USS Typhoon (PC-5)

USS "Typhoon" (PC-5) is the fifth United States Navy Cyclone class Patrol (coastal) ship. "Typhoon" was laid down May 15, 1992 at Bollinger Machine, in Lockport, Louisiana and launched March 3, 1993. She was commissioned February 12, 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.

History

"Typhoon" participated in BALTOPS 95. [US DoD. [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun1995/m060695_m-129-95.html Memorandum Number: No. 129-M] . June 6, 1995.]

In August 2001, "Typhoon" visited Koper, Slovenia to participate in joint training with the Slovene patrol ship "Ankaran". [US warship arrives in Slovene port. BBC Monitoring European - Political. London: August 23, 2001. pg. 1]

"Typhoon" returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek May 9, 2003 following a deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=7429 Adm. Natter Thanks Returning Sailors and Marines] . May 20, 2003.] "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 November 7, 2003 and subsequently found to have removed his life vest. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=10519 Search for Missing Sailor Ends] November 10, 2003.] Bolles body was recovered November 22, 2003. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=10814 Missing Sailor’s Body Recovered] . November 26, 2003.] As a result of the post accident investigation, Commanding Officer Lt. Robert F. Massaro was relieved of command January 2004 and replaced by Cmdr. Michael Ott. [Naval Officer Relieved of Command of Ship. Collected From Wire Services And Times-Dispatch Resources. Richmond Times - Dispatch. Richmond, Va.: January 10, 2004. pg. B.2]

ervice in the middle east

At the end of April 2004, "Typhoon" and "Sirocco" departed Little Creek, Virginia for the Persian Gulf to relieve USS|Firebolt|PC-10 and USS|Chinook|PC-9. The ships were to be deployed for 18 months while crews would be swapped every six months. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13038 Patrol Coastal Ships To Deploy] . April 28, 2004.] The ships were escorted by USNS|Patuxent|T-AO-201 during the trans-Atlantic portion of the trip. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13328 USNS Patuxent Escorts Patrol Boats on Trans-Atlantic Journey] . May 14, 2004.] 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. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13889 Typhoon, Sirocco Join Gulf Maritime Security Operations Task Force] . June 23, 2004.]

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 USS|Essex|LHD-2. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16390 Coalition Naval Forces' Synergy Saves Injured Iraqi at Sea] . December 12, 2004.]

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. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=18133 U.S. Navy Rescues 89 in Gulf of Aden] . May 1, 2005.]

In April 2006, "Typhoon" performed maritime security operations with HNLMS Amsterdam (A836) and USCGC Wrangell (WPB-1332) off the Horn of Africa and in the Arabian Sea. "Typhoon" used its smaller size and faster speed to intercept dhows and other merchant vessels to gather intelligence on maritime activity and prevent piracy and terrorism in the area. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=23434 Typhoon Operates in Waters Off Horn of Africa] . May 1, 2006.] [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=23170 U.S., Coalition Vessels Conduct MSO in Arabian Sea] . April 15, 2006.]

On September 7, 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. [US Navy. [http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=31725 USS Typhoon Assists Distressed Mariners] . September 9, 2007.]

Encounter with Iranian Craft

On Friday, April 11, 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 flare 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 is the second such incident that has occurred between US Navy ships and Iranian craft this year. [AFP. [http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080411173322.9r2gtvnm&show_article=1 US military turns away speed boats in Gulf] . April 11, 2008.] [The Associated Press: [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hhOCFPMfUluIYswMHRWqtjwLzwKwD8VVP9E82 Navy Ship Encounters Iranian Boat] . April 11, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/pc-1.htm www.fas.org: PC-1 Cyclone class Patrol Coastal Boats]
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/PC5.htm www.nvr.navy.mil: USS TYPHOON]