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American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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There are several ways to take down a ship, depending on the conditions<br />

and the target. While we could have used helicopters to get to<br />

the North Korean freighter, looking at photos of the ship we noticed<br />

that there were a number of wires running above the deck. Those<br />

wires would have to be removed before we could land, which would<br />

add time to the operation.<br />

Knowing we’d lose the element of surprise if we went in with<br />

helos, we opted to use RHIBs instead. We started doing practice runs<br />

off the side of the Nassau with boats that had been brought out there<br />

by a Special Boat Unit. (Special Boat Units are the SEALs’ dedicated<br />

taxi service. They run the RHIBs, Mk-Vs, and other SEAL-related vessels.<br />

Among other things, the units are equipped and trained to make<br />

combat insertions, braving fire to get SEALs in and out of trouble.)<br />

The freighter, meanwhile, continued sailing toward us. We geared<br />

up as it came within range, preparing to hit it. But before we could<br />

board the boats, we got a call telling us to stand by—the Spaniards had<br />

moved in.<br />

What<br />

The Spanish frigate Navarra had confronted the North Korean<br />

ship, which had been fooling exactly nobody by sailing without a flag<br />

and with her name covered up. According to later reports, Spanish<br />

spec-op troops went in after the freighter failed to comply with the<br />

frigate’s orders to stop. Of course, they used helicopters, and just as we<br />

had thought, were delayed by having to shoot out the wires. From<br />

what I’ve heard, that delay would have given the captain aboard the<br />

vessel time to get rid of incriminating paperwork and other evidence,<br />

that’s what I think happened.

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