The 1988 mine strike on the USS Samuel B. Roberts offers a stark warning about the perils of naval escorts in the Persian Gulf. Nearly 40 years ago, an undetected mine exploded under the frigate, tearing a 21-foot hole in its hull and injuring 10 crew members. The blast nearly sank the 445-foot vessel, which was part of Operation Earnest Will, a U.S. escort effort to protect Kuwaiti tankers during the Iran-Iraq War.

This historical incident gains new relevance as President Trump considers providing naval escorts for stranded tankers amid Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. About 800 tankers are currently idling north and south of the strait, waiting for safe passage through waters that carry a fifth of the world's oil and gas. The Samuel B. Roberts crew's heroic efforts to save their ship - using pillows, mattresses, and plywood to plug flooding compartments - became "a touchstone tale of courage and competence" according to naval historian Bradley Peniston.

Today's escort operations would face similar dangers despite modern technology like underwater drones for mine detection. Any vessel involved in mine sweeping or escorting remains vulnerable to Iranian missiles, creating what experts call "running the gantlet." The 1988 strike demonstrates that even with advanced naval capabilities, the fundamental risks of escorting ships through mined waters remain unchanged.