America's First Clash with Iran
The tanker War
by Lee A Zatarain
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Pub Date Mar 20 2013 | Archive Date Jun 01 2015
Casemate Publishing | Casemate Publishers
Description
also available in ebook format
A fine job of recounting a 20-year-old fight that was no doubt just another
round in a continuing struggle.”—US Naval Institute Proceedings
In May
1987 the US frigate Stark, calmly sailing the waters of the Persian Gulf, was
suddenly blown apart by an Exocet missile fired from an Iraqi jet fighter. A
fifth of the ship’s crew was killed and many others horribly burned or wounded.
This event jumpstarted one of the most mysterious conflicts in American history:
“The Tanker War,” waged against Iran for control of the Persian
Gulf.
This quasi-war took place at the climax of the mammoth Iran-Iraq
War during the Reagan administration. Losing on the battlefield, Ayatollah
Khomeini’s Iran had decided to close the Persian Gulf against shipping from
Iraq’s oil-rich backers, the emirate of Kuwait. The Kuwaitis appealed for help
and America sent a fleet to the Gulf, raising the Stars and Stripes over
Kuwait’s commercial tankers.
The result was a free-for-all, as the
Iranians laid mines throughout the narrow passage and launched attack boats
against both tankers and US warships. The sixth largest ship in the world, the
tanker Bridgeton, hit an Iranian mine and flooded. The US Navy fought its
largest surface battle since World War II against the Ayatollah’s assault boats.
Meanwhile, US Navy Seals arrived in the Gulf, setting up shop aboard two mobile
platforms. As Saddam Hussein, who had instigated the conflict, looked on,
Iranian gunners fired shore-based Silkworm missiles against US forces, actions
which, if made known at the time, would have required the US Congress to declare
war against Iran.
In July 1988, nervous sailors aboard the cruiser USS
Vincennes shot an Iranian airliner out of the sky, killing 300 civilians. This
event came one month before the end of the war, and may have been the final
straw that influenced the Ayatollah to finally drink from his “poisoned
chalice.”
Author Lee Allen Zatarain, employing recently released Pentagon
documents, firsthand interviews, and a determination to get to the truth, has
revealed a conflict that few recognized at the time, but which may have presaged
further battles to come.
Advance Praise
...not only an exciting work but an essential one for those wishing to understand America’s vast naval and air capability as well as its enduring vulnerability.”—Stephen Tanner, author of Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the Fall of the Taliban and The Wars of the Bushes
"...an amazingly detailed look inside the U.S. Navy during the period it encountered a myriad of threats from Iranian ships, aircraft and missiles in the Persian Gulf. Given the fact that a reprise of the conflict is just beyond the horizon, this book should be essential reading for all U.S. policymakers as well as—and even more so—the current leaders of Iran."—Samuel A. Southworth, author of U.S. Armed Forces Arsenal and U.S. Special Warfare
"…this thoroughly researched and well presented history of a relatively little known, but significant, contributor to victory is a valuable addition to US Army history"— Journal of America's Military Past
"...does an excellent job of describing the tension aboard US ships and helicopter/ air crews... a good read and a fast one, especially for those of us unfamiliar with the "war" in the first place."
—Magweb.com
“…a fine job of recounting a 20 year old fight that was no doubt just another round in a continuing struggle.” — Proceedings, US Naval Institute
“Well paced and factual… clearly understands the details of war at sea. As the United States discusses a possible conflict with Iran in the global press, the important lessons outlined…become particularly valuable.” —The Northern Mariner
…one of the best reads of the year…the best and most accurate account of the events of that fateful time period…answers a lot of questions and brings up a few as all, It is one that you simply must read."
—Modeling Madness
"…well researched… a compelling read for the armchair enthusiast and military veteran alike."
—IPMS
"An excitingly written and very clear description of two oft forgotten but vitally important years in the relationship between Iran and the West."
—Ships and Shipping
“…a compelling and immensely readable account of one of the least-known chapters of the U.S. Navy’s maritime combat operations… a must read for those who have a desire or a duty to understand how recent history may shape perceptions of these protagonists in the future.”
—Naval War College Review
“…a very well documented book on a subject we saw flash on the nightly news back in the 1980’s…an excellent book on a very little known conflict in US Naval History. —Kitmaker Newtwork
Anyone thirsting for the maximum detail of the period under the spotlight will not be disappointed…packed with information…a very readable account, which sheds considerable light and insight on what the public were fed at the time.” —Royal Navy and Maritime Book Reviews
“…full of such head shaking revelations and is a good source of information on America’s naval readiness, its Middle East policies and its heroes and scapegoats in the not too distant past.”
—The Journal of America’s Military Past
“…presents a case study of the complex relations based on oil, politics, and power. During the Reagan administration, and undeclared war was launched between America and Iran after the latter threatened shipping through the Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz. The ensuing conflict is known as the Tanker War, and Zatarain’s account is both thorough and balanced…The author’s thoroughness creates an almost first person narration of the conflict beginning with Iran’s ambush of the American frigate Stark to the errant shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655. His chronicle adopts and American perspective yet bias remains absent from his work….For readers interested in Persian Gulf affairs, America’s First Clash With Iran offers an exhaustive and impartial history of largely forgotten and overlooked situation…a well rounded discussion of the metaphorical chess match between America and Iran. Though the Tanker War ceased in 1988, these events continue to be relevant today, as America’s relationship with Middle Eastern nations remains tenuous…—Nautical Research Journal
Marketing Plan
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781935149361 |
| PRICE | $19.95 (USD) |
