mode. The second fighter made a low-altitude approach towards the warship, which fired two SM-2 missiles at it. The first missile malfunctioned, but the second missile found its mark. The Wainwright
was credited with downing the F-4 Phantom.
Fighting continued when the Iranian frigate IS Sahand
(F74)Iranian frigate Sahand , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned as part of a four-ship order....
departed Bandar AbbasBandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran , on the Persian Gulf...
and challenged elements of an American surface group. The frigate was spotted by two VA-95 A-6Es while they were flying surface combat air patrol for USS Joseph Strauss
(DDG-16)The USS Joseph Strauss , named for Admiral Joseph Strauss USN , was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile armed destroyer of the United States Navy....
.
Sahand
fired missiles at the A-6Es, and the Intruders replied with two Harpoons and four laser-guided SkipperAGM-123 Skipper II is a short-range laser-guided missile developed by the U.S. Navy.-Overview:The Skipper is a short range missile intended for precision strikes. It is composed of a Mark 83 bomb, fitted with a Paveway kit, and an attached rocket propulsion system to allow it to be dropped at...
bombs. USS Joseph Strauss
added a Harpoon. Most, if not all, of the U.S. weapons hit the Iranian ship.
Fires blazing on Sahands decks eventually reached her munitions magazines, causing an explosion that sank the ship. Despite the loss of
Sahand, one of Iran's most modern ships, the Iranian navy continued to fight. Late in the day, a sister ship,
IS Sabalan (F73)Iranian frigate Sabalan , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned in June 1972 as part of a four-ship order....
, departed from its berth and fired a surface-to-air missile at several A-6Es from VA-95. Intruder pilot Engler dropped a
laser-guided bombA laser-guided bomb is a precision-guided munition that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread PGMs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.-Overview:Laser-guided munitions...
on
Sabalan, leaving the ship dead in the water. The Iranian frigate, stern partially submerged, was taken in tow by an Iranian tug. VA-95's aircraft, as ordered, did not continue the attack. Engler was awarded the
Distinguished Flying CrossThe Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
by
AdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above Vice Admiral and below Admiral of the Fleet/Fleet Admiral. It is usually abbreviated to "Adm." or "ADM"...
William J. CroweAdmiral William James Crowe, Jr. was a United States Navy Admiral who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, and as the ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Bill Clinton.-Biography:Crowe was born in La Grange, Kentucky...
,
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States armed forces, and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense...
, for these actions against the Sabalan and the Iranian gunboats.
Aftermath
By the end of the operation elements of the American fleet had damaged Iranian naval and intelligence facilities on two inoperable oil platforms in the
Persian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes controversially referred to as the Arabian Gulf by most Arab states or simply The...
, and sunk at least three armed Iranian speedboats, one Iranian frigate and one fast attack gunboat. One other Iranian frigate was damaged in the battle.
Sabalan was repaired in 1989 and has since been upgraded, and is still in service with the Iranian navy. In short, Iran lost one major warship and a smaller gunboat. Damage to the oil platforms was eventually repaired and they are now back in service.
The U.S. side suffered two casualties: the aircrew of a Marine Corps
AH-1T Sea CobraThe Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the US Army's AH-1 Cobra. The twin Cobra family includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra...
helicopter gunship. The Cobra, attached to the USS
Trenton, was flying reconnaissance from the
Wainwright and crashed sometime after dark about 15 miles southwest of
Abu MusaAbu Musa is a 12-km² island in the eastern Persian Gulf, part of a six-island archipelago near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The island is administered by Iran as part of the Iranian province of Hormozgan, but is also claimed by the United Arab Emirates .Historical ownership of Abu Musa is...
island. The bodies of Capt. Stephen C. Leslie, 30, of New Bern, N.C., and Capt. Kenneth W. Hill, 33, of Thomasville, N.C., were recovered by Navy divers in May, and the wreckage of the helicopter was raised later that month. Navy officials said it showed no sign of battle damage.
The guided missile cruiser
USS VincennesThe fourth USS Vincennes is a U.S. Navy Ticonderoga class AEGIS guided missile cruiser. In 1988, the ship shot down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 civilian passengers on board, including 38 non-Iranians and 66 children.The ship was launched 14 April 1984 and sponsored...
was called to protect the extraction of the
Roberts and arrived a month later. The heightened tensions contributed to the crew of the
Vincennes shooting down a commercial airliner on a routine flight,
Iran Air Flight 655Iran Air Flight 655, also known as IR655, was a civilian airliner shot down by the United States Navy on Sunday 3 July 1988, over the Strait of Hormuz....
, killing all 290 crew and passengers on July 3, less than two months after their arrival. According to the U.S. government, the Iranian Airbus was mistakenly identified as an attacking military
F-14The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing aircraft. The F-14 was the United States Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical reconnaissance platform from 1974 to 2006...
fighter. The Iranian government, however, maintains that the
Vincennes knowingly shot down a civilian aircraft.
Operation Praying Mantis is one of five American naval engagements cited by
United States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States, that educates and commissions officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Academy often is referred to simply as "Annapolis". It is also called "The Academy", "The Boat School", or "Canoe...
Prof. Craig L. Symonds in his book
Decision at Sea (2005) as being decisive in establishing U.S. naval superiority. The others were the
Battle of Lake ErieThe Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September, 1813, in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of Great Britain’s Royal Navy...
(1813), the
Battle of Hampton RoadsThe Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as the Battle of Monitor and Merrimack , was the most noted and arguably the most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
(1862), the
Battle of Manila BayThe Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón and destroyed the Spanish squadron....
(1898), and the
Battle of MidwayThe Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and seven months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
(1942).
On November 6, 2003 the
International Court of JusticeThe International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
dismissed Iran's claim for reparation against the United States for breach of the 1955 Treaty of Amity between the two countries. The court also dismissed a counterclaim by the United States, also for reparation for breach of the same treaty. As part of its finding the court did note that "the actions of the United States of America against Iranian oil platforms on October 19, 1987 (
Operation Nimble ArcherOperation Nimble Archer was the October 19, 1987 attack on two Iranian oil platforms in the Persian Gulf by United States Navy forces. The attack was a response to Iran's October 16, 1987 attack on the MV Sea Isle City, a reflagged Kuwaiti oil tanker at anchor off Kuwait, with a Silkworm missile...
) and April 18, 1988 (Operation Praying Mantis) cannot be justified as measures necessary to protect the essential security interests of the United States of America."
U.S. naval order of battle
- Officer in Tactical Command
Officer in Tactical Command is a NATO term used to designate the naval officer exercising tactical command of a group of ships in a tactical formation such as a task unit, task group, or task force....
: Commander Joint Task Force Middle EastUnited States Naval Forces Central Command is the United States Navy element of United States Central Command . Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea...
(aboard USS CoronadoUSS Coronado may refer to:, a patrol frigate, served in World War II as a convoy escort., an auxiliary command ship, hosted the Navy's Sea Based Battle Lab ., the fourth littoral combat ship named on 12 March 2009...
)
- Battle Group Commander: Commander, Cruiser/Destroyer Group Three (aboard USS Enterprise)
Surface Action Group Bravo
- On Scene Commander: Commander, Destroyer Squadron Nine (Embarked on the Merrill)
- USS Merrill (DD-976)
USS Merrill , named for Rear Admiral Aaron Stanton Merrill USN , was a laid down 16 June 1975 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.She was launched 1 September 1976 and commissioned 11 March 1978.-History:USS Merrill had the distinction of being the...
- destroyer
- USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8)
USS Lynde McCormick was a Charles F. Adams-class destroyer in the United States Navy.Lynde McCormick was laid down 4 April 1958 by Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan; launched 28 July 1959; sponsored by Mrs. Lillian McCormick, wife of Admiral McCormick; and commissioned at Boston 3...
- guided missile destroyer
- USS Trenton (LPD-14)
USS Trenton , an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the capital of New Jersey.-Building process:...
- amphibious transport dock
- Marine Air-Ground Task Force
The Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
(MAGTF) 2-88 (4 AH-1T, 2 UH-1, 2 CH-46)
Surface Action Group Charlie
- OSC: CO, USS Wainwright
- USS Wainwright (DLG/CG-28) - guided missile cruiser
- USS Bagley (FF-1069)
USS Bagley was a Knox-class frigate of the United States Navy. She was the 18th ship of the Knox class, built as a destroyer escort and redesignated as a frigate in the 1975 USN ship reclassification...
- frigate
- USS Simpson (FFG-56)
USS Simpson is an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson.-History:...
- guided missile frigate
- SEAL
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Forces, commonly known as the Navy SEALs, are the Special Operations Forces of the United States Navy, employed in direct action and special reconnaissance operations...
platoon
Surface Action Group Delta
- OSC: Commander Destroyer Squadron Twenty Two (Embarked on the Jack Williams)
- USS Jack Williams (FFG-24)
USS Jack Williams , sixteenth ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates, was named for Pharmacist's Mate Second Class Jack Williams, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima.Ordered from Bath Iron Works on 28 February 1977 as...
- guided missile frigate
- USS O'Brien (DD-975)
USS O'Brien was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. It was named for Captain Jeremiah O'Brien USN and his five brothers: Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph. The O'Briens were crew members on board the sloop Unity, which captured HMS...
- destroyer
- USS Joseph Strauss (DDG-16)
The USS Joseph Strauss , named for Admiral Joseph Strauss USN , was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile armed destroyer of the United States Navy....
- guided missile destroyer
Air support
- Elements of Carrier Air Wing Eleven
Carrier Air Wing Eleven is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.-Mission:...
operating from aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65)USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth U.S. naval vessel to bear the name...
External links