The role of Bath-built destroyers in the Iran war is growing by the day, two of them featured in the latest social-media photos.
The USS Donald Cook and USS Mason were seen escorting the USS George H.W. Bush carrier rounding the Cape of Good Hope.
The roles of the Cook and Mason, both built at Bath Iron Works, are in addition to the USS Spruance, also a Bath ship that blocked an Iranian Cargo ship from passing through the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.
The Bush and its Maine escorts are expected to reach the Arabian Sea by the end of the month.
“The path around Africa allows the carrier and its escorts to avoid transiting the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb, which were both hubs of activity for the Houthis in their drone and missile attacks on U.S. and commercial shipping in 2024 and 2025,” USNI News reports.
“Bush’s transit around Africa comes as the U.S. initiates a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following a Sunday announcement from President Donald Trump,” the outlet’s Mallory Shelbourne said in her report.
The Cook and Mason, both Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, were launched from Bath in 1997 and 2001, respectively.
The Bush is a Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, commissioned in 2009 as the tenth and final vessel of its class.
The ship is named for the 41st president, a longtime Maine summer resident who summered in Kennebunkport.
Two Maine Destroyers Seen Escorting Bush Aircraft Carrier Headed To The Mideast
By Ted Cohen
The Iranians have completely rendered the aircraft battle group obsolete. They fired on the Lincoln with a couple slow and low cruise missiles and now it’s hiding on the other side of Oman. The Ford!!? Seriously? It’s out of action for a year.
No US ship made it through the straight of Hormuz during ceasefire. Iran turned the destroyers and frigate around by threatening to fire on them. Iran did not mine the straight. That’s dumb. They certainly didn’t ask Trump to help clear it of mines. That’s dumber.
Trump did not open Hornuz. Ceasefire was dependent on Israel not bombing Lebanon. When they stopped Iran allowed unrestricted Hormuz travel. Remember, only US and Israeli aligned ships were ever denied passage.
Trump trying to blockade Hormuz for ships bound for Iran failed. 1. US ships too far away due to cruise missle fears. 2. Iran closed Hormuz to Epstein team… again.