On 12 October 2000, while being at anchor in Aden, the USS Cole was attacked by several Al-Qaeda suicide bombers. The terrorists sailed with a small boat near the destroyer and detonated explosive charges. The power of the blast was so big that it created a hole in the port side of the ship about 12 m (40 feet) in diameter. The attack took the lives of 17 crewmembers and also injured 39. At the time of this attack the ship was under the command of CommanderKirk Lippold.
Table of contentsShip's seal
Design and construction
Naming
Technology
Operational Service
Al-Qaeda attack
Upgrade
Commanding officers
See also
Further reading