Morning Wire The USS Cole: Al Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11
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Oct 11, 2025 Commander Kirk Lippold, former commanding officer of the USS Cole, shares his gripping account of the Al Qaeda attack in 2000 that killed 17 sailors. He discusses the heroic actions of his crew during and after the catastrophe, revealing the technical challenges of stabilizing the ship with a 40-foot hole. Lippold highlights the lack of pre-9/11 terrorism awareness and the frustrating delays in bringing the attack's mastermind to trial. His reflections on the incident's impact on military morale and preparedness are both poignant and revealing.
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Survivors' Rapid Response Saved The Ship
- The USS Cole pulled into Aden to refuel and a suicide boat detonated alongside, blowing a 40x40 foot hole and killing 17 sailors.
- The crew stabilized the ship within about an hour and evacuated 33 wounded to local hospitals, with 32 surviving.
Compartmentalization Prevented Catastrophe
- Pre-established watertight compartmentalization limited progressive flooding and dissipated blast forces after the explosion.
- That damage-control posture and crew training minimized damage and prevented the ship from quickly sinking.
Critical Intelligence Never Reached The Ship
- Intelligence indicated Al Qaeda planned to target Navy ships in Aden, but that warning never reached USS Cole.
- Lippold highlights an intelligence gap that left the ship unaware of a clear, documented threat.