All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S06E06.Mistaken.Identity.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track3_[eng]

Man: All hands,
man your battle stations!

Narrator: July 1988.

A U.S. Navy cruiser
is battling Iranian gunboats

in the Persian Gulf.

Suddenly its radar picks up
a mystery aircraft.

Is this plane friend or foe?

They have seven minutes
to decide.

As the aircraft draws closer,
the pressure mounts...

And the captain is faced
with a terrible choice:

Shoot it down or risk the lives
of his own crew?

Flight attendant:
Ladies and gentlemen,
we are starting our approach.

Pilot: We lost both engines!

Flight attendant:
Put the mask over your nose.

Emergency descent.

Pilot: Mayday, mayday.

Flight attendant:
Brace for impact!

Controller: I think I lost one.

Man: Investigation starting...

Man: He's gonna crash!

Narrator: In 1988, Iran and Iraq
have reached a stalemate

in a savage eight-year conflict.

It's a war of attrition,

and both sides' oil exports
are a target.

The united states has become
the chief watchdog

of the Persian Gulf.

Over 30 U.S. Warships
protect neutral tankers.

Dawn, July 3rd.

After a month on routine patrol,

the U.S.S. Vincennes is heading
towards port in Bahrain.

Her crew is due a few days' rest
and recuperation.

But while his men are looking
forward to the July 4th break,

Captain Will Rogers
is already up.

He's received disturbing reports
from U.S. Intelligence,

warning him to expect trouble

from Iranian forces
over this holiday weekend.

Will Rogers: Yeah?

Narrator: In the Vincennes'
combat information center,

the watch officer has received
an urgent message

from another ship
in the U.S. Fleet,

that Iranian gunboats
are harassing

a Pakistani merchant vessel.

Officer: Skipper,
you better come down.

It sounds like the Montgomery's
got her nose in a beehive.

Rogers: I'll be right there.

Narrator: A frigate,
the U.S.S. Elmer Montgomery's,

is north of the Vincennes' near
the narrow strait of Hormuz.

It's here that Iranians
have been most active

attacking oil tankers

as they exit the Persian Gulf.

Designed to protect
an aircraft carrier group,

the Vincennes' is
a billion-dollar aegis cruiser.

It's armed with
mark 26 missile launchers,

harpoon anti-ship missiles,
two 5-inch guns

and the phalanx
close-in weapons system,

which fires over
3,000 rounds a minute.

But what makes the ship
so special

is its high-tech radar.

The phased-array spy 1 can
simultaneously search and track

over 100 targets
over 180 miles away.

To crew members like Mike Zunino
and Mark Nielson,

the Vincennes' is simply
"Star Wars at sea."

Mike Zunino: I was very proud.

Just technically it just felt

like a strong, secure ship
to be on.

We felt invincible, in a way.

Mark Nielson: We had some
of the most up-to-date weaponry

in the radar
and everything else.

There wasn't a whole lot
that we couldn't do.

Narrator: Inside the combat
information center,

captain Rogers oversees
a state-of-the-art

computerized
command and control system.

His large screen displays

give him an instant picture
of the tactical situation.

Lieutenant commander
Vic Guillory

is the tactical action officer,
responsible for surface warfare.

Rogers: Vic, what have we got
on visual?

Vic Guillory: We got a cluster
of Boghammars here,

near the Montgomery's,

another cluster may be closing
a merchant vessel.

Narrator: Over a dozen
Iranian Boghammar gunboats

appear to be preparing
to attack a merchant ship.

Boghammars are the generic name
for fast speedboats,

manned by the Iranian
revolutionary guards,

a fundamentalist
paramilitary force.

Nielson: We knew
that they had rockets,

we knew that they had
machine guns.

We knew that if they got
within a certain range

that they could, you know,
literally fire off their rockets

and cause grave danger.

Narrator: In 1988, Iranian
forces have been attacking

up to 13 foreign tankers
a month.

Their aim is to prevent
Saddam Hussein

from exporting Iraqi oil.

Captain Rogers
sends his helicopter--

call sign ocean lord--

to investigate just what
the gunboats are up to.

Rogers: Roger that.
Vincennes out.

Vector in ocean lord.

Narrator: Ocean lord
is a Sikorsky Seahawk--

a twin-engine helicopter
designed for reconnaissance,

anti-submarine
and anti-ship warfare.

Pilot: Roger, trinity sword,
we read you.

Vectoring toward
Montgomery's now.

Narrator: Ocean lord's pilot
soon finds the gunboats.

They're not acting suspiciously.

But he flies too close
to the Iranian craft.

The response is immediate--
a burst of anti-aircraft fire.

Pilot: Jesus!

Trinity sword,
this is ocean lord 2-5,

we are taking fire!

Executing evasion, clearing!

Rogers: 2-5,
this is trinity sword actual.

Is anyone hurt?

Confirm hostile fire! Over.

Pilot: Trinity sword,
no injuries,

we confirm eight to ten rounds
of air bursts

from the northernmost group
of Iranian small craft. Over.

Rogers: Ocean lord, this is
trinity sword actual--

return immediately
to Vincennes' cover.

Close ocean lord's position
at best speed.

Bearing 3-3-0...

Narrator: Under the U.S.
Rules of engagement,

captain Rogers is allowed
to respond with force

in self-defense.

Guillory: ...full speed.

Rogers: Set general quarters.

Guillory: Officer of the deck,
set general quarters.

Narrator: The situation
escalates rapidly.

Man on intercom:
General quarters,
general quarters.

All hands,
man your battle stations.

Nielson: When we went
to general quarters.

All of the hatches
had to be tightened down,

everything had to be
at a certain level of defense,

in case something happened.

Zunino: Once you get
to that station,

you're supposed to, you don
your helmet and your gas mask.

Nobody is allowed
to move around the ship.

You're to stay at your
battle stations doing your job.

Narrator:
Only six and half minutes after
Rogers calls general quarters,

Vincennes' is ready for combat.

The crew has practiced
the drill many times.

But today it's for real.

By chance a navy media crew
is on the bridge filming

as the ship surges north
at over 30 knots.

Captain Rogers is now heading
for a lethal confrontation

with the Iranian gunboats.

It will be the Vincennes'
first time in action.

The outcome will be
catastrophic.

Captain Rogers has been in
the gulf for just over a month.

But he's already established
a reputation

as a commander who is prepared
to take strong action.

His ship is nicknamed
the Robocruiser.

Guillory:
...set general quarters.

Man on intercom: All hands,
man your battle stations!

Narrator: Meanwhile,
some 54 miles away

at Iran's
Bandar Abbas airport...

Iran air flight 655
is waiting to push back

for a routine 28-minute hop

across the strait of Hormuz
to Dubai.

37-year-old Mohsen Rezaian
is the captain.

His brother Hossein knows
he's dedicated to the job.

Mohsen Rezaian: ...ir655,
standing by for ATC clearance.

Hossein Rezaian: He was really
enjoying what he was doing.

He really liked it.

He was logging so many hours,
over 10,000 hours of flight.

Mohsen Rezaian:
Request update on status...

Narrator: Captain Rezaian's
flight is delayed.

It's 27 minutes behind schedule

due to a passenger
with immigration problems.

The holdup will soon confuse
the crew of the Vincennes',

despite all their
sophisticated technology.

On the bridge, a navy media crew
continues to film

as the Vincennes' closes
to within striking distance

of the Iranian
Boghammar gunboats.

Man: We got a visual
on a Boghammar.

Narrator:
Even though his helicopter
has already been shot at,

captain Rogers only has
the authority to open fire

if he believes his ship
is under direct threat.

In the gulf haze,
it's hard to see

just what the gunboats
are doing.

Man: One appears to be
going aft to starboard,

and one's in the middle.

The starboard bow
has a machine gun on it.

Narrator: But captain Rogers
doesn't have to wait

for the gunboats to open fire.

If they behave aggressively,

that's reason enough for him
to take the first shot.

Man: Coming inbound fast.

The one at 3-5-0 is inbound!

Rogers: As they turned
and began to maneuver

and close us
at fairly high speed

and on erratic courses,

we asked permission
to fire a warning shot.

Rogers: This is Vincennes'.

Request permission
to engage Boghammar group.

Narrator: The surface commander
for the gulf

is on board his ship in Bahrain.

Captain Richard McKenna

has no hesitation
in granting permission.

Richard McKenna: The fact that
the helicopter was shot at

virtually required a response.

Vincennes, this is golf sierra.
Take Boghammar group with guns.

The rules of engagement at that
juncture were quite clear;

and so there was no question

as to what was required
at that juncture.

I say again, take
Boghammar group with guns. Over.

Rogers: Golf sierra.
This is Vincennes'.

Opening fire with guns,
assumed hostile track 4-4-5-6.

Vincennes out.

You can fire for effect.

Man: Taking track with guns.

Take the Boghammars with guns.

Narrator: It's 9:43 a.m.

A routine encounter
in the Persian Gulf

has become deadly serious.

Nielson: The ship shakes.

It's a five-inch gun.

I mean, it's...
There's a lot of power behind it

to propel that projectile.

Narrator: This is the first time

that the crew of the Vincennes'
has ever seen action.

Man: It's at 0-2-8 now.

Nielson: Combat was, you know,
that was the furthest thing,

probably, from any of us, even
though we were a combat ship.

It was, it was one of those
things that's like,

"aw, it will never
happen to us."

But yet it did.

Narrator: The gunboats
are now shooting back,

but their fire is falling short.

The Vincennes' and the
Montgomery's
take them on together.

The battle is fast moving,
with frequent changes in course.

Rogers: We were
maneuvering rapidly

because, in the first place,
my desire was to keep them

at arms length, if you will.

We were shifting targets
as rapidly as we could.

And Montgomery's at the same
time

was directed to engage
small craft, which she did.

Guillory: Verify me
rounds to the tray?

Narrator: The Vincennes'
and the Montgomery's

are now locked
in a full-scale sea battle.

Anything that approaches
the U.S. Ships

will be assessed
as a possible threat.

Man: Battery released
ten rounds, weapons.

Narrator: Lieutenant commander
Scott Lustig

is the officer responsible
for alerting the captain

to potential airborne threats.

He has been tracking an aircraft
that has suddenly changed course

and is now heading
toward the Vincennes'.

Scott Lustig: 4-4-7-2,
Iranian P-3, range 62 miles.

Narrator: The plane
has been identified

as an Iranian P-3 Orion,

a long-range maritime
surveillance aircraft.

In a well-rehearsed procedure,

the Vincennes' warns the P-3
on a military frequency

that he's being tracked.

Man: This is
united states naval warship,

request you state
your intentions.

Pilot: U.S. Warship,
this is Iranian papa 3.

Our intention is search mission.

We'll keep clear of your unit.

Narrator: The pilot promises
to keep his distance.

But captain Rogers knows the P-3
is still watching him on radar.

He's concerned that it could
call in an Iranian air strike.

This battle is becoming
more dangerous by the minute.

Rogers: I want rounds
in the tray!

Give me a firing solution

for that northernmost group
of Boghammars.

Scott, keep me updated
on the P-3.

Narrator: Meanwhile, with all
his passengers finally on board,

captain Rezaian
is ready to depart.

Mohsen Rezaian:
Confirm taxiway 5 is open.

Narrator: On the 3rd of July

there are 10 civilian flights
scheduled from Bandar Abbas.

But the Iranian air force
also uses this airport.

U.S. Intelligence has warned

that the recent transfer
of F-14 fighters here

represents an increased threat.

Controller: Have a nice flight.

Mohsen Rezaian:
655 cleared for takeoff.

Thank you very much.

Narrator: Captain Rezaian
has no way of knowing

that Iran air 655 is heading

directly towards
a raging sea battle.

Within seconds of liftoff, the
Vincennes' detects flight 655.

Sophisticated as the radar is,

it cannot determine the size
or type of aircraft.

Identification supervisor
Anderson begins a routine

to establish whether
the aircraft is a friend or foe.

His first step is to use
a system called ZIFF

Nielson: All large aircraft
have ZIFF

They all have
identification friend or foe.

Every aircraft has its own code,

and you're able to look up
that code and say,

"Okay, it does give you
more information."

Narrator: Anderson sets out
to identify the ZIFF Signal

of this incoming track.

At the press of a button,

an electronic pulse radiates
into the atmosphere,

and aircraft transponders
automatically bounce back

an electronic reply--

squawking the signature modes
and codes

that reveal whether the aircraft
is a friend or foe.

Modes 1, 2 and 4 indicate
military aircraft.

Iran air 655
has squawked mode 3.

Nielson:
Everybody has mode 3.

So, there--that alone doesn't
identify a non-hostile aircraft.

It could be civilian,
it could be military.

Narrator:
Since a military aircraft
could conceal its identity

by squawking mode 3,

Anderson's next step

is to consult
a commercial air schedule.

He looks to see if there's
a passenger flight

due to depart from Bandar Abbas
at this time.

But he finds nothing.

Man: Unidentified Iranian
aircraft on course 2-0-3,

speed 3-0-3 knots,
altitude 4,000 feet.

This is united states...

Narrator:
So the Vincennes' now tries
to contact the plane directly

on a military distress
frequency.

Man: ...40 miles from you.

You are approaching
united states naval warship

in international waters.

Request you state
your intentions. Over.

Narrator:
But there's no response.

For all its state-of-the-art
technology,

the Vincennes'
doesn't have a radio

tuned to civil air traffic
control frequencies.

Man: Unidentified aircraft...

Narrator:
So the only option left

is for the ship to call
the mystery aircraft

on the civilian international
air distress frequency.

Man: ...north 0-5-6-1-6 east.

You are approaching
a united states naval warship.

Request you remain clear.

Narrator: But there's still
no answer from flight 655.

With the incoming plane
closing in on the Vincennes'

at four miles a minute,

Anderson is now
alarmed to discover

its ZIFF Signal
appears to have changed.

The plane is squawking both
mode 3 and mode 2, 1100.

When Anderson consults
his code list,

he makes a disturbing discovery.

The 1100 suggests
that this plane

could be an Iranian
F-14 fighter.

Anderson: All stations ids,
I have a possible mode 2

on track 4-1-3-1, 1-1-0-0,
which breaks as an F-14.

Possible mode 2.

Breaking as an F-14.

I repeat, incoming mode 2.

Narrator: Anderson's words
spread like wildfire

through the Cid.

The aircraft is now labeled
as an F-14 fighter

on the tactical displays
in front of captain Rogers.

30 miles away, the airbus
with its 290 passengers

climbs over the Persian Gulf.

They have no idea that they
have been misidentified

and are flying into danger.

On board the U.S.S. Vincennes,

identification supervisor
Andy Anderson

believes an incoming
civilian airliner

is an Iranian fighter jet.

Anderson: ...which breaks
as an F-14.

Narrator: In the combat
information center,

flight 655 is now labeled
as a hostile F-14.

In the 1970's
the U.S. Sold 80 F-14s

to their then ally,
the shah of Iran.

They are the most up-to-date
fighter

in the Iranian air force.

The Vincennes' crew thinks
they are under attack.

Nielson:
My heartbeat was way up,

my blood pressure was way up.

It was like, wow.

I mean, the adrenaline
was just flowing.

Narrator: Lieutenant commander
Scott Lustig

is captain William Rogers'
anti-air warfare coordinator.

With the incoming plane
only 28 miles away,

he seeks permission
from headquarters

to shoot it down
if it comes too close.

Lustig: My intention is
to engage at 20 nautical miles

if he does not turn away.

Do you concur? Over.

Man: You should
warn aircraft first,

then take it under fire.

Narrator: The pressure
on captain Rogers is mounting.

But at this critical moment,

just when he should be
focusing on this new threat,

his attention is drawn back
to the battle with the gunboats.

Man: We've got
a foul bore down here.

Guillory: Captain, we have
a situation with mount 51!

Narrator:
In the midst of combat,

the Vincennes'
forward 5-inch gun has jammed.

Rogers: All right,
full rudder turn!

Guillory: Bridge, Cic.

Hard to port.

Steady ship's course,
2-8-0 degrees.

Maintain speed.

Man: Set 25 knots.

Narrator: Rogers is forced
to turn his ship at high speed,

swinging the cruiser's
rear gun around

to face the incoming fire.

Nielson: The ship leans, so if
anything was not tied down,

it, of course, went everywhere.

It went sliding off,
up against the wall.

It turned sharp enough
that if you were standing

you had to hold on to something
to keep from falling over.

Rogers: Bring the aft gun
to bear now!

Narrator:
As captain Rogers struggles
to keep the gunboats engaged,

captain Rezaian is busy
with the routines

of climbing
to cruising altitude.

Rezaian: Dubai, 0-7-15.

Controller: Confirm you are
squawking 6-7-6-0.

Rezaian: Affirmative.

Narrator: He confirms
that his aircraft

is transmitting the correct
civilian ZIFF Code,

so that it can be
easily identified on radar.

Narrator: In the Vincennes'
combat information center

lieutenant William Mountford
sees that the approaching plane

is now squawking
a mode 3 ZIFF Response.

He thinks it may not be
a military aircraft after all.

William Mountford:
Sir, possible Commair!

Narrator: Captain Rogers
acknowledges the warning.

But he's still concerned by
the plane's failure to respond.

Rogers: The aircraft was warned,
it was warned a number of times,

continued to close.

Time is the demon here.

If I have a long time
to sort things out,

you're going to take more time
to look at this

and more time to look at that.

Man: Unidentified aircraft...

Narrator: As flight 655 crosses
the critical 23-mile threshold,

the Vincennes'
warns it once again

to alter course
or risk the consequences.

Man: ...20 miles from you.

You are standing into danger
and may be subject

to united states
defensive measures.

Request you remain clear of me.

Narrator: Captain Rogers
now has the authority

to shoot the plane down.

Lustig: Captain, do you wish
to engage at 20 miles?

Captain? Do you wish to engage
the target at 20 miles?

Rogers: I had difficulty
at 20 miles.

I just did not want to shoot.

I could not believe that this
was really happening to us.

Lustig: Captain, do you wish to
engage the target at 20 miles?

Rogers: Negative!

Narrator: Captain Rogers
has delayed firing,

hoping that the plane
will finally respond

to the Vincennes' warnings.

But what happens next
destroys that faint hope.

Petty officer leach

is the Vincennes' tactical
information coordinator.

He is responsible for ensuring
that all air contacts

are properly tracked.

What he reports now
seems to remove any doubts--

this is a hostile aircraft.

Leach: Altitude declining.

Narrator: They see the plane
diving towards them--

a classic attack profile.

Man: Iranian aircraft
on course 2-1-1, speed...

Lustig: Track 4-1-3-1
approaching 13 nautical miles.

Man: ...united states
naval warship

operating in
international waters.

Nielson: Wait a minute.
I could be dead.

The tension is just continually
rising during this whole time.

Everybody was on edge.

Everybody was like,
"Oh, my god. Oh, my god.

What's going to happen next?"

Man: You are subject to
united states defense measures.

Leach: Inbound air contact
closing

and descending
1,000 feet per mile.

Range 13 miles.

Narrator: Iran air 655
now signs off

with Bandar Abbas
air traffic control.

Controller: Have a nice flight.

Mohsen Rezaian:
Thank you, good day.

Lustig: Damn it,
he's getting close.

Guillory: Mark incoming
Boghammar, bearing 0-4-2!

Lustig: Air contact
still inbound.

Increasing speed and descending.

Range: 11 miles!

Narrator:
Captain Rogers' worst fear

is that the Vincennes'
might face the same fate

as another ship,
the U.S.S. Stark.

A year earlier, an Iraqi fighter

launched two exocet missiles
at the stark.

37 sailors were killed,
and the ship was nearly lost.

An inquiry blamed the incident
on failures in command.

The stark had not
defended itself.

Its captain was reprimanded and
allowed to resign from the navy.

Lustig: Captain!

Air contact still inbound,
increasing speed and descending.

Range 11 miles.

Narrator: Captain Rogers isn't
about to make the same mistake.

Rogers: Time is the demon here.

At some point in time
you have to make the decision.

When the aircraft reached
a little over 10 miles,

at that point in time I either
make the decision then,

or I don't make it at all,

because I reach
minimum weapons range.

Narrator:
It's the moment of truth.

Captain Rogers turns
his fire authorization key.

Rogers: Take order
track 4-1-3-1.

Man: Do I have a take order
on the contact?

Lustig: Yes, take.

Man: Birds away. Rails clear.

Taylor: Iranian aircraft on
course 2-0-9, speed 3-5-3...

Narrator:
As the final warning goes out

on the military
air distress frequency,

Rogers keeps his finger
on the "Hold fire" button

so he can destroy the missiles

if the aircraft
finally responds.

Man: Estimate 10 seconds
to intercept.

Man: Oh, dead!

Narrator: Up on the bridge,
the crew has confirmed the kill.

Man: We had to have got it!
That was a dead on!

Man: Relax.
Keep the noise down.

Narrator: The plane they
believed was attacking them

has been destroyed.

Captain William Rogers

thinks he has saved
his ship from destruction.

Nothing could be
further from the truth.

Far from saving his crew,

Rogers has just made a decision
that will shock the world.

Captain Rogers has made
a fatal mistake.

He's destroyed
an Iranian passenger jet,

flying in an international
air corridor.

290 passengers and crew
are dead.

Iranian television broadcasts
distressing footage

of their bodies
floating in the gulf.

Narrator: For captain Rogers,
the burden is heavy.

Whatever mistakes
have been made,

he bears the ultimate
responsibility.

But for the victims' families,
it's worse.

Captain Rezaian's
elder brother Hossein

tries to identify his remains

in a temporary mortuary
in Bandar Abbas.

Hossein Rezaian: When I, uh...

Look at those bodies,

I just, uh...

I just can't control myself.

I just try to,
to think about something else.

Not, uh, not to think
of what I saw.

Narrator: Captain Rezaian's body
is never recovered.

Hossein Rezaian:
Really, it shattered our family.

Especially his kids, his wife,
my parents...

Which, uh, they're still living,
and, uh...

And, uh, there is not a day
that they don't talk about this,

of what happened,

why it should have happened.

Narrator: There is an immediate
international outcry.

The world wants to know
how a cruiser

with a state-of-the-art
combat system

could have mistaken
a passenger airliner

for an attacking
Iranian fighter.

William Fogarty: Captain,
do you swear that the evidence

you are giving in this matter
now in investigation...

Narrator:
The U.S. Government appoints
rear admiral William Fogarty

to conduct an inquiry
to find out what went wrong.

Fogarty: My first reaction was
it was a tragedy.

The thing that stuck the most
to me was, you've got some,

a lot of responsibilities
ahead of you, Fogarty,

and probably
some sleepless nights.

...and nothing but the truth,
so help you god?

Rogers: I do.

Narrator: The inquiry
is conducted in accord

with the uniform code
of military justice.

The stakes are high.

Investigative journalist
Roger Charles

is a former marine officer
who has examined the story.

Roger Charles: You're looking at
a guy who's on top of the world,

he's the captain of
a billion-dollar aegis cruiser,

and now he's sitting at a table

facing a possible court-martial
and, you know, even prison time.

Narrator: Admiral Fogarty's team
now scrutinizes the actions

of the Vincennes' crew
in forensic detail.

When flight 655
first appears on radar,

the U.S.S. Vincennes
is in the midst of a battle

with Iranian gunboats.

All aircraft within a radius
of 62 miles are monitored

to ensure they do not
pose a threat.

So identification supervisor
Anderson starts

by checking
his commercial air schedule

to determine if this
is a passenger flight.

But he's confused.

The schedule lists departures
in local time.

Anderson is unsure whether that
means the time in Bandar Abbas

or Bahrain time,
which is used on the ship.

Charles: You have
the almost 30-minute delay

caused by the late departure
of ir655

due to a passenger
with a visa problem.

Then you have the 30-minutes
different time zone.

So he looks at it, and he's seen
there's nobody within an hour

scheduled to be over us.

Narrator: The ZIFF System

is supposed to distinguish
friend from foe.

Admiral Fogarty
knows it's critical

to establish how the Vincennes'
could have confused

a commercial airliner
squawking mode 3

with a fighter emitting mode 2.

Fogarty: And in your mind,
that was not Commair?

Anderson: In my mind, sir,
it was not a Commair.

Fogarty: And why?

Anderson: Because I had saw
that mode 2 squawk, sir.

Fogarty: The mode 2 was
the big indicator for you?

Anderson: Yes, sir.

Narrator: From intelligence,
Fogarty discovers

that as flight 655
prepares for takeoff,

an Iranian F-14 is also
on the tarmac at Bandar Abbas.

It now appears that although
Anderson rolls his ball tab

to "hook" flight 655
as it takes off,

he leaves it hooked
for almost 90 seconds.

So although the hook symbol
moves towards the Vincennes',

the system is still reading
ZIFF Signals

from the airport
at Bandar Abbas.

It's a human error
caused by poor design

on this high-tech warship.

Fogarty: He left the ball tab
on Bandar Abbas.

So what we believed happened,

and I'm pretty sure
this is exactly what happened,

he picked up the mode 2
of the Iranian fighter

that was getting ready
for takeoff behind the airbus.

Narrator:
The identification of an F-14

appears to confirm intelligence
warning captain Rogers

to anticipate trouble
over the July 4th weekend.

He now believes
the aircraft is part

of a coordinated strike
on the Vincennes'

from both sea and air.

Mountford:
Sir, possible Commair!

Narrator: So he places
less weight on the warning

that the incoming plane is
possibly a commercial airliner.

Fogarty: Do you recall
lieutenant Mountford

saying "Commair, Commair?"

Rogers: I absolutely
remember him telling me that.

And I think I raised my hand
or something to that effect

to indicate that I'd heard him.

Fogarty: You held up
your decision to fire?

Rogers: Yes, sir.

Fogarty: Why?

Rogers: I wanted every bit
of information I could get.

ZIFF Was an indicator,

but I didn't care whether 1100
was an F-14

or that faker
that flies around out there.

At this point I thought,
they always talk to us.

Taylor: Iranian aircraft
on course 2-1-1...

Narrator:
The Vincennes' transmits
a total of ten radio warnings.

Why does flight 655
never respond?

Fogarty:
What we do know for sure

is the aircraft did not respond
to the warnings.

He had to have something,
he being the commanding officer,

as proof that this was
commercial air.

He never got that.

Taylor: Unidentified Iranian
aircraft on course 2-0...

Narrator: But the Vincennes'
transmits seven warnings

on a military frequency
that flight 655 cannot receive.

Charles: The airbus did not even
have a radio that was set

or could accept the military
air distress frequency.

I mean, it's just not
something they had,

they had no need for it.

They were
a commercial airplane.

Narrator: The Vincennes'
broadcasts only three warnings

on the civil distress frequency.

But they don't clearly identify

exactly who the ship
is trying to contact.

Throughout its flight,

Iran air 655
transmits its squawk code--

the unique label that tells
radars what flight it is.

If the Vincennes' had called out
that squawk code,

captain Rezaian
could have known immediately

they were talking to him.

But the U.S. Navy does not
require its radio operators

to use this code when talking
to civilian aircraft.

As flight 655 nears his ship...

Lustig: Captain, do you wish
to engage at 20 miles?

Narrator: ...the pressure on
captain Rogers becomes intense.

Lustig: Captain? Do you wish to
engage the target at 20 miles?

Fogarty: When you look
at the time window that he had,

he waited till
the very last minute.

And it becomes a point of,
"am I going to shoot

or am I not going to shoot
and wait?"

In which case he would not be
following his responsibilities

to protect his ship
and his crew.

Narrator: The decisive factor in
captain Rogers' decision to fire

are the reports he receives

that the plane is descending
towards him,

apparently about to attack.

Leach: Altitude declining.

Narrator:
It's the crucial moment.

The inquiry team

presses tactical information
coordinator leach on his call.

Fogarty: Okay,
were you reporting

descending elevations
over the net?

Leach: Over the internal net?
Yes, sir.

Fogarty: So in other words,
when you saw that track,

that aircraft start descending,

you were reporting that up
to T.A.O, C.O., golf whiskey?

Leach: Yes, sir.

Narrator:
Like an aircraft's black box,

the Vincennes' computers
have recorded all the data

on the combat information
center's screens.

Those records show

that Iran air 655
had never descended.

Fogarty: It was, in fact,
ascending the whole time.

That was a revelation that, uh,
we, uh, we had not anticipated.

Leach: Altitude declining!

Fogarty: Is it possible,
is it possible that somebody,

although the data showed perhaps
that it was going up,

would say it's going down,
descending?

Narrator: Fogarty sends
a medical team,

including a psychiatrist,
to the Vincennes'.

They report that a condition
called "scenario fulfillment"

could have played a part
in the tragedy.

Leach: Range 13 miles.

Fogarty: And, as it turns out,

where you believe something
so badly is going to happen,

that whether the data shows you
it's not the case,

you believe it's happening.

Narrator: Had those in command
on that day

checked their monitors,

they would have seen
that flight 655

was not diving
in a classic attack profile,

but was continuing
a steady climb.

Yet no one thought to do so.

Fogarty: Well, Scott,
we have this disparity

between what the data
indicates happened

and what the people said they
saw at their various altitudes.

Any idea why?

Lustig: Sir, the disparity
baffles me.

I've thought about this
for many days now,

and I came to the realization

that this data to me
doesn't mean anything,

because I reacted to people
I had operated with

who were reliable.

And when they reported
at short range

they had decreasing altitude,
increasing speed,

I had no reason to doubt them.

I had to make a split second
recommendation

to the commanding officer,
and I did.

Narrator:
So lieutenant commander Lustig
trusts his men's judgment.

And captain Rogers trusts
lieutenant commander Lustig's.

Rogers: My confidence
in lieutenant commander Lustig

confirmed to me that the
aircraft was, in fact, a threat.

At nine miles, I felt

I could no longer delay
defensive action.

I granted firing permission.

Rogers:
Take order track 4-1-3-1.

Narrator:
The Vincennes' sophisticated
combat information system

gives its crew
accurate information.

But their fear has created
a threat where none exists.

After a month, admiral Fogarty's
investigation is over.

He finds that
"the downing of Iran air 655

was not the result of any
negligent or culpable conduct

by any U.S. Naval personnel."

Captain Rogers
"acted in a prudent manner"

given the information
available to him

and the short timeframe

in which he had to make
his critical decision.

Fogarty says Iran must share
the responsibility

for "hazarding one
of their civilian airliners...

In close proximity
to hostilities."

The U.S. Government
publishes an edited version

of admiral Fogarty's inquiry.

But it has concealed
one key fact from the world.

That fact will cast
a whole new light

on the tragedy
of Iran air flight 65.

In august 1988,

a detailed inquiry

into the shooting down
of Iran air 655

concludes that the captain and
crew of the U.S.S. Vincennes

acted properly in the face
of what they believed

was a threat to their ship.

But investigative journalist
roger Charles is not convinced.

He reads a copy
of the Fogarty inquiry

and wonders why
it contains no map

showing the Vincennes' position.

Charles: I knew the fact
that there was no such chart

in the Fogarty report,
again, was a signal,

and a curious signal to me,
"why is it not there?"

Mountford: Skipper,
you better come down.

It sounds like the Montgomery's
got her nose in a beehive.

Rogers: I'll be right there.

Narrator:
When captain Rogers first hears

that Iranian gunboats are
harassing merchant shipping,

the Vincennes' is well south
of the Montgomery's

and destined for port
in Bahrain.

Rogers: Golf sierra,
this is Vincennes'.

Request permission to support
the U.S.S. Montgomery

against surface contacts. Over.

Narrator: Rogers asks
captain Richard McKenna,

his surface commander,

for permission to turn north
to support the Montgomery's.

But McKenna only authorizes him

to send his helicopter
to investigate.

Rogers: Roger that.
Vincennes out.

Vector in ocean lord.

Narrator: But captain McKenna
is later startled to discover

that the Vincennes'
has turned around

and has closed
on the Montgomery's position.

He orders him to leave
the helicopter in place

and turn back immediately.

McKenna:
My own personal opinion is,

it really did feel that they
were looking for action

when they went to see
the Elmer Montgomery's.

My own feeling
is that the situation

was not out of control.

It was really my call,

and yet even though they were
assigned another station,

they took it upon themselves
to be there.

And to that extent, I feel that,
you know, I mean,

that's where
the general feeling,

and not just my own,

comes that maybe they were
looking for trouble.

Pilot: Jesus!

Trinity sword,
this is ocean lord 2-5.

We're taking fire...

Narrator: But once
the Iranian gunboats fired

on the Vincennes' helicopter,

the situation changed.

Rogers: Close ocean lord's
position at best speed.

Narrator:
The rules of engagement

now allow captain Rogers
to respond with force.

Rogers: General quarters.
Guillory: Officer of the deck...

Narrator:
He is now authorized to head off
in hot pursuit of the gunboats.

But where does that lead him?

In 1990 roger Charles obtains
a copy of a restricted report

on the destruction
of Iran air 655

by the international
civil aviation organization.

It gives the Vincennes'
coordinates.

When Charles plots them
on a chart,

he makes a startling discovery.

At the time of the shoot-down,
the Vincennes' is 2 1/2 miles

inside Iranian
territorial waters.

Man: We're about 9.3 miles
from Gresham island.

Narrator:
By chasing the gunboats

back into Iranian territory,

Rogers inadvertently
places his ship

directly in the flight path
of Iran air 655.

Man: Officer of the deck.

Presently hold the ship

crossing the Iranian
declared war zone line.

Charles: If Rogers
had not taken the Vincennes'

up to attack the gunboats,

there would have been
no shoot-down of ir655.

I mean, that's clear.

There would have been
no ongoing surface action.

Rogers would have had
his radar screen set

for the air side of things.

The focus would have only been
on the air picture.

They would have had
plenty of time

to make a proper determination

that this was
a commercial airliner.

Narrator: Despite the tragedy,

the crew of the Vincennes'
receives a heroes' welcome

on their return to port
in San Diego.

Lustig: Captain, do you wish to
engage the target at 20 miles?

Narrator: Lieutenant commander
Scott Lustig

is awarded
a navy commendation medal

for his "ability to maintain
his poise and confidence

under fire."

Rogers: Take order,
track 4-1-3-1!

Narrator: Captain Rogers
receives the legion of merit

for his performance

as commanding officer
of the Vincennes'.

Both men have since retired
from the navy.

Every year the families of those
who died on Iran air 655

commemorate their loss
in the Persian Gulf.

For Hossein Rezaian, the brother
of flight 655's captain,

time has not healed the wounds.

Hossein Rezaian:
I still feel the same way.

Although I try to keep
myself busy,

not to think about that.

Because it's still, uh,

I mean, it's an unforgettable...

Human tragedy.

Even after 17 years passed,

the horrors of what went on
in that, uh...

In that day, you know,

still, uh, still lingers on
in everybody's life.

Narrator: In a world
where technology grows

ever more sophisticated,

fear--the most basic
of human instincts--

can create
the greatest tragedies.