Comments on: US Operated Maersk Alabama Piracy Incident http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:08:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Capt. Richard Cash http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-19633 Capt. Richard Cash Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:18:19 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-19633 Why has no one proposed using the old ruse de guerre of Q-Ships? If Naval and Marine forces transited the area in seemingly innocent merchant ships, the pirates would engage these vessels thinking they were easy pickings and end up in a lopsided and doomed combat . They would never be able to tell what ships are harmless and which are combat ships in disguise. I'm sure it would make them all think again about the 'easy' money in piracy. As far as I know there is no law against disguise as long as the ship makes its true identity known upon engagement. Please correct me if I'm wrong . Why has no one proposed using the old ruse de guerre of Q-Ships? If Naval and Marine forces transited the area in seemingly innocent merchant ships, the pirates would engage these vessels thinking they were easy pickings and end up in a lopsided and doomed combat . They would never be able to tell what ships are harmless and which are combat ships in disguise. I'm sure it would make them all think again about the 'easy' money in piracy. As far as I know there is no law against disguise as long as the ship makes its true identity known upon engagement. Please correct me if I'm wrong .

]]> By: Capt. Richard Cash http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-23223 Capt. Richard Cash Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:18:00 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-23223 Why has no one proposed using the old ruse de guerre of Q-Ships? If Naval and Marine forces transited the area in seemingly innocent merchant ships, the pirates would engage these vessels thinking they were easy pickings and end up in a lopsided and doomed combat . They would never be able to tell what ships are harmless and which are combat ships in disguise. I'm sure it would make them all think again about the 'easy' money in piracy. As far as I know there is no law against disguise as long as the ship makes its true identity known upon engagement. Please correct me if I'm wrong . Why has no one proposed using the old ruse de guerre of Q-Ships? If Naval and Marine forces transited the area in seemingly innocent merchant ships, the pirates would engage these vessels thinking they were easy pickings and end up in a lopsided and doomed combat . They would never be able to tell what ships are harmless and which are combat ships in disguise. I'm sure it would make them all think again about the 'easy' money in piracy. As far as I know there is no law against disguise as long as the ship makes its true identity known upon engagement. Please correct me if I'm wrong .

]]> By: Erik http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-19601 Erik Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:57:36 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-19601 Does anyone here think the pirates may have thought they were attacking a Danish (or other) registered Maersk ship, not a US-flagged one? Does anyone here think the pirates may have thought they were attacking a Danish (or other) registered Maersk ship, not a US-flagged one?

]]> By: Erik http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-23222 Erik Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:57:00 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-23222 Does anyone here think the pirates may have thought they were attacking a Danish (or other) registered Maersk ship, not a US-flagged one? Does anyone here think the pirates may have thought they were attacking a Danish (or other) registered Maersk ship, not a US-flagged one?

]]> By: M_Durnan_ http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-19594 M_Durnan_ Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:03:36 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-19594 Of all the ships to target in the United States Merchant Marine, the pirates picked the wrong ship-- whose Cheif Mate is the son of the renowed Mass Maritime professor and famous educator Captain Joseph S.Murphy, II. His deck officer study guides have helped most modern mariners navigate the tricky waters of the USCG License exam. All of today's officers have used his materials at one time or another. There is probably not a more well known and well respected authority in the United States Merchant Marine. And the deck crew (SIU) are a bunch of sailors based out of New York. These pirates hit the jackpot. They'd have been better off to just having gone fishing that day. Of all the ships to target in the United States Merchant Marine, the pirates picked the wrong ship– whose Cheif Mate is the son of the renowed Mass Maritime professor and famous educator Captain Joseph S.Murphy, II. His deck officer study guides have helped most modern mariners navigate the tricky waters of the USCG License exam. All of today's officers have used his materials at one time or another. There is probably not a more well known and well respected authority in the United States Merchant Marine. And the deck crew (SIU) are a bunch of sailors based out of New York. These pirates hit the jackpot. They'd have been better off to just having gone fishing that day.

]]> By: M_Durnan_ http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-23221 M_Durnan_ Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:03:00 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-23221 Of all the ships to target in the United States Merchant Marine, the pirates picked the wrong ship-- whose Cheif Mate is the son of the renowed Mass Maritime professor and famous educator Captain Joseph S.Murphy, II. His deck officer study guides have helped most modern mariners navigate the tricky waters of the USCG License exam. All of today's officers have used his materials at one time or another. There is probably not a more well known and well respected authority in the United States Merchant Marine. And the deck crew (SIU) are a bunch of sailors based out of New York. These pirates hit the jackpot. They'd have been better off to just having gone fishing that day. Of all the ships to target in the United States Merchant Marine, the pirates picked the wrong ship– whose Cheif Mate is the son of the renowed Mass Maritime professor and famous educator Captain Joseph S.Murphy, II. His deck officer study guides have helped most modern mariners navigate the tricky waters of the USCG License exam. All of today's officers have used his materials at one time or another. There is probably not a more well known and well respected authority in the United States Merchant Marine. And the deck crew (SIU) are a bunch of sailors based out of New York. These pirates hit the jackpot. They'd have been better off to just having gone fishing that day.

]]> By: Brian http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-19586 Brian Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:08:33 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-19586 . Daniel said: "Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid." You don't think Petraeus sending 3 ships of the line to take on 4 guys with machetes makes the US look stupid ? . .
Daniel said: "Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid."

You don't think Petraeus sending 3 ships of the line to take on 4 guys with machetes makes the US look stupid ?
.

]]> By: Brian http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-23220 Brian Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:08:00 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-23220 . Daniel said: "Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid." You don't think Petraeus sending 3 ships of the line to take on 4 guys with machetes makes the US look stupid ? . .
Daniel said: "Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid."

You don't think Petraeus sending 3 ships of the line to take on 4 guys with machetes makes the US look stupid ?
.

]]> By: Edd Prothro http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-19564 Edd Prothro Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:04:10 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-19564 All the major news outlets, including CNN are saying that this is the first US registry ship to be captured by pirates in 200 years. This is NOT true. On May 12, 1975 Cambodian pirates captured the container ship SS Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia, took her to Koh Tang Island, where a significant battle was fought for the return of the ship and her crew. I know. Fourteen of my Marine friends, and two Navy Corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot and one crewman were killed during this action. It was BLT 2/9 from Okinawa who attacked the island, and units of BLT 2/4 recaptured the ship. Please don't let history forget our sacrifices. REMEMBER THE MAYAGUEZ! All the major news outlets, including CNN are saying that this is the first US registry ship to be captured by pirates in 200 years. This is NOT true. On May 12, 1975 Cambodian pirates captured the container ship SS Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia, took her to Koh Tang Island, where a significant battle was fought for the return of the ship and her crew. I know. Fourteen of my Marine friends, and two Navy Corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot and one crewman were killed during this action. It was BLT 2/9 from Okinawa who attacked the island, and units of BLT 2/4 recaptured the ship. Please don't let history forget our sacrifices. REMEMBER THE MAYAGUEZ!

]]> By: Edd Prothro http://gcaptain.com/operated-maersk-alabama-hijacked/?7769#comment-23219 Edd Prothro Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:04:00 +0000 http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/?p=7769#comment-23219 All the major news outlets, including CNN are saying that this is the first US registry ship to be captured by pirates in 200 years. This is NOT true. On May 12, 1975 Cambodian pirates captured the container ship SS Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia, took her to Koh Tang Island, where a significant battle was fought for the return of the ship and her crew. I know. Fourteen of my Marine friends, and two Navy Corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot and one crewman were killed during this action. It was BLT 2/9 from Okinawa who attacked the island, and units of BLT 2/4 recaptured the ship. Please don't let history forget our sacrifices. REMEMBER THE MAYAGUEZ! All the major news outlets, including CNN are saying that this is the first US registry ship to be captured by pirates in 200 years. This is NOT true. On May 12, 1975 Cambodian pirates captured the container ship SS Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia, took her to Koh Tang Island, where a significant battle was fought for the return of the ship and her crew. I know. Fourteen of my Marine friends, and two Navy Corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot and one crewman were killed during this action. It was BLT 2/9 from Okinawa who attacked the island, and units of BLT 2/4 recaptured the ship. Please don't let history forget our sacrifices. REMEMBER THE MAYAGUEZ!

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