-----Original Message----- From: "Jamie Kohn" Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 19:42:48 -0400 Subject: Leahy While I had little direct involvement with the incident, I can comment as an observer to the situation. The Leahy was testing their Terrier missile systems when their gyros controlling the missile rocker arms went down. The drone during this test splashed down and we returned to port to have the gyros worked on. As I understand it a helicopter was dispatched to recover the lost drone. Part of the ships complement was granted liberty upon arrival to port. I was in a local pub when somewhere around 7:00PM PST the local police and the shore patrol rounded up the crew for an emergency recall to the ship. I was the ships oil and water king, the boiler technician in charge of the boiler water, feed water and fuel. We accomplished an emergency start up on the boilers and steamed out of port a couple hours later. We were informed that the drone splashed down, recovery attempts failed, a Soviet vessel recovered the unit and we had to locate them. I do not have direct knowledge on the specifics of the mission, but I can tell you that we traveled under a flank bell into the night until we caught up to the Soviet ship. For the next few days we stayed close with Soviet ship traveling somewhere around 6-7 knots. We were told that we were attempting to recover the drone and the Soviets were not in- clined to turn it over. So there, we slowly steamed together. At the height of the cold war I had a deeply ingrained impression of the Great Bear that was the Soviet Union. In my mind they were the evil doers of the day. Mind you I was a young 21 year old man. I believed that these men, and the vessel we were in pursuit of, were so unlike me and truly on the wrong side. Looking back I find my thinking comical. I actually believed that they did not have hopes and dreams. They did not, in my mind, resemble anything civilized and right. I watched these men go about their duties day and night with fixed curiosity. At night I would steal away to the Leahy's bridge and watch them through night vision binoculars for hours. I was transposed. These men worked and played the same as we did. Sunning themselves during those warm days in nothing but their short pants, same as us. I was completely overcome. This probably sounds odd, but for the first time in my life I began seeing things about the Soviet people completely differently. In all honesty, those few days truly effected me. It stood my ingrained beliefs on end. I was confused and conflict- ed. We were chasing the great enemy and my eyes were sending me different messages. These were men working hard for their county and beliefs, so were we. To this day I reflect on this deeply. I could go on at length about my personal revelations and turmoil. Much of the specifics of my duties during this time escapes me. As I recall we went to General Quarters on several occasions, but so caught up in the "feel" of those few days I must have been that those issues did not leave lasting impressions. What I do recall vividly was when the drone was eventually turned over to the Leahy. We did go to General Quarters and the Captain, Fred Bailey, announced over the 1MC that the Soviets would be floating the drone over to the Leahy on some barrels. My station was within the recesses of the Leahy and I did not have the privilege of witnessing the event. At one point during the transfer process, the Captain again addressed the Crew on the 1MC. Captain Bailey was an excitable man and full of expression for such a small man. He was a great commander and I have many stories of his harried demeanor. He, rather excitedly, exclaimed that the Soviet vessel had turned their guns on the Leahy and, in his exact words, "If they want to play hardball, we will play hardball". I will never forget it. I had a fair knowledge of our capabilities. What could we do at that close proximity, fire a Harpoon missile? We did not have any big guns at this range. I was terrified. These men on the other vessel, what must they be thinking and feeling? Eventually the thing was over. I have no idea of what transpired above decks. We had the drone and that was that. The drone was placed on the Leahy's deck. My shipmates and I were able to get up close and personal to it. The Soviets dismantled, bagged and tagged the entire thing. In those few days I imagine they (you) looked over and analyzed all that they could. While I do not have a plethora of details on the actual event, the event literally forever changed me. I had a much closer encounter with Soviet Merchant Seamen months prior to this incident. While on liberty in Mombassa, Kenya we came across a few Soviet sailors. While we free to go about the town, the Soviets were under constant escort. They were overseen at every corner. I saw no laughter, just sullen men quietly drinking at tables with an escort standing over them. My shipmates and I made attempts to make some sort of greeting with them and were met with glares and lack of acknowledgement. This reinforced my stereotype of the Soviet Union. That all changed during those few days in 1985, nearly 18 years ago. Jamie Kohn BT2 13 Jun 2003 jamkbj@adelphia.net