Coast Guard Cutter Kimball
The Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL-756) and the USS Tulsa (LCS-16) conduct a passing exercise in the Pacific.
U.S. Coast Guard (Matthew West)

Use the Coast Guard for Freedom of Navigation Operations

By Lieutenant Commanders Trevor Phillips-Levine, Dylan Phillips-Levine, Collin Fox, U.S. Navy: and Captain Walker Mills, U.S. Marine Corps
December 2021
Proceedings
Comments

On 12 February 1988, U.S. Navy and Soviet warships collided near the Crimean Peninsula in Soviet-claimed Black Sea waters not recognized by the United States. While the USS Yorktown (CG-48) and USS Caron (DD-970) maintained a freedom-of-navigation (FON) track, the Soviet commanders of the FFG-0811 Bezzavetnyi and the Mirka-class FFL-824 “bumped” the two warships. The U.S. warships transmitted messages capturing the day’s events:

From: USS Yorktown

To: Commander in Chief of United States Naval Forces in Europe

While conducting innocent passage south of the Crimean Peninsula, Yorktown was deliberately shouldered by Soviet Krivak I (FFG-0811) Bezzavetnyi. Minor damage sustained to hull, no holing or risk of flooding. Two Harpoon missiles on port fantail launcher are damaged and unusable. CasRep follows. Amplifying info to follow.

From: USS Caron

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Lieutenant Commander Dylan Phillips-Levine, U.S. Navy

Lieutenant Commander Dylan Phillips-Levine is a naval aviator serving with a tactical air control squadron.

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Lieutenant Commander Trevor Phillips-Levine, U.S. Navy

Lieutenant Commander Trevor Phillips-Levine is a naval aviator serving as a department head in a strike fighter squadron.

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Captain Walker Mills, U.S. Marine Corps

Captain Mills is a Marine Corps infantry officer. He is currently serving as an exchange 
instructor at the Colombian Naval Academy. 

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Lieutenant Commander Collin Fox, U.S. Navy

Lieutenant Commander Fox is a foreign area officer serving as a military advisor with the Department of State.

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