New documentary recounts USS Cole attack and crew heroism
A new three-part documentary, 'USS Cole: Al Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11,' released by Big Media and DailyWire+, examines the 2000 Al Qaeda bombing of the U.S. Navy destroyer in Yemen. The film highlights the crew's bravery and the limitations of pre-9/11 counterterrorism efforts. It also covers the subsequent investigation and pursuit of perpetrators.
The attack on the USS Cole took place on October 12, 2000, during a routine refueling stop at the Port of Aden in Yemen. A small boat carrying concealed explosives approached the port side of the ship, with two men on board making friendly gestures to sailors before detonating their cargo. The blast created a 40-foot-wide hole in the hull near the galley, where many crew members were lining up for lunch, killing 17 personnel and injuring 40 others. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility, with the operation coordinated by operatives trained in Afghanistan. The assault was linked to an earlier failed attempt to bomb the USS The Sullivans in January 2000.
The crew responded with remarkable courage and professionalism. Within minutes, medical personnel triaged and evacuated the wounded, many trapped under collapsed bulkheads. Injured sailors fought flooding and fires for over 96 hours in total darkness, without adequate sleep or food, amid threats of further explosions and despite losing key leaders. Assistance from British Royal Navy ships and French military medical aid helped save lives and prevent the ship from sinking. The Cole was later repaired in the U.S. and remains in service today.
The documentary features insights from Commander Kirk S. Lippold, the ship's skipper, on navigating pre-9/11 restrictions against terror threats. It also details the FBI investigation, which sent over 100 agents to Yemen to work with local authorities, conducting interviews and collecting evidence that confirmed Al Qaeda's role. By late 2000, two suspected masterminds were arrested but escaped Yemeni jails and were later killed in U.S. airstrikes. Another planner, captured in 2002, was sent to Guantanamo Bay and charged with the bombing and other offenses. Investigations identified numerous unindicted co-conspirators, with U.S. authorities continuing the pursuit.
The film underscores how the Cole incident led to major changes in U.S. Navy force protection protocols and counterterrorism policy. As former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence Mark Kelton writes, it raises questions about distractions that allowed the attack, echoing John Paul Jones' famous retort: “I have not yet begun to fight.” The documentary honors the crew's sacrifice as a precursor to the broader fight against Al Qaeda post-9/11.