- Action of 18 March 2006
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Action of 18 March 2006 Part of Piracy in Somalia, Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa 
Pirate vessel burning after engaging US forcesDate 18 March 2006 Location 25 nautical miles (46 km) off the coast of Somalia Result United States victory Belligerents 
United StatesSomali Pirates Commanders and leaders 
Robert Daniel Randall Jr.
James Yoheunknown Strength 1 cruiser
1 destroyer3 skiffs Casualties and losses 1 cruiser superficially damaged 1 skiff detroyed
2 skiffs captured
1+ killed
5 wounded
12 capturedOEF-Horn of AfricaAction of 18 March 2006 – Ras Kamboni – Action of 3 June 2007 – Bargal – Action of 28 October 2007 – Dobley – Operation Thalathine – Dhusamareb – Action of 11 November 2008 – Maersk Alabama Hijacking – Operation Ocean Shield – Operation Celestial BalanceOperation Enduring Freedom - HOA – Action of 18 March 2006 – Action of 3 June 2007 – Action of 28 October 2007 – Operation Atalanta – Operation Thalathine – Carré d'As IV Incident – Action of 11 November 2008 – Ekawat Nava 5 Incident – Action of 9 April 2009 – Maersk Alabama Hijacking – Operation Ocean Shield – Action of 25 March 2010 – Action of 30 March 2010 – Action of 1 April 2010 – Action of 5 April 2010 – Action of 6 May 2010 – Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden – Operation Dawn 9: Gulf of Aden – Beluga Nomination Incident – Operation Island Watch – Battle off Minicoy Island – Quest Incident – Operation Umeed-e-Nuh
USS Gonzalez
The Action of 18 March 2006 occurred when two United States naval vessels were attacked by pirates. The U.S. ships were part of Combined Task Force 150.
Contents
Background
See also: Piracy in SomaliaBy 2006 the lack of any government-controlled naval authority along the Somali coast was taking its toll. Pirate gangs controlled by local warlords started to capture passing merchant ships in an attempt to gain funding by ransoming the ships and their crews. As the raids became successful, the pirates became bolder. They began seizing UN aid ships, and even attacked a cruise liner attempting to capture it for ransom. The U.S. and Coalition vessels from Combined Task Force 150 began actively pursuing pirate vessels in an attempt to deter the attacks.
The battle
On 18 March the destroyer USS Gonzalez intercepted a suspicious ship, a large diesel skiff towing two small gasoline-powered "attack" skiffs 25 nautical miles (46 km) off the Somali coast.[1][2] USS Gonzalez first noticed the common pirate profile of a diesel boat towing smaller skiffs and, with USS Cape St. George closing from 40 miles away, trailed the suspects until dawn.[3] Shortly before sunrise, USS Cape St. George and USS Gonzalez each sent two rigid-hulled inflatable boats with specially trained boarding teams to investigate.[3] The boats' boarding attempt was aborted when the pirates opened fire on them from extremely short range, and they returned fire and withdrew.
The pirates chased the boarding team, then opened fire upon the Navy ships with RPGs and other small arms.[3] Too close for major weapon systems, the two American ships returned fire with small caliber guns.[1][2] The larger pirate skiff was soon set on fire by a 25MM tracer round fired from the USS "Cape St. George" hitting and setting ablaze a 55-gallon fuel drum, and burned to the waterline.[3] The two small skiffs were engaged and surrendered to USS Cape St. George upon seeing the larger skiff with all their fuel in flames.[3] By the time the action was over at least one pirate was killed (only one body was recovered from one of the remaining small skiffs), and 12 (including 5 wounded) pirates were captured.[4] A spokesman for the Somali pirate militia in Hardhere claimed there were 27 pirates that had gone to sea to act as "coastguardsmen" for the largely lawless state.[3] Cape St. George received minor superficial damage but no US forces were injured.[1][2][4]
Aftermath
After the action was over a Dutch fast combat support ship, the HNLMS Amsterdam, provided medical assistance to the wounded and the two US ships continued on their mission.[1][2] The US Government chose not to prosecute the captured men for piracy, and repatriated them over a period of several months, some requiring advanced medical care aboard US and Coalition warships due to the injuries they received during the action.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d "U.S. Navy Ships Return Fire on Suspected Pirates". American Forces Press Service. 18 March 2006. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=15128.
- ^ a b c d e f Dorsey, Jack (20 March 2006). "Captain praises response of crew to pirate skirmish". The Virginian-Pilot. http://hamptonroads.com/2006/03/captain-praises-response-crew-pirate-skirmish.
- ^ a b Besheer, Margaret (18 March 2006). "US Navy Ships Return Fire on Suspected Pirates Off Somali Coast". Voice of America. http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-03/2006-03-18-voa32.cfm.
- ^ http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/wopj.2009.25.4.41
Ships attacked by Somali pirates (List) 2005 2006 Cape St. George · Gonzalez (inc)
2007 2008 Le Ponant · Iran Deyanat · Carré d'As IV (inc) · Stolt Valor · Faina · Yasa Neslihan · Stolt Strength · Powerful (inc) · Karagöl · Sirius Star · Delight · Ekawat Nava 5 · Biscaglia · Astor · Nautica · Athena
2009 S Venus · Blue Star · Kriti Episkopi · Longchamp · Tanit (inc) · Maersk Alabama (inc) · Malaspina Castle · Qana · Irene · Almezaan · Sea Horse · Safmarine Asia · Liberty Sun · Buccaneer · Patriot · MSC Melody · Horizon-1 · St James Park · Navios Apollon
2010 Pramoni · Iceberg 1 · Asian Glory · Almezaan · Samho Dream · Yasin C · Moscow University · Oceanic · Magellan Star · Izumi · York2011 Samho Jewelry (inc) · Irene SL · Savina Caylyn · Sinin · Quest · Guanabara · Sinar Kudus · Fairchem BogeyCategories:- Piracy in Somalia
- Maritime incidents in 2006
- Conflicts in 2006
- 2006 in Somalia
- Naval battles of Operation Enduring Freedom
- Naval battles post-1945
- History of Somalia
- Anti-piracy battles involving the United States
- Naval battles involving pirates
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