--- title: "This was the last enemy ship sunk by the US Navy in combat" description: "The USS Simpson, who lowered her flag for the last time in 2015, was the only ship in the active fleet which sank an enemy ship in combat." date: "2022-10-11" modified: "2023-10-10" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/uss-simpson-sunk-enemy-ship/" categories: - "History" - "Navy" - "Ships" - "Tactical" --- # This was the last enemy ship sunk by the US Navy in combat ![uss simpson]() *An aerial view of the Iranian frigate IS Sahand (74) burning on 18 April 1988 after being attacked by aircraft of U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing 11 in retaliation for the mining of the guided missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58)* When the last Perry-class frigate, the *USS Simpson*, lowered her flag for the last time in 2015, it left only one ship in the active fleet which sank an enemy ship in combat. The* USS Constitution* sank an enemy ship, the British *HMS Guerriere*, during the War of 1812. The target sank by the *Simpson* was much more recent than that. She sank an Iranian patrol boat in the Persian Gulf in 1988. There are just no more deepwater targets threatening the [American Navy]() these days. ![russian enemy ship]() *Russia's garbage scow of a carrier can go sail off the edge of the world. (Wikipedia)* In 1988, the war between Iran and Iraq was winding down but could still break out in hot spots here and there. But the Iranian Navy's most intense battle of the war came against the U.S. Navy, not Iraq's. For the United States, it was the most explosive surface battle it faced since World War II. When the *USS Samuel B. Roberts* struck a mine in the Persian Gulf, the Navy launched Operation Praying Mantis, a massive retaliation that destroyed half the Iranian Navy and a number of the Islamic Republic's oil drilling platforms. The cost to the U.S. Navy was just two Marines, who died in a helicopter accident that day. ![iranian enemy ship]() *The Iranian frigate IS *Sahand* (74) burns after being attacked by aircraft of Carrier Air Wing II from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS *Enterprise* (CVN-65), in retaliation for the mining of the guided missile frigate USS *Samuel B. Roberts* (FFG-58). The ship was hit by three Harpoon missiles plus cluster bombs. (Wikipedia)* It was a long day for the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy. U.S. Marines were raiding oil platforms with precision that would have made Chesty Puller proud. Naval aviators were dropping precision bombs down the enemy's smokestacks. It was a free-for-all as the United States just unleashed the full power of the Navy in the Gulf. Frigates, gunboats, speedboats, and more all became target practice. One of those targets was the *Joshan*, a *Kaman*-class fast attack craft that decided to run head-on against an entire surface action group. By itself. ![iranian navy]() *Iranian Separ Cruiser delivered by the Defense Forces to the Iranian Navy. (Wikipedia)* Yeah, they all died. *Joshan* engaged the *USS Simpson* and *USS Wainwright* after the latter ship's skipper warned the Iranians that further movement would cause for the Americans to sink her. Her response to the warning was to fire a harpoon missile at the ships. *Wainwright* and *Simpson* evaded the missile using chaff and then turned their attention back to the Iranian gunboat. It only [took four missiles]() from the *Oliver Hazard Perry*-class missile destroyers to put the *Joshan* at the bottom of the Gulf. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()