Sea Of Lies

In the end, of course, Will Rogers did not get an admiral's two-inch gold stripe. He instructed navy captains in San Diego for two years before retiring honorably in August 1991. The men of the Vincennes were all awarded combat-action ribbons. Commander Lustig, the air-warfare coordinator, even won the navy's Commendation Medal for "heroic achievement," his "ability to maintain his poise and confidence under fire," enabling him to "quickly and precisely complete the firing procedure. "Given the target he was firing at, the commendation seems rather surreal. But so was the atmosphere in the Vincennes CIC that July morning, and the attempt, in the months and years that followed, to cover up what happened there.

COUNTDOWN TO DISASTER

On the hot and hazy morning of July 3, 1988, an unforeseeable but avoidable chain of events led to the deaths of 290 innocent civilians. It began as a reconnaissance of a minor skirmish involving Iranian gunboats. It ended with one of America's most sophisticated battle systems deployed against a commercial airliner that chose the wrong moment to stray into harm's way.

10 9:56: As the shattered Airbus plunges from 13,500 feet, observers on the Montgomery's bridge see a large wing and engine pod fall through the haze. They realize it's too big for an F-14. 9 9:54: The Airbus's four radio channels are busy reporting flight data to local air-traffic control. The pilot never hears the Vincennes's warnings. Forty-three seconds later, the first missile detonates. 8 9:51: The USS Sides's captain, less than 20 miles away, is perturbed by "Open fire' order. A radar tracker identifies the Airbus as "probable commercial air.' 7 9:50: The Vincennes identifies the approaching Airbus as an F-14. One minute later, it gets permission to open fire. 6 9:48: Two F-14 Tomcats from the carrier USS Forrestal are on station and eager to intervene--but are ordered to stay out. 5 9:47: Iran Air 655 takes off for Dubai with 290 aboard. It is unaware of the sea battle starting to the south. 4 9:40: The Vincennes enters Iranian waters and, three minutes later, opens fire on the gunboats. 3 9:10: The Vincennes's helicopter, inside Iranian territorial waters, reports it has been fired on by Iranian gunboats. The Vincennes turns north again. 2 8:40: The navy surface warfare commander in the gulf, angered to find the Vincennes so far north, orders it to return south. 1 7:20 a.m.: The USS Vincennes is told to send its helicopter north to investigate shooting reported around the USS Montgomery. The Vincennes speeds north, too.