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Peace through strength and superior firepower/leadership.
Operation Praying Mantis – 1988, USS Long Beach (CGN-9) and the Iranian frigate Sabalan were both in the Persian Gulf during the Iran–Iraq War’s “Tanker War” period.
USS Long Beach relayed targeting data to U.S. forces, coordinating with aircraft from USS Enterprise (CVN-65).
Long Beach was given permission to engage with RGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
Long Beach launched RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles toward Sabalan. The Missile crippled the frigate — her engines stopped, power failed, and she began listing slightly.
The Iranian navy suffered heavy losses that day, including the destruction of the frigate Sabalan and the sinking of several smaller vessels.
Earlier in the conflict, Sabalan had attacked merchant ships with gunfire and bombs.
First combat role:
Vietnam War – Air-to-Air Missile Kills (1968)
May 23, 1968 – While on “Yankee Station” in the Gulf of Tonkin, Long Beach used RIM-8 Talos long-range surface-to-air missiles to shoot down two North Vietnamese MiG-21s at ranges over 60 miles.
September 9, 1968 – Scored another MiG kill with Talos, marking some of the earliest ship-launched missile air kills in history.
The USS Long Beach was the world’s first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser and served in several Cold War–era conflicts, though she was never in a full-scale naval battle like WWII ships. Her “wars” were more about showing force, escorting carriers, and launching missile strikes rather than exchanging gunfire at close range.
Operation Praying Mantis – 1988, USS Long Beach (CGN-9) and the Iranian frigate Sabalan were both in the Persian Gulf during the Iran–Iraq War’s “Tanker War” period.
USS Long Beach relayed targeting data to U.S. forces, coordinating with aircraft from USS Enterprise (CVN-65).
Long Beach was given permission to engage with RGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
Long Beach launched RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles toward Sabalan. The Missile crippled the frigate — her engines stopped, power failed, and she began listing slightly.
The Iranian navy suffered heavy losses that day, including the destruction of the frigate Sabalan and the sinking of several smaller vessels.
Earlier in the conflict, Sabalan had attacked merchant ships with gunfire and bombs.
First combat role:
Vietnam War – Air-to-Air Missile Kills (1968)
May 23, 1968 – While on “Yankee Station” in the Gulf of Tonkin, Long Beach used RIM-8 Talos long-range surface-to-air missiles to shoot down two North Vietnamese MiG-21s at ranges over 60 miles.
September 9, 1968 – Scored another MiG kill with Talos, marking some of the earliest ship-launched missile air kills in history.
The USS Long Beach was the world’s first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser and served in several Cold War–era conflicts, though she was never in a full-scale naval battle like WWII ships. Her “wars” were more about showing force, escorting carriers, and launching missile strikes rather than exchanging gunfire at close range.
Redirecting...
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Combat
Iran
Posted 1 mo ago
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Thumbs up for keeping historical movement front and center. Awareness - Awareness - Awareness
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I loved being a Marine on the Long Beach. The only cruiser that still had a Mardet.
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LTC Trent Klug
LTC Stephen Conway We had posts, spaces to monitor and weapons moves to guard, fire fighting, and first duties to fulfill.. We were busy.
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