I remember, I was stationed aboard USS Lawrence (DDG-4) and we were on a cruise to South America in 1986. Movado Watch We were moored pierside in Talcahuano, Chile, and we'd been briefed beforehand that the threat hazard was high due to terrorist activity in the capital, Santiago.
So we watch-standers carried loaded magazines in our sidearms. All we had to do was lock and load and fire. I had the 0800-1200 watch as petty officer of the watch on our quarterdeck, set up portside aft near our fantail, when I noticed a small boat with an outboard motor and three men in it approaching our ship from astern.
As we were the only U.S. warship in port, I shouted to the boat in Spanish to back away from our ship and approach no closer. I also alerted the officer of the deck. I warned the boat away two more times, but it kept coming closer to our ship.
So I drew my sidearm, a .45 caliber pistol, sighted on the chest of the guy steering the boat and warned him again to veer away Replica Richard Mille from our ship.
The boat turned away and sailed off. I reholstered my weapon, and continued my watch uneventfully.
That's what I thought about when I read about the attack in 2000 on the USS Cole - another older destroyer on which I was stationed in 1986 as a petty officer second-class. I don't mean to "armchair quarterback" or second-guess the Cole's crew, but since we "Larry- Boat" sailors were prepared for a possible terrorist threat, why weren't they?
Thank God I didn't have to shoot anyone in that boat. They may have been just harmless Chilean tourists curious about an American warship. It would have caused an international incident, and I'd have had to live with the guilt of that for the rest of my life.
But as a member of our ship's self-defense force, I acted instinctively, without thinking, to a perceived threat, and properly I believe.
Benny R. Foster
Norfolk