Criteria The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, kill... The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may die of wounds received in armed combat or as a result of an act of international terrorism. MoreHide
Comments USS Stark FFG-31 May 17, 1987
Press Release of Purple Heart
Two Stark sailors get Purple Hearts
Associated Press
THU 06/11/1987 HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Section 1, Page 15, 2 STAR Edition
SAN ANTONIO - Two sail... USS Stark FFG-31 May 17, 1987
Press Release of Purple Heart
Two Stark sailors get Purple Hearts
Associated Press
THU 06/11/1987 HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Section 1, Page 15, 2 STAR Edition
SAN ANTONIO - Two sailors injured when Iraqi missiles struck the USS Stark received Purple Hearts in ceremonies Wednesday at the hospital where they are recovering from extensive burns.
Ray Dery, a spokesman for Brooke Army Medical Center, said the families of the two Navy petty officers were present when Rear Adm. David R. Morris presented the medals.
James R. Wheeler, 28, of El Paso and Lawrence Mark Bareford, 23, of Fredericksburg, Va., were among the injured aboard the Stark when it was hit in the May 17 Persian Gulf attack.
The decorations are awarded to members of the armed forces wounded in action.
The two men arrived at Brooke, which has the U.S. military's only burn center, May 20 and now are in satisfactory condition and doing well, Dery said.
Dery said Bareford's mother and father, Beale and Nancy Bareford, attended the ceremonies, along with Wheeler's mother, Nan, and two brothers, Army Spec. 4 Walter Wheeler and Jonathan Wheeler.
Morris is chief of naval air training at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi. MoreHide
Criteria The Navy Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself by outstanding heroism in action against an enemy (but not suff... The Navy Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself by outstanding heroism in action against an enemy (but not sufficiently to justify the award of the Presidential Unit Citation). It may also be awarded to a unit that distinguishes itself by extremely meritorious service not involving combat (but in support of military operations), which renders that unit outstanding when compared to other units performing similar service. MoreHide
Description Description Pending
1987
Navy Good Conduct Medal
Criteria The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 r... The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 required four years of service. MoreHide
Criteria The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, f... The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, for 12 months accumulated sea duty, or for duty with the Fleet Marine Force that includes at least one deployment of 90 consecutive days. MoreHide
Description The USS Stark incident occurred during the Iran–Iraq War on 17 May 1987, when an Iraqi jet aircraft fired missiles at the American frigate USS Stark. Thirty-seven United States Navy personnel were kilThe USS Stark incident occurred during the Iran–Iraq War on 17 May 1987, when an Iraqi jet aircraft fired missiles at the American frigate USS Stark. Thirty-seven United States Navy personnel were killed and twenty-one were wounded.
USS Stark was part of the Middle East Task Force assigned to patrol off the Saudi Arabian coast near the Iran–Iraq War exclusion boundary. An Iraqi pilot attacked USS Stark in a Dassault Falcon 50 modified business jet armed with two Exocet missiles.[1] Even though it did not have the capability at the time, American Intelligence was convinced the attack was made with a Dassault Mirage F1.[2] It took off from the airbase of Shaibah at 20:00 and headed south into the Persian Gulf also along the coast. The aircraft was flying 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above the water at 550 mi (890 km) per hour.[citation needed] An AWACS plane on patrol nearby, with an American and Saudi Arabian crew, first detected the incoming Iraqi jet and informed the Stark, which picked up the aircraft on radar, 200 miles (320 km) out.[citation needed] When it came within view just before 22:00, the attacker was off Stark's port side beam.
Initially not alarmed, at 22:09 Captain Brindel followed protocol[citation needed] and ordered a radioman to send the message: "Unknown aircraft, this is U.S. Navy warship on your 078 (degrees) for twelve miles. Request you identify yourself." The Iraqi Falcon pilot did not respond to the message. The ship's captain ordered a second message sent, to which there was no reply. At 22:10 hrs Captain Brindel was informed the Iraqi aircraft had targeted his ship, locking his Cyrano-IV fire-control radar onto Stark. The Falcon 50 then fired the first Exocet missile 22 miles (35 km) from the ship, and the second Exocet from 15 miles (24 km). The pilot then banked left and began to withdraw.
Stark's search radar and ESM systems failed to detect the incoming missiles. Captain Brindel suspected a possible Exocet attack but did not convey this clearly to the crew. He calmly requested a systems check including whether the Phalanx Close-In-Weapon-System (CIWS) system was "live". The crew reported no issue, he questioned again, however the crew repeated themselves believing he had simply not heard their first reply. Additionally due to miscommunication, the Captain believed the CIWS was "live" which to his mind meant; set to auto-targeting mode, but the crew were just reporting it was reading as operational (The CIWS was likely set to a passive mode waiting on the EMS.) Reassured falsely in the state of the ship, no further orders or evasive action was taken. It was not until seconds before the first hit that the Americans realized they were under fire.[citation needed] The first Exocet missile tracked in a little over 10 feet (3.0 m) above the sea surface[citation needed], and struck the port side of the ship near the bridge. Although it failed to explode, rocket fuel ignited and caused a large fire that quickly spread throughout the ship's post office, a store room, and the critical combat operations center (where the ship's weapons are controlled).
The second Exocet also struck the port side. This missile did detonate, leaving a 10 ft (3.0 m) by 15 ft (4.6 m) hole in the frigate's left side. Electronics for Stark's Standard Missile defense went out and Captain Brindel could not order his men to return fire. The AWACS plane was still in the area and just after witnessing the attack, it radioed a nearby Saudi airbase to send aircraft for an interception, but the ground controllers did not have the authority to order a sortie and the Iraqi jet escaped unharmed. The USN rules of engagement applicable at the time allowed Stark to defend herself after sufficiently warning the hostile aircraft. A total of 37 crew were killed in the attack, 29 from the initial explosion and fire, including two lost at sea. Eight would later die from their injuries. Twenty-one others survived their wounds.
Throughout the remainder of the night and the following day, Stark's crew, along with sailors from the destroyer USS Conyngham fought the fire, which burned for almost 24 hours. Captain Brindel ordered the starboard side flooded to keep the hole on the hull's port side above water. This helped prevent the Stark from sinking. Brindel quickly dispatched a distress call after the first missile hit. It was received by USS Waddell, which was in the area, and Conyngham with 2⁄3 of its crew on liberty in Bahrain. Waddell and Conyngham arrived to provide damage control and relief to Stark's crew. Temporary Electronics Communications were installed by ETC Perry and team while Conyngham provided an escort for Stark as she slowly made her way to Bahrain.
Aftermath
Stark arrived at Bahrain the following day on 18 May 1987, under her own power. There she was temporarily repaired by the destroyer tender USS Acadia before setting a course for Mayport Naval Station, Florida, the ship's home port. A court of inquiry under Rear Admiral Grant Sharp was formed to investigate the incident and later Captain Brindel was recommended for court-martial. It was found that Stark was 2 miles (3.2 km) outside the exclusion zone and had not violated neutrality as the Iraqis claimed. Iraq apologized, and Saddam Hussein said that the pilot mistook Stark for an Iranian tanker. American officials claimed that the Iraqi jet's pilot was not acting under orders from his government, and that he was later executed. This has been disputed, as an Iraqi Air Force officer later stated that the pilot was not punished and that he was still alive.
Iranian Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi called it a "divine blessing" and reiterated the standard Iranian view that Persian Gulf "is not a safe place for the superpowers and it is in their interest not to enter this quicksand". Iraq Foreign Ministry spokesman said Iraq would never intentionally attack any target in the Gulf unless it was Iranian, and laid the blame on Iran.
Washington used the incident to turn up the heat on Iran, which later it blamed for the whole situation. President Reagan said "We’ve never considered them [Iraq's military] hostile at all", and "the villain in the piece is Iran".
Ironically, the Pentagon said that an Iranian helicopter had joined a Saudi Arabian vessel in rescue operations. Adding to the irony, the Joint Chiefs of Staff investigation into the incident recommended that Iraq be held accountable, a finding the government of Iraq eventually complied with.
Captain Brindel was relieved of duty and retired for not defending his ship and Tactical Action Officer Lieutenant Basil E. Moncrief resigned. Back in the United States, President Ronald Reagan was criticized for putting American sailors in harm's way.... More
Memories Lawrence Mark Bareford, fire control technician third class, 23, of Fredericksburg, Va., with secondLawrence Mark Bareford, fire control technician third class, 23, of Fredericksburg, Va., with second-degree burns over 20 percent of his body.... More
Worst Moment
Missile attack The USS Stark was deployed to the Middle East Force in 1984 and 1987. Captain Glenn R. Brindel was the commanding officer during the 1987 deployment. The ship was struck on May 17, 1987, by two Exocet antiship missiles fired from an Iraqi Mirage F1 aircraft during the Iran-Iraq War. The plane had taken off from Shaibah at 20:00 and had flown south into the Persian Gulf. The fighter fired the first Exocet missile from a range of 22.5 nautical miles (41.7 km), and the second from 15.5 nautical miles (28.7 km), at about the time the fighter was given a routine radio warning by the Stark. The frigate did not detect the missiles with radar and warning was given by the lookout only moments before the missiles struck. The first penetrated the port-side hull and failed to detonate, but left flaming rocket fuel in its path. The second entered at almost the same point, and left a 3-by-4-meter gash, exploding in crew quarters. 37 sailors were killed and 21 were injured.
No weapons were fired in defense of Stark. The Phalanx CIWS remained in standby mode, Mark 36 SRBOC countermeasures were not armed, and the attacking Exocet missiles and Mirage aircraft were in a blindspot of the defensive STIR (Separate Target Illumination Radar) fire control system, preventing use of the ship's Standard missile defenses. The ship failed to maneuver to bring its weapons batteries to bear prior to the first missile impact.
Other Memories
Press Release of Purple Heart
Two Stark sailors get Purple Hearts Associated Press THU 06/11/1987 HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Section 1, Page 15, 2 STAR Edition SAN ANTONIO - Two sailors injured when Iraqi missiles struck the USS Stark received Purple Hearts in ceremonies Wednesday at the hospital where they are recovering from extensive burns. Ray Dery, a spokesman for Brooke Army Medical Center, said the families of the two Navy petty officers were present when Rear Adm. David R. Morris presented the medals. James R. Wheeler, 28, of El Paso and Lawrence Mark Bareford, 23, of Fredericksburg, Va., were among the injured aboard the Stark when it was hit in the May 17 Persian Gulf attack. The decorations are awarded to members of the armed forces wounded in action. The two men arrived at Brooke, which has the U.S. military's only burn center, May 20 and now are in satisfactory condition and doing well, Dery said. Dery said Bareford's mother and father, Beale and Nancy Bareford, attended the ceremonies, along with Wheeler's mother, Nan, and two brothers, Army Spec. 4 Walter Wheeler and Jonathan Wheeler. Morris is chief of naval air training at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi.
Missile attack
The USS Stark was deployed to the Middle East Force in 1984 and 1987. Captain Glenn R. Brindel was the commanding officer during the 1987 deployment. The ship was struck on May 17, 1987, by two Exocet antiship missiles fired from an Iraqi Mirage F1 aircraft during the Iran-Iraq War. The plane had taken off from Shaibah at 20:00 and had flown south into the Persian Gulf. The fighter fired the first Exocet missile from a range of 22.5 nautical miles (41.7 km), and the second from 15.5 nautical miles (28.7 km), at about the time the fighter was given a routine radio warning by the Stark. The frigate did not detect the missiles with radar and warning was given by the lookout only moments before the missiles struck. The first penetrated the port-side hull and failed to detonate, but left flaming rocket fuel in its path. The second entered at almost the same point, and left a 3-by-4-meter gash, exploding in crew quarters. 37 sailors were killed and 21 were injured.
No weapons were fired in defense of Stark. The Phalanx CIWS remained in standby mode, Mark 36 SRBOC countermeasures were not armed, and the attacking Exocet missiles and Mirage aircraft were in a blindspot of the defensive STIR (Separate Target Illumination Radar) fire control system, preventing use of the ship's Standard missile defenses. The ship failed to maneuver to bring its weapons batteries to bear prior to the first missile impact.
Press Release of Purple Heart
Two Stark sailors get Purple Hearts
Associated Press
THU 06/11/1987 HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Section 1, Page 15, 2 STAR Edition
SAN ANTONIO - Two sailors injured when Iraqi missiles struck the USS Stark received Purple Hearts in ceremonies Wednesday at the hospital where they are recovering from extensive burns.
Ray Dery, a spokesman for Brooke Army Medical Center, said the families of the two Navy petty officers were present when Rear Adm. David R. Morris presented the medals.
James R. Wheeler, 28, of El Paso and Lawrence Mark Bareford, 23, of Fredericksburg, Va., were among the injured aboard the Stark when it was hit in the May 17 Persian Gulf attack.
The decorations are awarded to members of the armed forces wounded in action.
The two men arrived at Brooke, which has the U.S. military's only burn center, May 20 and now are in satisfactory condition and doing well, Dery said.
Dery said Bareford's mother and father, Beale and Nancy Bareford, attended the ceremonies, along with Wheeler's mother, Nan, and two brothers, Army Spec. 4 Walter Wheeler and Jonathan Wheeler.
Morris is chief of naval air training at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi.