Original subtitles

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.