tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34529754.post1686746825619897470..comments2023-10-16T07:06:52.428-05:00Comments on Armed and Safe: Maersk Alabama attacked again--pirates sent runningKurt '45superman' Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091930034162667742noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34529754.post-12410871933313449642009-12-05T11:56:43.139-06:002009-12-05T11:56:43.139-06:00More great info--thanks, Ken.
I am, by the way, v...More great info--thanks, Ken.<br /><br />I am, by the way, very glad that you made it back.Kurt '45superman' Hofmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14091930034162667742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34529754.post-39694311338419861122009-12-05T11:52:54.317-06:002009-12-05T11:52:54.317-06:00I was a deck officer aboard the Alabama when it wa...I was a deck officer aboard the Alabama when it was boarded and since that attack all I ever hear is that the the ships don't need guns and they only need to follow the anti pirate tactics that the International community has laid down for us to follow. Then if we do get boarded or taken hostage it must be because we didn't zig zag fast enough or we didn't keep a good enough look out. Sometimes the pirates do go away after these tactics are carried out, but most likely it is because the seas were just to high. The only things that stop the pirates from boarding are high seas, high freeboard, and guns. US Merchant Marines crew aboard two kinds of ships. Commercial and Govt. owned. The Govt. owned ships all have a small arms locker with 2 M-14's, 2 12 gauge shotguns and 6 9mm Barreta's. All the American Seamen unions have training in small arms and have to re qualify yearly. So this whole system is already in place but the commercial shipping companies will not use it siting increases in their insurance premiums which doesn't make sense. So the insurance companies have to be dealt with just like the healthcare insurance companies have to be dealt with for driving up the cost of healthcare. <br /><br />Another thing, airline pilots with a concealed carry can take their handguns with them and fly overseas, but for some reason US Merchant Marines are expected to show up at a gunfight with a knife, which is exactly what we did on the Alabama. The chief engineer and the AB took one of the pirates prisoner using just knives.Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13245803024011937233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34529754.post-81458884499822313172009-12-05T10:10:38.773-06:002009-12-05T10:10:38.773-06:00No, ma'am--thank you. I especially appreciate...No, ma'am--thank <i>you</i>. I especially appreciate the information about the prevalence of crew members who are already proficient with small arms.Kurt '45superman' Hofmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14091930034162667742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34529754.post-88231010493380957862009-12-05T09:38:43.845-06:002009-12-05T09:38:43.845-06:00Thank you! My husband was on the Alabama last Apr...Thank you! My husband was on the Alabama last April. If he had been allowed to have a gun the outcome would have been drastically different. A good portion of the Alabama crew is military trained and certified by the USCG. Ironically, the shipping company requires them to be certified in small arms afloat. These men were trained to defend themselves; they simply were not permitted to do so. I have forwarded this posting to the entire crew; they will appreciate your stand.Heather Giardinelli-Cronannoreply@blogger.com