USS *Cole* (DDG-67)

USS *Cole* (DDG-67) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The vessel is named for Marine Corps Sergeant Major Darrell S. Cole, a World War II hero who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The ship gained international notoriety after it was severely damaged in a suicide attack by al-Qaeda terrorists in Yemen in 2000. Following extensive repairs, it returned to full service and continues to operate as part of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

History

The ship's keel was laid down on 28 February 1994 at the Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. It was launched on 10 February 1995 and commissioned into the United States Navy on 8 June 1996, with the ceremony held in Portsmouth, Virginia. As a Flight I variant of the Arleigh Burke class, its design incorporates the Aegis Combat System and was built with significant steel armor, a factor that later contributed to its survival. Prior to the year 2000, *Cole* conducted routine deployments and exercises, including operations in the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf under the command of the United States Sixth Fleet.

Bombing

On 12 October 2000, while refueling in the port of Aden, Yemen, the ship was the target of a devastating terrorist attack. Two suicide bombers, later identified as members of the al-Qaeda network operating from Yemen, piloted a small fiberglass boat laden with explosives alongside the destroyer's port side. The subsequent detonation, estimated to be equivalent to 400 to 700 pounds of TNT, blew a 40-by-40-foot hole in the hull below the waterline near the galley and mess deck. The explosion killed 17 American sailors, wounded 39 others, and caused catastrophic flooding. The crew's immediate and heroic damage control efforts, led by the commanding officer, Commander Kirk Lippold, prevented the ship from sinking.

Aftermath and repair

In the immediate aftermath, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Naval Criminal Investigative Service launched a major investigation, while the United States Department of Defense faced intense scrutiny over force protection policies. The crippled vessel was stabilized by the crew and support teams from the USS *Tarawa* and the Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS *Amsterdam*. After temporary repairs in Aden, it was loaded aboard the Norwegian heavy-lift ship MV Blue Marlin and transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. *Cole* arrived at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Mississippi—the same yard where it was built—on 13 December 2000. The $250 million repair and restoration project, one of the most complex in Navy history, took nearly 14 months to complete.

Return to service

Following successful sea trials, USS *Cole* was formally returned to the fleet on 19 April 2002. Its return to service was marked by a ceremony attended by senior officials including the Secretary of the Navy and families of the fallen sailors. The ship subsequently completed a comprehensive training cycle and redeployed to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations in 2003. It has since been involved in numerous global deployments, including operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and regularly participates in exercises with allies such as NATO. The ship is currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

Awards

USS *Cole* (DDG-67) has been awarded several unit and campaign honors. These include the Combat Action Ribbon for the 2000 attack, the Navy Unit Commendation, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. The ship and its crew have also received multiple Battle "E" efficiency awards and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for subsequent service.

Category:Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Category:Ships built in Mississippi Category:1996 ships