Today marks the tenth anniversary of the terrorist bomb attack on the destroyer USS Cole.
Operatives from al-Qaeda rammed a boat full of explosives into the side of the ship as she anchored in the port of Aden in Yemen on October 12, 2000.
17 American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured.
In June 2001, an al-Qaeda recruitment video featuring Osama bin Laden boasted about the attack and encouraged similar attacks. Later that same year, al-Qaeda pulled off the 9-11 attacks.
In order to get USS Cole home to be repaired at Pascagoula, MS, the Norweigan transport ship M/V Blue Marlin was chartered by the Navy. The ship literally submerges under her cargo and then raises back up.
Nine years after the attack, the bombing claimed another victim last November when Petty Officer 3rd Class Johann Gokool died after a panic attack at his home. He'd been medically discharged from the Navy with a 100% disability after the attack, which cost him his left foot and left him with severe PTSD. The attacks came without warning, lasting from a few minutes to hours, and because of them, Gokool couldn't work or drive. He'd just recently celebrated his 31st birthday.
After the attack, President Bill Clinton made hollow promises about "We will find out who was responsible and hold them accountable.....You will not find a safe harbor,” he proclaimed. “We will find you and justice will prevail."......and then he promptly did a bunch of nothing. And now today, we have another spineless jellyback Liberal Democrat Socialist in office, one who decided to not pursue charges against the mastermind of the attack, a guy we once held at Gitmo.
So where's the justice for the dead? These sailors gave their lives for our nation, and thus far we've not done much to keep the faith & hold up our end of the bargain.
In honored memory of those lost on USS Cole...
Chief Petty Officer Richard Costelow, Morrisville, Pennsylvania.
Signalman Seaman Recruit Cheron Luis Gunn, Rex, Georgia.
Seaman James Rodrick McDaniels, Norfolk, Virginia.
Seaman Recruit Lakiba Nicole Palmer, San Diego, California.
Operations Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Lamont Saunders, Ringgold, Virginia.
Ensign Andrew Triplett, Macon, Mississippi.
Seaman Apprentice Craig Bryan Wibberley, Williamsport, Maryland.
Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class, Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter, Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Mess Management Specialist Seaman Lakeina Monique Francis, Woodleaf, North Carolina.
Information Systems Technician Seaman Timothy Lee Gauna, Rice, Texas
Engineman 2nd Class Mark Ian Nieto, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Electronics Warfare Technician 3rd Class Ronald Scott Owens, Vero Beach, Florida.
Engineman Fireman Joshua Langdon Parlett, Churchville, Maryland.
Fireman Apprentice Patrick Howard Roy, Cornwall on Hudson, New York.
Electronics Warfare Technician 2nd Class Kevin Shawn Rux, Portland, North Dakota.
Mess Management Specialist 3rd Class Ronchester Mananga Santiago, Kingsville, Texas
Fireman Gary Graham Swenchonis Jr., Rockport, Texas
Thanks for posting this. It is easy to forget and we must make sure we don't.
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