Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
USS COLE—KILLED IN ACTION
USS COLE—WOUNDED IN ACTION
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Destination USS Cole
Chapter 2 - Deployment to the Middle East
Chapter 3 - A “Routine” Refueling Stop
Chapter 4 - Attacked
Chapter 5 - Saving the Ship
Chapter 6 - Saving the Wounded
Chapter 7 - The Bucket Brigade
Chapter 8 - Assessing the Damage
Chapter 9 - Recovering the Fallen
Chapter 10 - Recovering From Stress
Chapter 11 - Underway Again
Chapter 12 - M/V Blue Marlin and USS Tarawa
Chapter 13 - Investigation and Responsibility
Chapter 14 - The Long Journey Home
Epilogue
APPENDIX
NOTES
INDEX
Copyright Page
Mom, Dad, and Kelly
Through a family’s love all things are possible
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
FIRST AND FOREMOST, a ship is a reflection of its crew. In a singular moment in time, USS Cole and its crew became part of the Navy’s history and long heritage of unswerving devotion to our nation and the freedom of its citizens. The war on terror started with us. All the sailors of USS Cole chose a life of consequence in service to the nation and are heroes for what they endured that horrific day and in the weeks that followed. Those who lost their lives will always be remembered in our thoughts and prayers. It is my honor to have been given the unique and humbling opportunity to command the officers and crew of USS Cole.
The writing of Front Burner has been a long overdue, painstaking process, not just of capturing in writing the heroic acts of a crew as they saved USS Cole and their shipmates, but also a reckoning for me in facing up to what happened to my ship and crew as the sole accountable officer—the Captain. For years I pecked away at the story, constantly outlining and reworking the project in my mind. It wasn’t until after retirement that I felt ready to begin addressing the challenge in earnest. For years, people throughout the Navy, Department of Defense, FBI and NCIS, and elsewhere gave me information, paperwork, documentation, pictures, confidential insight into conversations, and material that slowly allowed me to flesh out the larger and more detailed picture of what really happened before, during, and after the attack. To each of those who quietly contributed but must remain anonymous, you have my deepest gratitude and thanks.
Immediately after the attack, I was quietly encouraged to retire and—like many in the military who had undergone a unique experience—pump out a book and leverage the experience for financial gain. My sense of dedication and desire to continue to serve the nation thankfully stopped me from giving in to that temptation to make an insincere career change. While I gave serious consideration to writing in 2002 when my career appeared derailed, thanks to some very sage advice and counsel from a great friend and Naval Academy classmate, Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, USN (Ret), I chose to forego a book then and instead continue my military service. The Front Burner I might have written years ago would never have measured up to the book it is today.
I also owe a great deal to another classmate, Captain Stephen Metz, USN (Ret). Reacquainted again when he was selected to oversee the demanding task of reconstructing USS Cole, Steve also became my most stalwart and vocal source of encouragement for continuing my career following the attack. I will always appreciate his friendship and unwavering support as a sounding board for my ideas, frustrations, and plans for the future.
As time went on and especially following retirement, there was a growing sense that what had happened to USS Cole and the crew was being lost; not just relegated to history, but truly lost, with no actual accounting of what happened. Over the years, the crew and I were approached by a number of interested authors, but none pursued the project past the talking stage. The pressure to write began to hound me more and more. Why I felt that I had to be the one to capture the event, in my own words and from my unique vantage point as the CO, remains unexplained even to myself, but I felt that without that perspective, the full scope and context of how the Navy reacted to the event would never receive the full examination it needed. The attack on USS Cole was an act of war. It was also an inexcusable intelligence failure on the part of the U.S. government. Sadly, neither the Navy nor the nation did anything to respond and the wheels of the nation’s destiny were set into motion, culminating in the attacks of September 11 eleven months later.
When I finally did decide to capture that moment in our nation’s history, I quickly realized that, as a naval officer, I did not really know how to write a book. I felt overwhelmed and not up to the task. Thanks to Captain Mike McDaniel, USN (Ret), and some brilliant historians at the Navy’s History and Heritage Command, specifically, Randy Papadopoulos, Robert Schneller, John Sherwood, and Jeffrey Barlow: they convinced me that I had what it took to write a book. I will always be particularly thankful to Randy, who became my first editor and gave me those initial frank critiques that helped form the basis of what eventually became Front Burner. I will always be grateful for their faith and confidence in me to do what few have done successfully in making history come alive.
As I began to write, the telling became the reliving, and with it came the familiar anxiety that accompanied the experience itself. Many times, I pushed away from the desk unable to write another word. Reliving the challenges and horrors of the event minute by minute, second by second sometimes proved too much to deal with. Still, I kept at it—the story had to be told.
While this is my story, it is by no means the definitive account. More can and should be told by those who feel drawn to share their perspective and experience with others. Before my journey into writing began, I had been introduced to Peter Osnos, the founder of PublicAffairs. For this telling, he paired me with a superb journalist, Bruce Nelan, who showed an amazing capacity to draw out the story in a series of interviews that I used extensively in writing my account. Throughout my fits and starts putting pen to paper, Peter showed a remarkable and unwavering confidence in my ability to write a powerful account of the attack. His patience over the intervening years is a testament to his commitment. While my ability to survive the attack may have come from years of at-sea experience, it is because of Peter that Front Burner is finally a reality for people to share in.
It wasn’t easy, though. I will never forget his comment to me after I turned in the initial draft. “Kirk, here’s the reality of your situation. You have given us a great narrative that has superb documentation, and you are a very good naval officer, but that doesn’t necessarily make you a good storyteller!” While both of us got a good laugh, it was through his introduction to his friend Craig Whitney, a retired foreign correspondent and editor, that Front Burner truly came alive. It is through Craig’s unsurpassed skill and ability that he could take my lengthy prose and deftly help me craft it into the story you will soon read. It may be my story but it is his skill in the art of writing that showed me how to bring out the events surrounding USS Cole in a way that puts that life-changing event and its searing images at the forefront of history and the war on terror.
I also learned that no finished book is the work of just a few individuals. I owe a great deal of thanks to those who helped me make the book a successful reality in the unfamiliar world of publishing, including Susan Weinberg, Brandon Proia, Jaime Leifer, Anais Scott, and Collin Tracy. I also owe a great deal of thanks to Theresa Yates. Her skill as a transcriptionist and her ability to listen to sometimes very emotional and powerful descriptions of what happened to individual crew members as they recounted an
d shared their experiences with me gave her a profound insight into what happened to us.
In an insightful moment of introspection, I came to realize that had I not been given the tools gained over eighteen years of experience, there was no way I could have led my crew through that event. Those experiences were best learned from the commanding officers I was privileged to serve under throughout my career, including Captain Robert Powers, USN, Captain Andrew Fosina, USN, Captain Carl Anderson, USN, Rear Admiral Phillip Dur, USN, Vice Admiral John Morgan, USN, Captain Lyal Davidson, USN, Captain John Russack, USN, and Captain Paul Schultz, USN, all retired. Without their leadership and astute experience to guide me in how to manage and lead, I would have never been able to keep my crew motivated and ship afloat when the burden of command weighed most heavily on me.
In command of USS Cole, I was also blessed with a phenomenal squadron commodore, Captain Mike Miller, USN (Ret), whose confidence in me put the pieces in place for our future success and survival in an unforeseen combat scenario. I will always be grateful for his quiet and incisive counsel and hands-off approach to leading the COs in Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Two. His relief, Captain Gary Holst, USN (Ret), also gave similar latitude in leading the COs in his charge.
USS Cole is afloat today thanks to the myriad forces that came together after the attack to support our survival. In particular, I am grateful to two of my squadron mates, Rear Admiral J. Scott Jones, USN, and Captain Matthew Sharpe, USN, who provided for my crew, supported visits to their ships of not only the crew but the investigative teams as well, and were kind enough to allow me the opportunity to share my thoughts with them when they visited the ship. To all those who participated in Joint Task Force Determined Response, know that each of you had a hand in history and should be proud of your contribution in keeping USS Cole from becoming a trophy for the terrorists who sought its destruction. Bravo Zulu and well done.
It also cannot go without mention that without the dedicated work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the terrorists would never have been held accountable for their heinous act. In particular, Don Sachtleben, Mark Whitworth, Tom O’Connor, Kevin Finnerty, John Adams, Cathy Clements, and Mike Martz made contributions above and beyond the call of duty both on USS Cole and in the years that followed.
Captain Barbara “Bobbie” Scholley, USN (Ret), Chief Warrant Officer Frank Perna, and the divers of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two faced the difficult task of recovering our shipmates with a steely resolve as they also ensured that damage to USS Cole was properly assessed in preparation for making the ship seaworthy to leave port. Ken Baggett and the volunteer shipyard workers from Norfolk Naval Shipyard also demonstrated an uncanny ability to adapt to our circumstances, and with gritty determination helped us keep USS Cole afloat. Each of them is a hero in their own right for their contribution to history.
Lastly, there is one person who stood beside me from before the moment of the attack until Front Burner was complete, Nicole Segura. As the person closest to me, she has truly kept me grounded and focused on never losing sight of what it means to serve the nation and honor my crew. Her friendship and support helped me appreciate and enjoy some of the highest moments of service and get past the darkest moments of my life. Nicole gave me the encouragement to stretch myself and grow beyond what I thought possible.
Now, with Front Burner a reality, it is my hope that a crew of heroes who survived the crucible of combat will at last be recognized for what they did to live up to the example of USS Cole’s namesake, Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, USMC, who was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry in the battle of Iwo Jima.
USS COLE—KILLED IN ACTION
In Memoriam
May their sacrifice for our freedom
never be forgotten
Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter
Hull Maintenance Technician Second Class
21, Mechanicsville, Virginia
Richard Dean Costelow
Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer
35, Morrisville, Pennsylvania
Lakeina Monique Francis
Mess Management Specialist Seaman
19, Woodleaf, North Carolina
Timothy Lee Gauna
Information Systems Technician Seaman
21, Rice, Texas
Cherone Louis Gunn
Signalman Seaman
22, Rex, Georgia
James Rodrick McDaniels
Seaman
19, Norfolk, Virginia
Marc Ian Nieto
Engineman Second Class
24, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Ronald Scott Owens
Electronic Warfare Technician Second Class
24, Vero Beach, Florida
Lakiba Nicole Palmer Seaman
22, San Diego, California
Joshua Langdon Parlett
Engineman Fireman
19, Churchville, Maryland
Patrick Howard Roy
Fireman
19, Cornwall on Hudson, New York
Kevin Shawn Rux
Electronic Warfare Technician First Class
30, Portland, North Dakota
Ronchester Manangan Santiago
Mess Management Specialist Third Class
22, Kingsville, Texas
Timothy Lamont Saunders
Operations Specialist Second Class
32, Ringgold, Virginia
Gary Graham Swenchonis, Jr.
Fireman
26, Rockport, Texas
Andrew Triplett
Lieutenant (junior grade)
31, Macon, Mississippi
Craig Bryan Wibberley
Seaman
19, Williamsport, Maryland
USS COLE—WOUNDED IN ACTION
Short of being killed, there is no sacrifice greater than those who bleed for the freedom of their nation, for they know the price of war.
Disbursing Clerk Third Class Adedeji O. Adewunmi
Electronics Warfare Technician First Class (Surface Warfare) Melvin L. Alston
Information Systems Technician First Class (Surface Warfare) Larry D. Bloodsaw
Chief Gas Turbine System Technician (Surface Warfare) Mark P. Darwin
Mess Management Specialist Third Class Joseph C. Davis
Electronics Technician Third Class Russell E. Dietz
Operations Specialist Seaman Timothy S. Eerenberg
Ship’s Serviceman Second Class (Surface Warfare) Craig B. Freeman
Electronics Warfare Technician Third Class (Surface Warfare) Johann Gokool
Fire Controlman First Class (Surface Warfare) Douglas J. Hancock
Chief Gunners Mate (Surface Warfare) Mark A. Hawkins
Fire Controlman Third Class Jason S. Hayes
Senior Chief Fire Controlman (Surface Warfare) John M. Henderson
Boatswain’s Mate Third Class Frederick H. Ings
Chief Boatswain’s Mate (Surface Warfare) Eric S. Kafka
Mess Management Specialist Third Class Elizabeth Lafontaine
Fire Controlman First Class (Surface Warfare) Tremane N. Lide
Gas Turbine System Technician First Class (Surface Warfare) Margaret K. Lopez
Senior Chief Gas Turbine System Technician (Surface Warfare) Keith A. Lorensen
Seaman Apprentice Edward T. Love
Gunner’s Mate Third Class Kenya N. McCarter
Gas Turbine Technician Second Class Robert D. McTureous
Ship’s Serviceman Third Class Paul P. Mena
Gas Turbine System Technician Fireman Raymond A. Mooney
Gas Turbine System Technician Fireman Andrew A. Nemeth
Damage Controlman Fireman Sean H. Powell
Operations Specialist Second Class (Surface Warfare) Tiffany N. Putman
Chief Quartermaster (Surface Warfare) Michael O. Russell
Postal Clerk Second Class (Surface Warfare) Isadore B. Sims
Hull Maintenance Technic
ian Third Class Jeremy W. Stewart Seaman Kesha R. Stidham
Chief Electrician’s Mate (Surface Warfare) Fred C. Strozier
Storekeeper Second Class (Surface Warfare) Sean L. Taitt
Fire Controlman First Class David K. Veal
Chief Fire Controlman (Surface Warfare) Jeffrey M. Vinneau Lieutenant Denise D. Woodfin
Operations Specialist First Class (Surface Warfare) Alonzo W. Woods
Introduction:
Nightmare
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2000, the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole, DDG-67, under my command, was attacked while refueling in the harbor of Aden, Yemen, by two suicide bombers who were members of the al Qaeda terrorist network of Osama bin Laden. Because U.S. intelligence had no idea that an al Qaeda cell was present in Aden and planning an attack, we were taken completely by surprise when what we expected to be a garbage-removal barge approached the port side of our ship and blew up. The devastating explosion blasted a hole through the hull amidships, destroying one of the main engine rooms as well as the galley where scores of Cole’s crew were gathered for lunch. The explosion killed seventeen sailors, wounded thirty-seven others, and took the ship out of action.
If not for intelligence and military failures, the tragedy might have been avoided. As it was, the Navy, my ship, and I were left unprepared to deal with a new kind of terrorist threat that should have become apparent by 1998 at the latest, as a series of coordinated attacks simultaneously destroyed U.S. embassies and killed hundreds of people in Kenya and Tanzania.
I do not wish to minimize or excuse my own failure as captain to prevent this tragedy. After I oversaw Cole’s return to the United States and turned over command to my successor, I wondered whether continuing a career in the Navy was the wisest choice for me, or if it was even possible. Yet despite my doubts, the highest leaders of my service, the chief of naval operations and the secretary of the Navy, repeatedly insisted that it would be wrong to hold me any more responsible than they and the rest of the chain of command were for what had happened to the ship and the crew. After they made that clear, on the day just before the inauguration of President George W. Bush in January of 2001, I was determined to keep working quietly within the Navy to try to ensure that such an attack could never happen again to another ship, another crew, another captain.
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