AT SEA: USS Denver conducts patrol in Gulf as part of USS Fifth Fleet in area

USS Denver conducts patrol in Gulf as part of USS Fifth Fleet in area. A spokesman said the mission of the USS Denver is to protect the waters and reduce cases of piracy. The USS Denver is currently in the Persian Gulf with over 350 sailors and 30 officers onboard supporting the USS Fifth Fleet's area of operation. A spokesman said the mission of the USS Denver is to protect the waters and reduce cases of piracy. It also involves conducting searches and aiding fishermen in the area, the spokesman added. While on patrol, the team came across two fishing boats, one of them with a crew needing medical assistance. Medical personnel were called on from aboard the USS Denver to treat a fisherman who was suffering from exhaustion. "Today we went out and conducted two introduction operations, we approached, we came across two fishing dhows," said Lieutenant Junior Grade Matthew Seaman. "The first fishing dhow was very standard, we were able to provide them with fruit and water and a small medical kit. They seemed to be very happy with that. We got some information on the general fishing areas they like to fish in at this time of year, and they gave some information and said that they knew of some piracy that existed in the area, and we took a little bit of that information they knew. The second dhow that we came across was actually looking for some medical assistance which we offered, and they additionally had some knowledge of piracy in the area and again we took some of that information," added Seaman. There are no reliable statistics detailing piracy in the Persian Gulf or regular reports of smuggling taking place in the the area. USS Denver is part of the USS Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, supporting the Fifth Fleet in the Gulf. The Fifth Fleet's area of operations includes the Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. A number of warships have been sent to the Gulf this year. While the United States says it is scaling down its presence, it has been flexing its muscles in a standoff with Iran over Tehran's nuclear program. Washington also accuses Iran of meddling in Iraq and of fostering militant Islamic groups throughout the Middle East. The West suspects Iran of secretly seeking to build a nuclear bomb and wants Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment activities. Tehran insists its atomic ambitions are peaceful. Tension over Tehran's nuclear ambitions has raised regional fears of a military confrontation. Iran has dismissed previous U.S. drills off its coast as morale-boosting exercises, and has said it has missiles that could sink big war ships in the Gulf.

ITN Source | September 6, 2007

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