Tanker War: America’s First Conflict with Iran, 1987–88

In May 1987 the US frigate Stark calmly sailing the waters of the Persian Gulf was suddenly blown apart by an Exocet missile fired from a jet fighter of Iraqs Saddam Hussein. A fifth of the ships crew were killed and many others horribly burned or wounded. This event jumpstarted one of the most mysterious conflicts in American history: The Tanker War waged against Iran for control of the Persian Gulf. This quasi-war took place at the climax of the mammoth Iran-Iraq War during the last years of the Reagan administration. Losing on the battlefield Ayatollah Khomeinis Iran had decided to close the Persian Gulf against shipping from Iraqs oil-rich backers the emirate of Kuwait. The Kuwaitis appealed for help and America sent a fleet to the Gulf raising the Stars and Stripes over Kuwaits commercial tankers. The result was a free-for-all as the Iranians laid mines throughout the narrow passage and launched attack boats against both tankers and US warships. The sixth largest ship in the world the tanker Bridgeton hit an Iranian mine and flooded. The US Navy fought its largest surface battle since World War II against the Ayatollahs assault boats. Meanwhile US Navy Seals had arrived in the Gulf setting up shop aboard a mobile platform from which they would sally out in fast craft to combat the Iranians. As Saddam Hussein who had instigated the conflict looked on Iranian gunners fired shore-based Silkworm missiles against US ships actions which if made known at the time would have required the US Congress to declare war against Iran. In July 1988 nervous sailors aboard the cruiser USS Vincennes shot an Iranian airliner out of the sky killing 300 civilians. This event came one month before the end of the war and may have been the final straw to influence the Ayatollah to finally drink from his poisoned chalice. In Tanker War Lee Allen Zatarain employing recently released Pentagon documents firsthand interviews and a determination to get to the truth has revealed a conflict that few recognized at the time but which may have presaged further battles to come. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1: THE STARK DISASTER 2: TARGET: KUWAIT 3: RAISING QUESTIONS 4: OPERATION EARNEST WILL 5: AMBUSH 6: RETHINKING 7: THE INVISIBLE HAND STRIKES AGAIN 8: IN FLAGRANTE 9: FORT APACHETHE GULF 10: TURN AND ENGAGE 11: WE WILL COMMENCE FIRING 12: WE ARE THE BIG WINNERS IN THE GULF NOW 13: NO HIGHER HONOR 14: A ONE-DAY WAR 15: STOP ABANDON SHIP I INTEND TO SINK YOU 16: NONE OF THESE LADIES HAS A SCRATCH ON HER 17: MULTIPLE SILKWORMS INBOUND 18: POLICEMAN OF THE GULF? 19: UNKNOWN ASSUMED HOSTILE 20: I DEEPLY REGRET THE RESULT IF NOT THE DECISION 21: SEA OF LIES? 22: GIVE ME THE KEY. GIVE ME THE KEY. 23: THEY DONT FIGHT LIKE IRANIANS ANYMORE END NOTES INDEX