Triumph and Tragedy in the Med: A ‘Sea Power’ After-Action Account Told as a Press Release

Press Release: Naval Battle in the Eastern Mediterranean

October 21, 1984

The Navy Department reports that, 12 hours after Warsaw Pact forces began hostilities in Western Europe following the deposition of the ailing General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko by Soviet hardliners, the USS Nimitz carrier battlegroup successfully fended off coordinated air and submarine attacks by Soviet forces in the eastern Mediterranean north of Crete.

The battlegroup, consisting of the carrier USS Nimitz, the Ticonderoga-class cruisers USS Vincennes and USS Yorktown, the Spruance-class destroyers USS Hayler and USS Paul F. Foster, and the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Simpson, demonstrated exceptional combat readiness and coordination in the face of the enemy assault.

During the engagement, F-14 Tomcats from VF-41 (Black Aces) and VF-43 (Jolly Rogers) intercepted and shot down three Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire bombers before they could launch their antiship missiles at the battlegroup. The AIM-54C Phoenix missile saw its combat debut, performing as designed and ensuring no American aircraft were lost in the engagement. However, due to miscommunication and the fog of war, an F-14 on combat air patrol (CAP) over the Aegean Sea mistakenly shot down a civilian airliner. The Navy will investigate the incident thoroughly but emphasizes that such regrettable occurrences cannot always be avoided in the chaos of combat.

However, due to miscommunication and the fog of war, an F-14 on combat air patrol (CAP) over the Aegean Sea mistakenly shot down a civilian airliner. The Navy will investigate the incident thoroughly but emphasizes that such regrettable occurrences cannot always be avoided in the chaos of combat.

Navy Press Release, 21 October 1984

In addition to the aerial engagement, the USS Hayler and USS Vincennes, supported by an A-6E Intruder and an S-3A Viking from the Nimitz, identified and sank the Soviet spy ship AGI Linza using Harpoon antiship missiles and 5-inch guns. Unfortunately, due to the Soviet practice of using civilian fishing trawlers as decoys or shields, an Okean-class vessel, visually identical to the Linza, was also hit and sunk by American fire. The Commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet expresses profound regret for this tragic loss of civilian life but holds the Kremlin responsible for placing Soviet citizens in harm’s way.

The USS Simpson detected a Soviet diesel submarine shortly before it launched two torpedoes in her direction. The Simpson retaliated with a salvo of three Mk. 46 ASW torpedoes. Initial reports indicate that neither side scored torpedo hits, and further details are being collected.

The Navy Department commends the bravery and professionalism of the personnel involved in this complex and dangerous engagement. The United States remains committed to defending its interests and allies in the region and will continue to respond decisively to any acts of aggression.

For further information, please contact the Navy Department Public Affairs Office.

This press release serves as an after-action report from the mission “Hair Trigger” in the Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age’s Jane’s Redux mod. The detailed account of the engagement highlights the strategic importance and tactical decisions made by the battlegroup in the face of intense hostilities.