The surface action against an Iranian task group falls under the ROEs for self-defense. I will venture the statement, to the extent I can speak for the Navy, that Captain Lenson, of USS Savo Island, acted properly in responding to actual weapon launch by the Iranians. In the subsequent action, although we’re still sorting out “who shot John,” the Iranian frigate took major damage and a gunboat was sunk. Once the threat was resolved, Captain Lenson took appropriate action to rescue survivors and tow the derelict frigate to a friendly port.
MR. HOLLIGER. This ship was captured by our forces, correct? Are you saying Captain Lenson then gave her back?
VICE ADMIRAL NILES. A state of war did not exist, and the Iranian authorities held that their missile launch was accidental. Thus, we had no legal right to retain the frigate as a prize. Captain Lenson kept us informed of his thinking in that regard, and we concurred in his actions.
However, to go on. Immediately prior to that engagement, Savo Island had engaged two Iraqi missiles targeted against Israel, utilizing a small loadout of experimental SM-2 Block 4 ABM rounds. She was the first ship to deploy with this nascent capability, and frankly, we did not expect much; both software and missile are still developmental.
MRS. MACLAY. So it’s your opinion that Captain Lenson’s conduct in this engagement was within the guidance the Navy had given him?
VICE ADMIRAL NILES. This indeed, ma’am, is the crux of the question. He is here with us. Perhaps it would be best to let him speak for himself.
MRS. MACLAY. Good morning, Captain Lenson. We’re glad you could be with us today to clarify your actions. I understand from my staff that you are one of the most highly decorated naval officers still on active duty. And in fact, that you hold — and I am reading from your Navy Department summary record — the Silver Star, the Navy Cross, the Navy — Marine Corps Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with a V, a Defense Superior Service Medal, four Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals and one Navy Expeditionary Medal, six Navy Sea Service Medals, four Purple Hearts, a POW Medal, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two battle stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal with one star, and various other ribbons, some, I note, from other countries — Indonesia, France, the Republic of Korea. I congratulate you on what has obviously been a long and no doubt stressful career.
CAPTAIN LENSON. Thank you, ma’am.
MR. LA BLANC. Is the chairwoman’s summary essentially correct, Captain?
CAPTAIN LENSON. Um, if it is from my record, probably. I would have to check before I could say it was definitive.
MR. LA BLANC. Meaning you have been decorated so much and so often you no longer are able to keep them straight. I would submit that Captain Lenson is a warrior. Unlike most who testify before this committee, who are rear-echelon figures.
MRS. MACLAY. Thank you, Mr. La Blanc. Captain, would you summarize your actions this winter, specifically those which led to your firing four antiballistic missiles?
CAPTAIN LENSON. Yes, ma’am. USS Savo Island was posted off the Levant on a defense of Israel mission. I have brought a copy of those orders for the record, if desired. They are classified. During our time on station several enhanced-range Scud-type variants knows as Al-Husayns were fired from the Western Operating Area.
On the night in question, three TBMs were fired simultaneously from the Al-Anbar area. We were cued via satellite and prepared to engage. However, I had only two missile defense rounds available at that time, due to a casualty in the after magazine. The impact point prediction for the first missile resolved to an aim point directly over Savo Island. Missiles 2 and 3 were targeted against cities in Israel. I directed that we take missiles 2 and 3 with Standard.
MR. LA BLANC. Not the first? The one that was aimed at you?
CAPTAIN LENSON. Doctrine assigned us a lower value than the defended area. This is actually pretty common, in that the mission of a cruiser, or a destroyer, is typically to defend a higher-value unit.
MR. LA BLANC. I see. Proceed, please. I take it that the first shot, aimed at you, missed.
CAPTAIN LENSON. The first reentry body, which I believe was a terminal homer, disintegrated during its reentry phase.
MRS. MACLAY. What were the results of your own two shots?
CAPTAIN LENSON. We achieved one successful intercept and one miss. The warhead we missed impacted on a shelter in Tel Aviv. I have seen media reports that upwards of two hundred people died.
MR. PARKS. Were you satisfied with that performance? Captain Widermann, I would like you to comment as well.
CAPTAIN LENSON. I was not satisfied, sir, but it was consistent with the results we had seen up to then in the test series.
CAPTAIN WIDERMANN. Sir, Captain Lenson’s statement is basically accurate. The Block 4 is not yet in the production phase. He was issued developmental rounds and beta software in order to respond to an emergent operational necessity at the strategic level. Given the limited resources devoted to the program thus far, I would say we were lucky to get the results he did.
MRS. MACLAY. I see. Then two days later…
CAPTAIN LENSON. Two days later, more or less, we received intel that a retaliatory launch was being planned. This was to be an Israeli launch of their Jericho missile against Baghdad. We followed this very closely.
MR. LA BLANC. Did you seek guidance as to how to react?
CAPTAIN LENSON. Yes sir. Via naval channels, and also directly from the West Wing via a civilian White House staffer who was aboard, a Mr. Adam Ammermann.
MR. PARKS. Was such guidance forthcoming?
CAPTAIN LENSON. Not in a timely enough fashion to guide my actions.
MRS. MACLAY. Let’s go back to this civilian staffer. What was his function aboard your ship?
CAPTAIN LENSON. He informed us his mission was liaison with the administration.
MRS. MACLAY. Doctor, was this one of your people? This sounds very irregular.
DR. SZERENCI. Mr. Ammermann is not attached to my office. He is, or was, I understand, a junior-level staffer in the Office of Public Liaison. I am not aware of any orders to him through my office, which stands separate.
Dan ran his gaze along the row of faces above him. Some seemed interested; others, tuned out; one or two, hostile; most, impassive. Sandy kept staring down at him. Her head seemed to be weaving slightly. As their eyes crossed she smiled again, but it wasn’t friendly. More like someone contemplating a tasty meal.
A nudge; one of the staffers passed up a note. When he unfolded it, it was Blair’s handwriting. Who is the woman on the right? She keeps staring at you.
He pocketed it, then changed his mind. Wrote, Knew her in Dr. Szerenci’s class. You met her at vice president’s house. Tennessee congresswoman. Folded it, and held it behind his back until someone took it.
MRS. MACLAY. Back to you, Captain Lenson. Your actions vis-à-vis the Israeli counterstrike. That is the crux of the matter we want to get to.
CAPTAIN LENSON. Yes, ma’am. To cut to the bottom line, we detected the Israeli launch, and I took it under fire and destroyed it.
MR. PARKS. Without authorization.
CAPTAIN LENSON. Under the guidance provided in my orders. Specifically, the directive to safeguard civilian populations.
MR. PARKS. You were aware we were at war with Iraq?
CAPTAIN LENSON. With respect, sir, I understood we were engaged in regime change. This did not, in my view, change the intent of the orders.