When you hear the term “praying mantis,” you probably think of the little green insect that looks as if it’s praying. And that’s true, it’s actually an insect.

What you probably don’t know is that there was a military operation called “Operation Praying Mantis.” Not because it involved an insect, but because the military is creative with the naming of its operations. This operation was the largest surface engagement of the U.S. Navy since World War II.

The original plan was to maintain stability in the region, but Iranian aggression against neutral shipping forced a change in tactics. If you’re curious how this escalated, follow along with this story of the U.S. Navy’s decisive retaliation.

What’s the Connection to Operation Earnest Will?

The U.S. Navy frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts was sailing through the seas of the Persian Gulf for Operation Earnest Will. While the operations were separate, they are deeply connected because Operation Praying Mantis was the direct response to an attack on the Roberts.

During Operation Earnest Will, the Navy’s main goal for the mission was to guide reflagged oil tankers from Kuwait through the Gulf and protect them from attacks from Iran and Iraq.

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Everything was proceeding according to plan until Commander Paul Rinn, commanding officer of the Samuel B. Roberts, noticed mines floating in the water.

"I think we're in a minefield," Rinn announced. "I want you all to go to your general quarters stations, but get up above the main deck. I'm confident we can get out."

Moments later, an M-08 naval mine detonated right under the ship. The massive explosion broke the ship’s keel and threw Commander Rinn into the air, causing him to break his foot upon landing.

The Iranian Naval Mine

Rear Adm. Anthony Less radioed Rinn, giving him permission to abandon the ship. Rinn responded with the ship's motto: "No higher honor." This was a nod to the first USS Samuel B. Roberts, which was sunk while charging Japanese battleships at the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.

As the crew fought to save the ship, they noticed more mines floating that matched an Iranian minelayer they encountered months ago. Now, it was clear to them who was behind those floating mines. It was an Iranian naval mine.

Because there were additional mines, they conducted damage control for longer than 7 hours. Nonetheless, Commander Rinn’s crew managed to save the ship, and that was when they called for backup.

Show Time: Operation Praying Mantis

Days after the mining of the Samuel B. Roberts, the U.S. Navy responded on April 18. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. William Crowe, personally instructed Rear Adm. Less to execute the retaliation plan.

Operation Praying Mantis had the goal to destroy 2 Iranian oil platforms that were used as command-and-control centers for attacks on shipping. And secondly, they also had to sink the Iranian frigate Sabalan.

SAG Bravo then began the operation as planned and approached the Sassan oil platform off the coast of Iran. While Capt. James Perkins boarded USS Merrill and broadcast warnings in English, Arabic, and Farsi.

After the warning, the Iranian staff had only 20 minutes to evacuate. Others left, others stayed and opened fire with twin-barreled 23mm anti-aircraft guns. The Navy planted about 1,200 pounds of C4 explosives, and next thing you know, the Iranian outpost was already covered in fire.

The Missile Duel

The Iranian Navy’s response was quick. The missile boat Joshan sortied from Bushire and headed towards the American ships. Capt. James Chandler, aboard the USS Wainwright, tracked the hostile vessel on radar.

He issued a warning, to which the Iranian vessel replied:

"I am doing my duty. I am in international waters and will commit no provocative attack."

Despite this claim, the Joshan continued to close in, ignoring four subsequent warnings.

"We were locked and loaded and ready to go," said Tom Buterbaugh, who manned the Simpson's combat systems. "We already had a war shot, a white bird on the rail, all of our fire control radars were pointing right at him."

When the Joshan was just 13 nautical miles away, Chandler gave his final warning: "Stop and abandon ship. I intend to sink you."

The Joshan responded by firing a Harpoon missile at the U.S. ships. The Wainwright deployed chaff to decoy the missile, which drifted harmlessly away. The U.S. response was immediate: the Simpson and Wainwright fired SM-1 Standard missiles, destroying the Joshan’s superstructure. The vessel was finished off with naval gunfire, ending the only ship-versus-ship missile duel in U.S. Navy history.

The Frigate Battles: Sahand and Sabalan

But the fight wasn't over. The Iranian frigate IS Sahand entered the fight to challenge American aircraft. U.S. A-6 Intruders and the USS Joseph Strauss responded with Harpoon missiles and laser-guided bombs. The Sahand was hit, burned, and eventually sank.

Later that day, the IS Sabalan—the ship originally targeted for its attacks on merchant vessels—fired a missile at U.S. aircraft. An A-6 Intruder responded by dropping a Mk-82 laser-guided bomb directly down the Sabalan’s smokestack.

The explosion crippled the ship, leaving it dead in the water. U.S. commanders ordered the attack suspended to prevent further loss of life, and the Sabalan was towed back to port, destroyed as a fighting unit.

The U.S. Navy Restored the National Pride

The only American casualty happened when a Marine AH-1T Sea Cobra helicopter from HML/A-167 crashed into the Gulf southwest of Abu Musa Island. Marine Captains Kenneth Hill and Stephen Leslie both died because of this.

Today, Operation Praying Mantis is considered the largest U.S. Navy surface engagement since World War II. It’s the first surface engagement in which anti-ship missiles were exchanged with an enemy.

"Operation Praying Mantis gave the U.S. Navy the opportunity for America to regain credibility," Rear Adm. Langston wrote. "And credibility is directly linked to restoring our national pride."

This history is reminding us that if you push the U.S. Navy far enough, you won’t like it. And this specific story proved what happens when the wrong line gets crossed.

Read next:

• The USO Turns 85: The History of the United Services Organization from 1941 to Today
• How the USS Nautilus Made History and Changed the U.S. Navy Forever
• Operation Plumbbob and the Strange Idea of Using Nuclear Balloons

Sources:

• USS Samuel B. Roberts: Bravery and Sacrifice
• Operation Praying Mantis: That Time America Decimated Iran's Navy
• Operation Earnest Will
• Operation Earnest Will—The U.S. Foreign Policy behind U.S. Naval Operations in the Persian Gulf 1987–89; A Curious Case
• “No Higher Honor”—The Battle of Samar, 25 October 1944