The shame of USS Dubuque

[VCheng]

This incident is now taught formally as part of Ethics training in the US Navy:

"On 10 June 1988, while on the way to the Persian Gulf, the USS Dubuque encountered a boat containing 110 Vietnamese refugees. The boat's engine had failed and they had been adrift for 19 days, with around 20 refugees having already perished. The commander of the USS Dubuque, Captain Alexander Balian provided the refugees with charts, water and food. However, due to miscommunication, he believed there to be only about 60 refugees and thus provided inadequate quantities and then left to proceed to the Persian Gulf. As a result, 30 more refugees died, some of them being cannibalized by the survivors during the 19 more days that the vessel remained adrift until being rescued by Filipino fishermen. As a result of this incident, Capt. Balian was relieved of command and court-martialed. Upon being found guilty, he received a letter of reprimand."

 

[Capt.Popeye]

This incident is now taught formally as part of Ethics training in the US Navy:

"On 10 June 1988, while on the way to the Persian Gulf, the USS Dubuque encountered a boat containing 110 Vietnamese refugees. The boat's engine had failed and they had been adrift for 19 days, with around 20 refugees having already perished. The commander of the USS Dubuque, Captain Alexander Balian provided the refugees with charts, water and food. However, due to miscommunication, he believed there to be only about 60 refugees and thus provided inadequate quantities and then left to proceed to the Persian Gulf. As a result, 30 more refugees died, some of them being cannibalized by the survivors during the 19 more days that the vessel remained adrift until being rescued by Filipino fishermen. As a result of this incident, Capt. Balian was relieved of command and court-martialed. Upon being found guilty, he received a letter of reprimand."

That was a time when "Boat People" were encountered frequently at sea. The problem was that most countries wanted to have nothing to do with them. The USS Dubuque was a USN Ship and had the GOTUS to back whatever pro-active action that her CO may have ventured to take. It was very different for Merchant Shipping; while the 'Spirit of Seafarers' dictated that assistance should be rendered, the ground realities were very different.

Many times, when a Merchant Ship hove into view of the Refugee Boats, their occupants then even attempted to scuttle their craft.... so that the Ship would then be obliged to embark them. This was then a "Hobson's choice" for the Captains. If they embarked them on board; they were then faced with the prospects of then finding a Port/Country that would then accept them.... which was sometimes an exercise in futility. Though the UNHCR had decreed that they would accept responsibility and seek to rehabilitate them, that was far from the reality.

So Merchant Ships, for the most part; would give these boats a wide berth, or in some cases act similarly to what the Dubuque did. To the extent of floating out any provisions or relief materials on floating pallets; rather than make a close approach to the Boats, since the refugees would even attempt to throw lines and then make a mad scramble to board. That period was not one where Countries around the world did things that would bring themselves much credit.
Have things even changed from those times?

 

[VCheng]

That was a time when "Boat People" were to encountered frequently. The problem was that most countries wanted to have nothing to do with them. The USS Dubuque was a USN Ship and had the GOTUS to back whatever pro-active action that her CO may have ventured to take. It was very different for Merchant Shipping; while the 'Spirit of Seafarers' dictated that assistance should be rendered, the ground realities were very different.

Many times, when a Merchant Ship hove into view of the Refugee Boats, their occupants then even attempted to scuttle their craft.... so that the Ship would then be obliged to embark them. This was then a "Hobson's choice" for the Captains. If they embarked them on board; they were then faced with the prospects of then finding a Port/Country that would then accept them.... which was sometimes an exercise in futility. Though the UNHCR had decreed that they would accept responsibility and seek to rehabilitate them, that was far from the reality.

So Merchant Ships, for the most part; would give these boats a wide berth, or in some cases act similarly to what the Dubuque did. To the extent of floating out any provisions or relief materials on floating pallets; rather than make a close approach to the Boats, since the refugees would even attempt to throw lines and then make a mad scramble to board. That period was not one where Countries around the world did things that would bring themselves much credit.
Have things even changed from those times?

I am not too familiar with Maritime Law, but at least this case shows that the Captain was reprimanded for letting the boat people go without a proper rescue.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I am not too familiar with Maritime Law, but at least this case shows that the Captain was reprimanded for letting the boat people go without a proper rescue.

Maritime Law was the least thing that anybody bothered about then, least of all Governments!

There was a famous case of the Captain of a Norwegian Merchant Ship that rescued refugees from a sinking boat and then proceeded to his destination port in Australia, but was not allowed to dock.
I'll have to check my records of that time; the passage of so many years has certainly dimmed my memories of that period..... till you revived them.

 

[Echo_419]

Maritime Law was the least thing that anybody bothered about then, least of all Governments!

There was a famous case of the Captain of a Norwegian Merchant Ship that rescued refugees from a sinking boat and then proceeded to his destination port in Australia, but was not allowed to dock.
I'll have to check my records of that time; the passage of so many years has certainly dimmed my memories of that period..... till you revived them.

How old are you

 

[Capt.Popeye]

How old are you

Oh well; I'm as young as I am.....
Though I'm not an escapee from the kiddie's sand-box in the corner of the park.

 

[Penguin]

This incident is now taught formally as part of Ethics training in the US Navy:

"On 10 June 1988, while on the way to the Persian Gulf, the USS Dubuque encountered a boat containing 110 Vietnamese refugees. The boat's engine had failed and they had been adrift for 19 days, with around 20 refugees having already perished. The commander of the USS Dubuque, Captain Alexander Balian provided the refugees with charts, water and food. However, due to miscommunication, he believed there to be only about 60 refugees and thus provided inadequate quantities and then left to proceed to the Persian Gulf. As a result, 30 more refugees died, some of them being cannibalized by the survivors during the 19 more days that the vessel remained adrift until being rescued by Filipino fishermen. As a result of this incident, Capt. Balian was relieved of command and court-martialed. Upon being found guilty, he received a letter of reprimand."

Looking at the thread title, I am not sure what the purpose or objective of this thread is but I came across the following page: Refugee Camps on International Humanitarian Heroes: Saviors by Sea

There are 33 boat people rescue stories spread over 4 pages. Of these 22 involve USN warships or US Auxiliary ships.

 

[VCheng]

Looking at the thread title, I am not sure what the purpose or objective of this thread is but I came across the following page: Refugee Camps on International Humanitarian Heroes: Saviors by Sea

There are 33 boat people rescue stories spread over 4 pages. Of these 22 involve USN warships or US Auxiliary ships.

The USS Dubuque incident was a seminal incident that generated several lessons, and this thread is only about that historical fact. That is all.

 

[Penguin]

Maritime Law was the least thing that anybody bothered about then, least of all Governments!

There was a famous case of the Captain of a Norwegian Merchant Ship that rescued refugees from a sinking boat and then proceeded to his destination port in Australia, but was not allowed to dock.
I'll have to check my records of that time; the passage of so many years has certainly dimmed my memories of that period..... till you revived them.

This one from 2001?

The Norwegian cargo ship MV Tampa was refused entry to Australian waters after rescuing 438 people, mostly Afghan asylum seekers (Hazaras), from a distressed Indonesian fishing boat 140kms northwest of Christmas Island. In defiance of the request by Australian authorities to return the asylum seekers to Indonesia, Tampa captain Arne Rinnan declared a state of emergency and entered Australian territory, anchoring just off the coast of Christmas Island where SAS troops boarded the vessel.
Tampa enters Australian waters with 433 asylum seekers on board - 80 Days That Changed Our Lives - ABC Archives

The Tampa Affair: interception and rescue at sea
UNHCR - The State of the World's Refugees 2006 - Chapter 2 Safeguarding asylum: Box 2.3 The Tampa Affair: interception and rescue at sea

How Tampa became a turning point
How Tampa became a turning point - Amnesty International Australia

MV Tampa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Captain Rudd steers Australia into new depths of shame | Australia news | The Guardian

 

[Bratva]

This incident is now taught formally as part of Ethics training in the US Navy:

"On 10 June 1988, while on the way to the Persian Gulf, the USS Dubuque encountered a boat containing 110 Vietnamese refugees. The boat's engine had failed and they had been adrift for 19 days, with around 20 refugees having already perished. The commander of the USS Dubuque, Captain Alexander Balian provided the refugees with charts, water and food. However, due to miscommunication, he believed there to be only about 60 refugees and thus provided inadequate quantities and then left to proceed to the Persian Gulf. As a result, 30 more refugees died, some of them being cannibalized by the survivors during the 19 more days that the vessel remained adrift until being rescued by Filipino fishermen. As a result of this incident, Capt. Balian was relieved of command and court-martialed. Upon being found guilty, he received a letter of reprimand."

Because Captain Alexander doesnt had right connections or some friendly higher up who can intercede on his behalf. this passage should be taught in " Politicking training 101"

Navy aviator’s career soars; pilot he downed suffers

By Rowan Scarborough - The Washington Times - Thursday, February 23, 2012

When retired Air Force pilot Mike Ross learned this month that the Navyaviator who shot him down is on a nomination list for the rank of admiral, he had a visceral reaction.

“I almost got sick,” said Col. Ross, 56. “He ruined by life.”

All the horror and pain came rushing back when he read The Washington Times story about NavyCapt. Timothy W. Dorsey’s pending promotion to flag rank. The Pentagon sent his nomination to the Senate Armed Services Committee this month.

Navy aviator's career soars; pilot he downed suffers - Washington Times

 

[Penguin]

This incident is now taught formally as part of Ethics training in the US Navy:

"On 10 June 1988, while on the way to the Persian Gulf, the USS Dubuque encountered a boat containing 110 Vietnamese refugees. The boat's engine had failed and they had been adrift for 19 days, with around 20 refugees having already perished. The commander of the USS Dubuque, Captain Alexander Balian provided the refugees with charts, water and food. However, due to miscommunication, he believed there to be only about 60 refugees and thus provided inadequate quantities and then left to proceed to the Persian Gulf. As a result, 30 more refugees died, some of them being cannibalized by the survivors during the 19 more days that the vessel remained adrift until being rescued by Filipino fishermen. As a result of this incident, Capt. Balian was relieved of command and court-martialed. Upon being found guilty, he received a letter of reprimand."

In May 1988 USS DUBUQUE deployed to the Arabian Gulf and served as the control ship for mine sweeping operations to protect U.S. flagged tankers during the Iran-Iraq War. For its praticipation in this operation the ship was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation. In 1989 the ship participated in the contingency operation to evacuate U.S. personnel from the Philippines during a failed coup attempt.

http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/lpd8/Pages/ourship.aspx

USS Dubuque (LPD-8)
Commanding Officers

Amphibious Transport Dock Photo Index LPD-8 Dubuque

Skipper Accused Of Abandoning Asian Refugees
By JOHN H. CUSHMAN Jr., Special to the New York Times
Published: August 24, 1988

The skipper, Capt. Alexander G. Balian, was relieved temporarily of his command on Aug. 11 and was charged today under military procedures in which a trial is conducted by a single senior officer, without a jury.

Skipper Accused Of Abandoning Asian Refugees - NYTimes.com

Captain Defended On Refugees
Un Official: U.s. Ship Stopped When Others Wouldn`t
August 12, 1988|By Joseph A. Reaves, Chicago Tribune.

Captain Defended On Refugees - tribunedigital-chicagotribune

Several LA-Times news stories on this topic from that time
Featured Articles about Alexander G Balian - Page 3 - latimes

 

[VCheng]

Because Captain Alexander doesnt had right connections or some friendly higher up who can intercede on his behalf. this passage should be taught in " Politicking training 101"

Sir, this is the US military, not Pakistani.

 

[Bratva]

Sir, this is the US military, not Pakistani.

Human nature remains same irrespective of whether it is of color white brown or black

 

[VCheng]

Human nature remains same irrespective of whether it is of color white brown or black

This is more a matter of military discipline than human nature.

 

[Bratva]

This is more a matter of military discipline than human nature.

His dad was a navy admiral. Used his connections to prevent him from being discharged dishonorably and instead only got a slap on wrist with a ban on flying. Pray tell is favoritism now a part of military discipline as well ?