Editing Operation Praying Mantis (section)

==Battle==
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2011}}
On 18 April, the U.S. Navy attacked with several groups of surface warships, plus aircraft from the aircraft carrier {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}}, and her cruiser escort, {{USS|Truxtun|CGN-35|6}}. The action began with coordinated strikes by two surface groups.

One surface action group, or SAG, consisting of the destroyers {{USS|Merrill|DD-976|6}} (including embarked [[Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System|LAMPS]] [[Kaman SH-2 Seasprite|Mk I]] helicopter detachment HSL-35 Det 1 ''Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 35'') and {{USS|Lynde McCormick|DDG-8|6}}, plus the [[amphibious transport dock]] {{USS|Trenton|LPD-14|6}} and its embarked [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] air-ground task force (Contingency MAGTF 2-88 from Camp LeJeune, North Carolina)<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Crist|first1=Dr. David B.|title=Before Desert Storm: Marines in the Persian Gulf and the Beginning of U.S. Central Command|journal=Fortitudine|date=2003|volume=29|issue=4|pages=9–12|url=https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/Fortitudine%20Vol%2029%20No%204.pdf|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-date=22 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422193326/https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/Fortitudine%20Vol%2029%20No%204.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and the LAMPS helicopter detachment (HSL-44 Det 5) from USS ''Samuel B. Roberts'', was ordered to destroy the guns and other military facilities on the Sassan oil platform.

At 8 am, the SAG commander, who was also the commander of Destroyer Squadron 9, ordered the ''Merrill'' to radio a warning to the occupants of the platform, telling them to abandon it. The SAG waited 20 minutes, then opened fire. The oil platform fired back with twin-barrelled 23&nbsp;mm [[ZU-23]] guns. The SAG's guns eventually disabled some of the ZU-23s, and platform occupants radioed a request for a cease-fire. The SAG complied.

After a [[tugboat]] carrying more personnel had cleared the area, the ships resumed exchanging fire with the remaining ZU-23s, and ultimately disabled them. [[Cobra helicopter|AH-1 Cobra]] helicopters completed the destruction of enemy resistance. The Marines boarded the platform and recovered a single wounded survivor, who was transported to Bahrain, some small arms, and intelligence. The Marines planted explosives, left the platform, and detonated them. The SAG was then ordered to proceed north to the Rakhsh oil platform to destroy it.

As the SAG departed the Sassan oil field, two Iranian [[F-4]]s made an attack run but broke off when ''Lynde McCormick'' locked its fire-control radar on the aircraft. Halfway to the Rahksh oil platform, the attack was called off in an attempt to ease pressure on the Iranians and signal a desire for de-escalation.

The other group, which included the [[guided missile cruiser]] {{USS|Wainwright|CG-28|6}} and [[frigate]]s {{USS|Simpson|FFG-56|6}} and {{USS|Bagley|FF-1069|6}}, attacked the [[Sirri Island|Sirri]] oil platform. Navy [[SEAL]]s were assigned to capture, occupy, and destroy the Sirri platform but because it had already been heavily damaged by naval gunfire, an assault was not required.

Iran responded by dispatching [[Boghammar]] speedboats to attack various targets in the [[Persian Gulf]], including the American-flagged supply ship ''Willie Tide'', the Panamanian-flagged [[Oil platform|oil rig]] ''Scan Bay'' and the British tanker ''York Marine''. All of these vessels were damaged in different degrees.<ref name=":0" /> The targets were part of the Mubarak off-shore Saudi oil field.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tyler |first=Patrick E. |date=1988-04-19 |title=Iran Hits Back with Attack on Arab-Owned Oil Complex |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1988/04/19/iran-hits-back-with-attack-on-arab-owned-oil-complex/503f7283-cc18-47db-9586-5060e01bd9cd/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> After the attacks, [[A-6 Intruder|A-6E Intruder]] aircraft launched from USS ''Enterprise'' were directed to the speedboats by an American frigate. The two [[Third VA-95 (U.S. Navy)|VA-95]] aircraft dropped [[Mk-20 Rockeye II|Rockeye]] [[cluster bomb]]s on the speedboats, sinking one and damaging several others, which then fled to the Iranian-controlled island of [[Abu Musa]].<ref name=":0">Palmer, Michael (2005). ''Command at sea: naval command and control since the 16th century''.Harvard University Press, p. 310. {{ISBN|0-674-01681-5}}</ref>

[[File:PrayingMantis.png|thumb|A combat patch for Operation Praying Mantis]]
Action continued to escalate. Iranian fast-attack craft {{ship|Iranian fast attack craft|Joshan|1977|2}}, an Iranian {{sclass|Kaman|fast attack craft|0}} (La Combattante II type) fast attack craft, challenged ''Wainwright'' and Surface Action Group Charlie. The commanding officer of ''Wainwright'' directed a final warning (of a series of warnings) stating that ''Joshan'' was to "stop your engines, abandon ship, I intend to sink you". ''Joshan'' responded by firing a [[Harpoon (missile)|Harpoon missile]] at them.<ref name=The_Cutting_Edge_News_1-16-11>{{cite web|url=https://thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=11451&pageid=37&pagename=Page+One.html|title=The Cutting Edge News|website=thecuttingedgenews.com|access-date=19 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215211218/http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=11451&pageid=37&pagename=Page+One.html|archive-date=15 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The missile was successfully lured away by chaff.<ref>{{cite news |work=The New York Times |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DC1038F93AA25757C0A96E948260 |title=U.S. Strikes 2 Iranian Oil Rigs and Hits 6 Warships in Battles over Mining Sea Lanes in Gulf |date=19 April 1988 |access-date=11 February 2017 |archive-date=13 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413211556/https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DC1038F93AA25757C0A96E948260 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Simpson'' responded to the challenge by firing four [[RIM-66 Standard|Standard missiles]], while ''Wainwright'' followed with one Standard missile.<ref name="Zatarain">"America's First Clash with Iran: The Tanker War" by Lee Allen Zatarain, Chapter 15: "Stop, Abandon Ship, I Intend to Sink You"</ref> All missiles hit and destroyed the Iranian ship's [[superstructure]] but did not immediately sink it, so ''Bagley'' fired another Harpoon. The missile did not find the target. SAG Charlie closed on ''Joshan,'' with ''Simpson'', then ''Bagley'' and ''Wainwright'' firing guns to sink the crippled Iranian ship.<ref name=The_Cutting_Edge_News_1-16-11/>

Two Iranian [[F-4 Phantom]] fighters were orbiting about {{convert|48|km|nmi|abbr=on}} away when ''Wainwright'' decided to drive them away. ''Wainwright'' fired two [[RIM-67 Standard|Extended Range Standard]] missiles, one of which detonated near an F-4, blowing off part of its wing and peppering the fuselage with shrapnel. The F-4s withdrew, and the Iranian pilot landed his damaged airplane at [[Bandar Abbas]].<ref name="Zatarain"/>

Fighting continued when the Iranian frigate {{ship|IRIS|Sahand|1969|6}} departed Bandar Abbas and challenged elements of an American surface group. The frigate was spotted by two A-6Es from VA-95 while they were flying surface combat air patrol for {{USS|Joseph Strauss|DDG-16|6}}.

[[File:Bild-Prayingmantis5sahand.jpg|thumb|The Iranian frigate {{ship|IRIS|Sahand|1969|2}} burning from bow to stern on 18 April 1988 after being attacked]]

''Sahand'' fired missiles at the A-6Es, which replied with two Harpoon missiles and four laser-guided [[AGM-123 Skipper|Skipper]] missiles. ''Joseph Strauss'' fired a Harpoon missile. Most or all of the shots scored hits, causing heavy damage and fires. Fires blazing on ''Sahand''{{'}}s decks eventually reached its munitions magazines, causing an explosion that sank it.

Late in the day, the Iranian frigate {{ship|IRIS|Sabalan|73|6}} departed from its berth and fired a surface-to-air missile at several A-6Es from VA-95. The A-6Es then dropped a [[Mark 82]] [[laser-guided bomb]] into ''Sabalan''{{'}}s [[Funnel (ship)|stack]], crippling the ship and leaving it burning. The Iranian frigate, stern partially submerged, was taken in tow by an Iranian tug, and was repaired and eventually returned to service. VA-95's aircraft, as ordered, did not continue the attack. The A-6 pilot who crippled ''Sabalan'', Lieutenant Commander James Engler, was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] by [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] [[William J. Crowe]], [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]], for the actions against ''Sabalan'' and the Iranian gunboats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.95thallweatherattack.com/operation-praying-mantis/operation-praying-mantis.html|title=ATKRON 95 Operation Praying Mantis|website=95thallweatherattack.com|access-date=14 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113035553/http://www.95thallweatherattack.com/operation-praying-mantis/operation-praying-mantis.html|archive-date=13 January 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In retaliation for the attacks, Iran fired [[Silkworm (missile)|Silkworm]] missiles, suspected to be the [[Silkworm (missile)#HY-4|HY-4]] version, from land bases against SAG Delta in the Strait of Hormuz and against {{USS|Gary|FFG-51|6}} in the northern central [[Persian Gulf]], but all missed because of evasive maneuvers and use of decoys by the ships. A missile was probably shot down by ''Gary''{{'}}s {{convert|76|mm|in|abbr=on}} gun. The Pentagon and the Reagan Administration later denied that any Silkworm missile attacks took place, possibly in order to keep the situation from escalating further - as they had promised publicly that any such attacks would merit retaliation against targets on Iranian soil.<ref name="Zatarain2">"America's First Clash with Iran: The Tanker War" by Lee Allen Zatarain, Chapter 17: "Multiple Silkworms Inbound"</ref>

===Disengagement===
After the attack on ''Sabalan'', U.S. naval forces were ordered to assume a de-escalatory posture, giving Iran a way out and avoiding further combat. Iran took the offer and combat ceased, though both sides remained on alert, and near-clashes occurred throughout the night and into the next day as the forces steamed within the Gulf. Two days after the battle, ''Lynde McCormick'' was directed to escort a U.S. oiler out through the Strait of Hormuz, while a Scandinavian-flagged merchant remained near, probably for protection. While the ships remained alert, no hostile indications were received, and the clash was over.