In the "Tanker War" between the Iranians and Iraqis, the Iranians utilized 1,662 ton former South Koreanroll-on, roll-off vessel Iran Ajr to lay mines to cut the sea lanes to Iraq.[4]Iran Ajr stopped overnight on 21 September 1987, at a two-towered rig named Rashadat in the Rastam gas-oil separation platform (GOSP) complex, 120 miles east of Bahrain. The rig had been shut down for almost two years following Iraqi discovery that the Iranians used Rashadat for radar tracking of ships and for launching small boats. Iran Ajr turned toward the tanker routes, but just before midnight three Army helicopters, consisting of a Boeing MH-6 "Little Bird" and a pair of AH-6 "Sea Bats" of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), at least one of the helos flew from Jarrett, surprised the minelayer 50 miles northeast of Bahrain.[4]
President Ronald W. Reagan later announced that Iran Ajr posed "a direct threat to the safety of U.S. warships and other U.S.-flag vessels." The Iranian ship began to lay mines in an area where Middle East Force (MEF) flagship La Salle sailed, and when reporters afterwards queried Rear AdmiralHarold J. Bernsen, Commander MEF, about the Iranians' intent to sink the flagship he replied, "Absolutely." At 2302 therefore, the Army helos announced "inbound hot" and attacked the Iranian ship into the mid-watch, damaging her with 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets and 7.62 mm (0.30 in)M134 Minigun fire, and killing at least four crewmen.[4]
La Salle, amphibious assault ship Guadalcanal, guided-missile cruisers Reeves and William H. Standley, guided-missile destroyer Kidd, and guided-missile frigates Flatley and Jarrett made for the area. Men of Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Team 2 backed-up by two Marine helos, boarded and captured the ship from a landing craft during the morning watch. The boarders gathered 24 survivors on board or from the water (one later died), impounded the minelayer, photographed evidence, and located at least nine remaining mines. The prisoners were later returned to Iran.[4]
7 December 1990 – 6 June 1991
During a deployment to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf, Jarrett, with two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawks of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) (HSL)-45 Detachment 2 embarked took part in the Persian Gulf War I. During the coalition air attacks in Operation Desert Storm, many Iraqi jets fled to Iran. Following Jarrett's arrival in the Persian Gulf on 25 January 1991, she consequently operated as an antiair picket off the Iranian coast (3–11 February).[4]
The two helicopters refueled on board Jarrett and lifted off, equipped with AGM-114 Hellfireair-to-ground missiles. BattleshipMissouri operated an AAI RQ-2 Pioneerremotely piloted vehicle (RPV) subsequently designated an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that helped the battleship direct her naval gunfire support of the troops fighting ashore. Crewmen launched the Pioneer with the assistance of a rocket-powered booster and recovered the aircraft by utilizing a net strung between two cables on the fantail. The vehicle transmitted images to shipboard TV monitors that enabled men to "walk" rounds onto their targets. The Pioneer revealed that at least one Iraqi missile survived the second bombing, and one of the "Kiowas" launched a Hellfire that destroyed the Silkworm.[4]
Jarrett passed through areas swept clear of mines off the Kuwaiti coast and joined BritishdestroyerGloucester and frigateLondon while they protected Missouri as the battleship shelled enemy troops ashore. An Iraqi battery at al-Finţās fired two Silkworms at the formation of allied ships, at 0452 on 25 February 1991. One of the Silkworms misfired and crashed into the sea shortly after the Iraqis launched it, but the other missile hurtled toward Missouri at 605 knots and a height of 375 feet above the water. The U.S. and British ships tracked the incoming missile on their radar. From the bridge of the Jarrett, Lt. Craig Isaacson ordered chaff, torchs, and decoys to be launched to confound the missile's guidance.[4]Missouri also fired its SRBOC chaff at this time. The Phalanx CIWS system on Jarrett, operating in the automatic target-acquisition mode, fixed on Missouri's chaff, releasing a burst of rounds. From this burst, four rounds hit Missouri which was 2–3 miles (3.2–4.8 km) from Jarrett at the time. There were no injuries.[5]Gloucester shot down the missile with two Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles.
Later, Missouri launched a Pioneer RPV that discovered the Iraqi Silkworm battery and the battleship fired 30 16-inch rounds and knocked out the battery. After the cease-fire, Jarrett escorted merchant ships through "mine danger areas" (1 March–14 April).[4]
The ship, with HSL-49 Detachment 3 and Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment 101 embarked (followed by 107), sailed on a counter-narcotics deployment to the Eastern Pacific. Her operations resulted in the seizure or disruption of the smuggling of over nine tons of narcotics with an estimated street value of $266 million.[4]
Current status
On 21 April 2011, Jarrett was decommissioned at Naval Base San Diego after 15 deployments, and was transported to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as its final destination, becoming part of the Mothball Fleet. The ship's most recent deployment was a six-month counter-illicit trafficking deployment, supporting U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.[6]
Jarrett was the first ship of that name in the US Navy.
References
^Horton, Rebecca (10 July 2003). "Mighty J Celebrates 20 years". U.S. Navy, Region Southwest Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 25 November 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2006.
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
