No Higher Honor

      
Higher

      
Honor

Saving the USS
Samuel B. Roberts
in the Persian Gulf

BRADLEY PENISTON

Foreword by Adm. William J. Crowe Jr., USN (Ret.)

Naval Institute Press

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND

This book has been brought to publication by the generous assistance of Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest.

First Naval Institute Press paperback edition published 2012.

Naval Institute Press

291 Wood Road

Annapolis, MD 21402

© 2006 by Bradley Peniston

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 13: 978-1-61251-277-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Peniston, Bradley, 1968–

No higher honor : saving the USS Samuel B. Roberts in the Persian Gulf / Bradley Peniston.

          
p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Samuel B. Roberts (Frigate : FFG-58)
    
2. Iran-Iraq War, 1980–1988—Naval operations, American.
    
3. Submarine mines—Persian Gulf.
    
I. Title.

DS318.85.P457 2006

955.05'42450973—dc22

2006003997

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First printing

Now here is a mystery of the Service.

A man gets a boat which for two years becomes his very self—

His morning hope, his evening dream,

His joy throughout the day.

           
—Rudyard Kipling,
The Man and the Work

Caught by the under-death,

In the drawing of a breath

Down went dauntless Craven,

He and his hundred!

           
—Henry Howard Brownell,
The Bay Fight

“After a bit, you see, we were all pretty much on our own,

and you could really find out what your ship could do.”

           
—Kipling,
Destroyers at Jutland

            
Foreword

            
Acknowledgments

            
Chronology

  
1
        
Those Are Mines

  
2
        
Paul Rinn and the
Roberts

  
3
        
A Bath-Built Ship

  
4
        
Damage Control for Breakfast

  
5
        
Putting to Sea

  
6
        
Drawing Swords

  
7
        
Passage to Hormuz

  
8
        
In Harm's Way

  
9
        
Mine Hit

10
        
Rising Water

11
        
Ship's on Fire

12
        
Darkness Falls

13
        
Revenge

14
        
Return and Repair

            
Epilogue

            
Appendix: Ship's Muster

            
Notes

            
Bibliography and Sources

            
Index

S
cores of volumes have been devoted to naval history, the bulk of them concerned with battles that pitted ships or aircraft against an enemy's opposing units.
No Higher Honor
, however, is the rather more unusual story of a single vessel: the USS
Samuel B. Roberts
(FFG 58). The book follows this guided missile frigate—the third U.S. warship to bear the name—from its construction in Maine to a single day of terror in the Persian Gulf, where a magnificent effort by captain and crew saved the ship from disaster.

Readers of every stripe who are captivated by maritime legends of heroism and skill will find the
Roberts
's ultimate trial mesmerizing. The frigate was headed to a convoy assignment when it found itself in a field of naval mines laid by the Iranian military. In attempting to move clear of the mines, the ship detonated a 253-pound charge and absorbed incredible damage. Saving the ship proved a Herculean task, but the skill and unbending will of all hands eventually prevailed. The story has carved a rightful place in the annals of the U.S. Navy and stands as an inspiration to future “tin can” sailors.

This account of the struggle is riveting, but the book is a great deal more than just high adventure. It is a thoughtful endorsement of the value of preparation and training. The crew's remarkable reaction in crisis was forged in earlier months when an intelligent and determined commanding officer vowed to make his charge the best ship in the navy. There is an extensive description of the training program and priorities and the role they played in building confidence and morale. Interviews with crewmen help paint a picture of the sweat and tears that were shed in the process. This is what it takes to mold a wide array of skills into a coordinated whole. It is not easy to do.

The first ingredient is a captain who knows what he wants and who has the energy and conviction to bring the crew to his thinking. From the outset, Cdr. Paul Rinn emphasized damage control, an area that is often neglected until a unit enters its theater of operations—when it is far too late for rigorous training. Normally, commanders detail the most experienced people to operations and weaponry billets, leaving damage control to relatively junior officers. Rinn chose a different course, assigning a senior lieutenant to develop a rigorous training regimen that involved the
entire crew. Officers and enlisted sailors alike were rotated through a variety of specialty schools dedicated to damage control. These steps paid rich dividends when the
Roberts
was finally tested. Of course, even the best training does not foresee all possibilities, but it can convey the knowledge necessary to meet the unexpected. The damage control preparation should be required reading for those who choose a career in the small-ship navy.

Strong and effective leadership was a hallmark of every step of the
Roberts
's history. Rinn's strong hand and personal interest appear during the
Roberts
's construction, preparatory training, and war-zone operations, and in the fight to save the ship. From the beginning, he took the prime responsibility for the crew's morale, its spirit, and the command's reputation, creating a sense of pride and unity that was crucial when disaster threatened. Every officer's training stresses leadership, and it is more than worthwhile to absorb a “real life” account that graphically illustrates its vital role. In essence,
No Higher Honor is
an excellent leadership textbook.

Of further interest, the book describes in some detail the difficult environment in the Persian Gulf. One moment it was placid, and the next violent—a severe test for captain and crew. Naval ships were expected to stand clear of legitimate everyday commerce, yet each skipper had to protect his command from surprise attacks. This burden required constant vigilance and a fine sense of judgment. This is bad enough in short periods of time. Over long weeks, it is exhausting and can wring a crew dry. Today, there is no alternative. Such an atmosphere is part of the new world order in which our military performs.

This story of the USS
Samuel B. Roberts
offers something to everyone who mans our warships. There is much to learn in its pages. Despite the trauma the ship faced, the reader can lay down the book with a buoyant spirit. The crew was essentially a crosscut of American society, and I suggest that their story should touch professional and laymen alike. It affirms our pride and confidence in the caliber of individuals who man our fleet and in the U.S. Navy as an institution. On a more personal level, it allows one for a few hours to be in the company of brave men.

Adm. William J. Crowe Jr., USN (Ret.) November 2005

 

Admiral Crowe was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the
Roberts
hit the mine in April 1988, and he traveled to Dubai to inspect the damage.

A
mong the lessons one may draw from the tale of USS
Samuel B. Roberts
(FFG 58) is that no large purpose is achieved alone. A full list of those who graciously gave their time for interviews and correspondence appears in the notes, but several deserve mention for their special generosity in sharing memories and documentary materials, including Kevin Ford, Erik Hansen, Michael Harnar, Glenn Palmer, John Preston, Paul Rinn, Eric Sorensen, Randy Tatum, and Gordan Van Hook.

The New York City office of the U.S. Navy's public affairs branch arranged a visit to the
Roberts
in Mayport, Florida, where the ship's commanding officer, Cdr. Bernard Gately Jr., went beyond the call of duty to welcome me as inspectors roamed his engineering spaces and a hurricane approached. The various holdings of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, DC, were of great use, and I thank archivist Regina Akers, historian Randy Papadopoulous, and the staff of the Ships History Branch for steering me in helpful directions. Ken Testorff of the Navy Safety Center provided access to back issues of
Fathom
magazine. Mike McLellan, a public affairs specialist at Navy Personnel Command, helped obtain
Roberts
muster rolls. Sue Pierter arranged a shipyard tour at Bath Iron Works.

Tom Cutler ushered the book through the acquisition process at Naval Institute Press, where Ron Chambers and Fred Rainbow provided early encouragement. Nathaniel Levine drew the map, cutaway, and side view of the
Roberts
with his customary competence and flair. Vago Muradian at
Defense News
provided flexibility at work at crucial moments.

Several people read parts of the manuscript and made helpful suggestions, including Christopher Cavas, Eric Greenwald, Anne Hastings Massey, Mickey Peniston, Mark Santangelo, and Phillip Thompson. Any mistakes that remain are mine alone. I owe a special debt to Portia Wu, my toughest editor and most generous supporter.

My family was endlessly encouraging during the research and writing of this book, and I dedicate it to them and to the memory of my father.

Bradley Peniston
Washington, DC
September 2005