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U.S. Navy Boatswain Mate 1st Class Anthony Al-Russan, Tactical Craft Crewman and Gunner, provides security watch from the bow of a Coastal Riverine Squadron One SeaArk 34-foot Dauntless patrol boat, while escorting USNS Laramie, Mar. 9. (U.S. Air Force photo Staff Sgt. Carlin Leslie)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Carlin Leslie 

On Oct. 12, 2000, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) was attacked by suicide bombers in an explosives-laden boat on the port side of the ship while refueling in Aden, Yemen, killing 17 Sailors and wounding 37.

To provide a first line of defense against attacks like this occurring again or any other threat to a U.S. Navy vessel in the port of Djibouti, the Coastal Riverine Squadron One, provides port security and over-watch for any U.S. Navy vessel that enters the waters of East Africa, to include USNS Laramie (T-AO-203).

“We provide security while they are here, predominately taking on goods and fuel for the warships out off the coast of Africa, in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jason Levine, CRS-1 mission commander. “The warships out there are providing security, doing anti-piracy, and doing all those different missions for Fifth Fleet and Sixth Fleet and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa in the joint operating area.”

From the moment the ship arrives in the coastal waters of Djibouti, CRS-1 launches three of their SeaArk 34-foot Dauntless patrol boats with collectively six .50-caliber machine guns and three M240 machine guns to retrieve Laramie, and escort her into port.

 The escorting procedures are a choreographed dance between the three CRS-1 vessels as they maneuver themselves strategically between any passing vessel or any other asset in port that could potentially pose a security threat.

“Providing security for the ships that are here is vitally important. We’re here to provide an over watch for the guys that are coming here,” said U.S. Navy Boatswain Mate 1st Class Anthony Al-Russan, Tactical Craft Crewman and Gunner. “They’re coming here dropping off supplies here for the camp. They are also picking up supplies to take out to the fleet, to keep our U.S. Navy warships afloat and underway.”

Depending on the day, CRS-1 crewmembers could be underway from eight to16 hours, depending on what happens during each shift. In spite of the long hours, the importance of their mission is not forgotten.

“What happened with USS Cole, it’s why we get up every day; it’s to make sure that never happens again to our ships or any of our NATO countries or brother and sister countries,” Al-Russan said. “When they pull into port we provide security to them, to make sure that doesn’t happen. We don’t lose anymore lives. It’s an easy way to wake, to know that I am out there doing that for them.”

According to Levine, CRS-1 is comprised of Sailors known as brown water Sailors or Sailors that work in coastal, inner coastal and harbor waters. This means securing any lateral space that goes from the coast out to the blue water or open ocean, while working with the host countries’ militaries to accomplish the needed mission.

“We have a really good working relationship with both the Djiboutian coast guard the Djiboutian navy and even the French navy that is here,” Levine said. “We do all of our launch and recoveries as a joint operation with the Djiboutian coast guard. They help clear out the port, make sure it is secure and we are able to launch our boats.”

As USNS Laramie wrapped up business and headed safely out to sea, it was clear to Levine that CRS-1 completed another successful mission.

“Bottom line is they did an amazing job, I would serve with all of them all over again, proud to have had the opportunity to come out here and work with all of them,” Levine said. “They kept everything moving forward and provided security for the ships coming in and out of port. The team has been stellar.”