Shippee, Robert Lawrence, FCCS

The USS Stark was deployed to the Middle East Force in 1987. The ship was struck on May 17, 1987, by two Exocet antiship missiles fired from an Iraqi Mirage F1 fighter during the Iran-Iraq War. The fighter had taken off from Shaibah at 20:00 and had flown south into the Persian Gulf. Shortly after being routinely challenged by the frigate around 22:10, the fighter fired two Exocet missiles.

The frigate did not detect the missiles, and both struck without warning. The first penetrated the port-side hull; it failed to detonate, but spewed flaming rocket fuel in its path. The second entered at almost the same point, and left a 3-by-4-meter gashâ??then exploded in crew quarters. Including FCCS Robert Shippee, 37 sailors were killed, and 21 injured.

This has been called the U.S. Navy's deadliest peacetime disaster before the gun turret explosion onboard the battleship Iowa.

Because the U.S. and Iraq were not at war at the time, the attack was likely not authorized. According to Iraqi officials, the pilot who attacked the Stark was not punished. 

Born in Jefferson County in New York's North Country, Shippee was a 16-year Navy veteran who came from a Navy family. His father, Richard, served in the Navy in World War II. His older brother belonged to the Naval Reserve. Shippee was survived by his wife, Carol, and three children, ages 8 to 12.