Elrod (FFG 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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ELROD ... IN THE NEWS Iran threatens to strike first I ' t r A-VN Inited Press Intemstlonal The Associated Press The U.S. frigate Elrod, bottom, follows the { carrier Gas Queen In a convoy of reflag|;ed Kuwaiti tanlcers. NICOSIA, Cyprus — Iran ' s pres- ident. All Khamenei, said Saturday that Iranian forces would carry out a pre-emptive strike against U.S. ' naval units in the Persian Gulf if Washington endangers Tehran ' s regional interests. I declare that in order to con- front the U.S., we will not wait for it to strike at us first, Khamenei was quoted as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. If we feel that the U.S. is bent upon continuing its provocative and mischievous acts or may try to endanger our interests in the Per- sian Gulf, we will certainly strike. Khamenei also heads the Supreme Defense Council which decides war policy. He was addressing a group of 500,000 mili- tary volunteers in Shiraz in the southern Fars province, according to IRNA, monitored in Nicosia. In Bahrain, U.S. military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said American forces lo.ated 13 mines in the northern gulf in the past lOdays. The mines were in a main ship- ping channel southwest of Iranian- held Farsi Island. The Pentagon announced in Washington that the 19th convoy of U.S. -flagged Kuwaiti tankers sailed out of the gulf Saturday through the Strait of Hormuz. The convoy left Kuwait last Monday. The United States has reflagged 11 Kuwaiti tankers as part of its program to protect commercial shipping from the 7-year-old Iran- Iraq war. Iranian and U.S. forces have engaged in three major armed con- frontations in the gulf since the Navy began escorting the tankers through the gulf in July. In the first confrontation on Sept. 21, U.S. helicopters attacked an Iranian landing ship that was caught laying mines. Four Iranian crewmen were killed and 26 wounded. Rockets from U.S. Army MH-6 helicopter gunships sank an Ira- nian speedboat and disabled two others after a U.S. helicopter was fired on near Farsi. Six Iranians were captured, but two died of wounds after being rescued. Four U.S. destroyers bom- barded oil platforms at Iran ' s off- shore Rostam oilfield on Oct. 19. U.S. officials said then the attack was a limited reprisal for an Iranian missile attack three days earlier on the products tanker Sea Isle City, one of the reflagged tankers. The Sea Isle attack wounded 18 crewmen, including the tanker ' s American master. Khamenei said Saturday that Iran holds the upper hand in its confrontation with America but is closely watching developments in the region and is determined to counter dangerous U.S. policy. Iraq said meanwhile that its planes blasted Iranian troop posi- tions along the northern front Saturday and threatened mass extermination of Iranian troops if they launch a long-expected major offensive. Iran is reported to be massing about 20 divisions, at least 200,000 men, for a major land offensive east of Basra, which is in southern Iraq. U.S. officials said a week ago they expect Iran to attack within six weeks, but they believe Iraq would be able to defend itself. 60

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OF PACE WHERE ' S THAT RADIO STATION?

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U.S., Britain rescue victims of Iranian raid MANAMA. Bahrain (AP)— U.S. and British navy helicoplers plucked 20 crew members from a lumber-laden South Korean freighter in the southern Persian Gulf after Iranian gunboats set it ablaze Friday, shipping and mili- tary officials said. Eight hours later, Iranian gun- boats attacked the 9,566-ton Saudi Arabian tanker Nejmai El Petrol in the same area, accord- ing to shipping sources and the London-based Lloyd ' s Shipping ' nlelligcnce Unit. The sources said a U.S. helicopter radioed that it was going to help the Saudi vessel. Iranian gunboats attacked South Korea ' s 19,682-ton Hyun- dai 7 at 4 p.m., about 20 miles northeast of the emirate of Shar- jah. marine salvage executives said. A British Defense Ministry spokesman in London said the frigate HMS Scylla heard a dis- tress call sent by the Hyundai 7 RMe Mo and dispatched helicopters to the A British Royal Navy helicopter hovers over a an Iranian attack in the Persian Gulf. U.S. hel- rescue, burning South Korean cargo ship Friday after icopters helped rescue the 20 crew members. The British helicopters rescued 9 crew members from the Hyun- dai, and the U.S. Navy picked up II, ii- said. The crew Koreans, wen la. where tv nse Ministry t- ' cs, all South ' i 1 to the Scyl- li hem were treated for seiious iiiju- ' ics, the spokesman said. The rest of the crew was ' enjoying typical Royal Navy hospitality and Christmas dinner, the ministry said. Lt. Col. Chuck Manker of the Navy command in Tampa said a helicopter from the guided-mis- sile frigate USS EIrod gave hu- manitarian assistance to the Hyundai 7. He confirmed 20 j people were rescued. CBS producer Bruce Dunning was aboard a chartered helicop- ter that flew near the freighter, about an hour after the attack. The superstructure was engul- fed in flame and smoke. Obvi- ously they had aimed for the crew compartment and the bridge, Dunning said. He said the ship had several See Gulf. pg. 2