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USS Typhoon (PC-5)
Encyclopedia
USS Typhoon (PC-5) is the fifth United States Navy
Cyclone class patrol
(coastal) ship. Typhoon was laid down 15 May 1992 at Bollinger Machine, in Lockport, Louisiana
and launched 3 March 1993. She was commissioned 12 February 1994 in Tampa, Florida
. As of 2008, Typhoon operates in the Persian Gulf
, stationed in Manama
, Bahrain
since 2004 and is manned by one of 13 rotating 30 person US Navy crews and a US Coast Guard
Law Enforcement Detachment
(LEDET) that performs ship boardings.
.
_commissioning_in_tampa_bay.jpg)
In August 2001, Typhoon visited Koper, Slovenia
to participate in joint training with the Slovene patrol ship Ankaran.
Typhoon returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
9 May 2003 following a deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. Typhoon lost a crewmember when Engineman 2nd Class Douglas Bolles was lost at sea after falling overboard from a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) off Cape Henry
on 7 November 2003 and subsequently found to have removed his life vest. Bolles body was recovered 22 November 2003. The ship's Commanding Officer
was relieved of command as a result of a post accident investigation.
In December 2004, Typhoon responded to a distress call from a dhow and rescued an unconscious fisherman knocked overboard by a winch handle while hauling in fishing nets. The fisherman was transferred to .
_patrols_the_waters_of_the_persian_gulf.jpg)
In May 2005, Typhoon participated in the rescue of 89 people from a small dhow which capsized in the Gulf of Aden
, 25 miles off the coast of Somalia
.
In April 2006, Typhoon performed maritime security operations with HNLMS Amsterdam
and off the Horn of Africa
and in the Arabian Sea
. Typhoon used her smaller size and faster speed to intercept dhow
s and other merchant vessels to gather intelligence on maritime activity and prevent piracy and terrorism in the area.
On 7 September 2007, sailors from Typhoon rescued seven mariners adrift on a raft in the Persian Gulf. At the time, Typhoon was based in Bahrain providing security for Iraqi oil platforms in the northern Persian Gulf and participating in Maritime Security Operations
.
as a warning after receiving no response from the boats on bridge-to-bridge maritime radio
. Typhoon then continued on its course without further incident. This was the second such incident that occurred between US Navy ships and Iranian craft that year.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Cyclone class patrol
Cyclone class patrol ship
The Cyclone class patrol ships are a class of United States Navy coastal patrol boats. Most of these ships were launched between 1992 and 1994....
(coastal) ship. Typhoon was laid down 15 May 1992 at Bollinger Machine, in Lockport, Louisiana
Lockport, Louisiana
Lockport is a town on Bayou Lafourche in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,624 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and launched 3 March 1993. She was commissioned 12 February 1994 in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. As of 2008, Typhoon operates in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, stationed in Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
since 2004 and is manned by one of 13 rotating 30 person US Navy crews and a US Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Law Enforcement Detachment
Law Enforcement Detachments
Law Enforcement Detachments or LEDETs are specialized, deployable maritime law enforcement teams of the United States Coast Guard. First established in 1982, their primary mission is to deploy aboard U.S. and allied naval vessels to conduct and support law enforcement, interdiction, or security...
(LEDET) that performs ship boardings.
History
Typhoon participated in BALTOPS 95BALTOPS
BALTOPS is an annual military exercise, held and sponsored by the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe since 1971, in the Baltic Sea and the regions surrounding it....
.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
to participate in joint training with the Slovene patrol ship Ankaran.
Typhoon returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals...
9 May 2003 following a deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. Typhoon lost a crewmember when Engineman 2nd Class Douglas Bolles was lost at sea after falling overboard from a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) off Cape Henry
Cape Henry
Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia north of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Charles...
on 7 November 2003 and subsequently found to have removed his life vest. Bolles body was recovered 22 November 2003. The ship's Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
was relieved of command as a result of a post accident investigation.
Service in the Middle East
At the end of April 2004, Typhoon and Sirocco departed Little Creek, Virginia for the Persian Gulf to relieve and . The ships were to be deployed for 18 months while crews would be swapped every six months. The ships were escorted by during the trans-Atlantic portion of the trip. In June 2004, Typhoon and Sirocco arrived in the Persian Gulf to assist in maritime security operations and enforce a 2,000 meter exclusion zone around the Al Basrah (ABOT) and Khawr Al Amaya (KAAOT) oil terminals.In December 2004, Typhoon responded to a distress call from a dhow and rescued an unconscious fisherman knocked overboard by a winch handle while hauling in fishing nets. The fisherman was transferred to .
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
, 25 miles off the coast of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
In April 2006, Typhoon performed maritime security operations with HNLMS Amsterdam
HNLMS Amsterdam (A836)
HNLMS Amsterdam is one of two replenishment ships serving with the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Amsterdam entered service in 1995....
and off the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
and in the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
. Typhoon used her smaller size and faster speed to intercept dhow
Dhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
s and other merchant vessels to gather intelligence on maritime activity and prevent piracy and terrorism in the area.
On 7 September 2007, sailors from Typhoon rescued seven mariners adrift on a raft in the Persian Gulf. At the time, Typhoon was based in Bahrain providing security for Iraqi oil platforms in the northern Persian Gulf and participating in Maritime Security Operations
Maritime Security Operations
Maritime Security Operations is a term for the actions of modern naval forces to "combat sea–based terrorism and other illegal activities, such as hijacking, piracy, and slavery, also known as human trafficking." Ships assigned to such operations may also assist seafaring vessels in distress...
.
Encounter with Iranian Craft
On Friday, 11 April 2008, Typhoon was approached to within 200 yards by a small Iranian craft, outside Iranian territorial waters while transiting from the central to the northern Persian Gulf. According to reports, there were three speed boats of unidentified origin and Typhoon fired a flareFlare (pyrotechnic)
A flare, also sometimes called a fusee, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for signalling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications...
as a warning after receiving no response from the boats on bridge-to-bridge maritime radio
Marine VHF radio
Marine VHF radio is installed on all large ships and most seagoing small craft. It is used for a wide variety of purposes, including summoning rescue services and communicating with harbours, locks, bridges and marinas, and operates in the VHF frequency range, between 156 to 174 MHz...
. Typhoon then continued on its course without further incident. This was the second such incident that occurred between US Navy ships and Iranian craft that year.