War and Conflict Journal

In March of 2009, several incidents took place between
the military forces of the United States and the military
forces of the People’s Republic of China at sea. Below is a
listing of these naval and air incidents… READ THE REST AT HISTORYGUY.COM

March 8, 2009–Five Chinese vessels
harassed and obstructed the USNS Impeccable in the South
China Sea, 70 mile from the coast of the Chineses island
of Hainan. The Chinese ships surrounded the Impeccable
and two of the ships closed to within 50 feet of the
American ship. The Chinese ships included a Chinese navy
intelligence collection ship, a Bureau of Maritime
Fisheries patrol vessel, a State Oceanographic
Administration patrol vessel and two small
Chinese-flagged trawlers.

Crewmen aboard the Impeccable used fire hoses to spray
one of the harassiing Chinese ships as a protective
measure. The Chinese crewmembers stripped to their
underwear and continued manning their posts, closing to
within 25 feet of the Americans.

The Chinese also dropped pieces of wood into the water
directly in the Impeccable’s path, and two of the
ships halted directly in the U.S. vessel’s path,
forcing it to stop.