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Second US Warship Enters Black Sea To "Promote Peace And Stability"

Tyler Durden's picture


Less than two short weeks ago, the US sent their first warship into The Black Sea to "reassure NATO allies and Black Sea partners." Since then, thing shave escalated and then de-escalated last week with the so-called "truce deal." So why is the US sending a second ship? The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50), homeported in Mayport, Fla., will enter the Black Sea April 22 to "promote peace and stability in the region." We are sure that Putin will stand idly by and watch as NATO and the US build forces on his borders, but no matter how aggressive his response, the US Navy combat dolphin and sea lion team will not accompany the mission.


As Navy reports,




The U.S. Navy routinely operates ships in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and International Law. Taylor's mission is to reassure NATO allies of the U.S. Navy's commitment to strengthen and improve interoperability while working toward mutual goals in the region.


Taylor recently completed repairs at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece. After a round of sea trials that measured the vessel's performance, general seaworthiness, speed and maneuverability, she has now resumed her operations.


Taylor is deployed in a multi-mission role in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to contribute to regional maritime security, conduct bilateral and multilateral training missions, and to support NATO operations and deployments throughout the region.

We are sure Putin will simply watch and not respond in any way as this happens, but as The Guardian reports,

However ominously martial Russia’s actions toward Ukraine have become, the next combatants in the crisis will not be the US navy’s fleet of dolphins.



Yes, the navy trains and keeps dolphins, whose powerful innate echolocation abilities help sailors spot suspicious undersea objects that might be mines. The marine mammal enlistees are the aquatic equivalent of the dogs, whose sophisticated sense of smell has aided US soldiers in the hunt for homemade insurgent bombs on land.

But, contrary to reports, the dolphins are not accompanying the USS Donald Cook to the Black Sea.

Russia’s Izvestia newspaper recently asserted that a team of US dolphins had formed a maritime security perimeter around the Cook, a guided missile destroyer the US recently sent to international waters near Ukraine.

Last week, Russian fighter jets passed over the warship in a move the Pentagon considered a provocation, but it is unclear what the dolphins would have done to confront Russian airpower.


The question is moot, since, according to the navy, the dolphins were never alongside the Cook in the first place.

“There is no truth to this report,” said Lieutenant Commander Katie Cerezo, a navy spokeswoman.

The dolphins and sea lions are rarely deployed. In addition to worldwide demonstrations and exhibitions, the vast majority of actual naval dolphin operations are conducted in US harbors and ports, said Ed Budzyna, a spokesman for the naval marine mammal program.


“As far as being deployed to other regions and areas, that doesn’t really happen,” Budzyna said. “I don’t believe they were ever at the Black Sea."


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Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:41 | 4684292 Tengri Temujin
Tengri Temujin's picture

Its the Black Sea how the heck are we going to see it at the bottom when its sunk?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:53 | 4684337 Wolferl
Wolferl's picture

Stupid move. If Putin kills Flipper he´ll be dead on the PR front. Doesn´t anyone know how to lead a propaganda war at the Pentagon?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:55 | 4684343 New England Patriot
New England Patriot's picture

War is peace, chaos is stability.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:05 | 4684369 Xibalba
Xibalba's picture

ordo ab chao

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:27 | 4684426 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

So long, and thanks for all of the fish.

Also, don't forget your towel.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:14 | 4684574 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

"So long, and thanks for all of the fish."

Funny. The GF and I are planning on leaving the US soon. We call it "dolphin mode" because of this Adams' quote.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:56 | 4684725 mjcOH1
mjcOH1's picture



Sort of like this:

"In mid-2000, the U.S.Navy removed the frigates' Mk 13 single-arm missile launchers and magazines because the primary missile, the Standard SM-1MR, became outmoded.... The "zone-defense" anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) capability has vanished, and all that remains is a "point-defense" type of AAW armament."


IE... it's defenseless.   The Russians know it.   The Kenyan dares not goad the bear.  

This is merely to (try to) convince the US electorate he's not an impotent sap.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:05 | 4684772 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

"The Russians know it."

I hope the Israelis don't know it.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:28 | 4684428 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

NEWSFLASH; Putin deploys killers whales to Chesapeake Bay.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:22 | 4684598 666
666's picture

Dolphin drones.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:37 | 4684661 Leaping Lizard
Leaping Lizard's picture

Now when they send in the Navy Seals they have to include a barrel of fresh fish.  Wish we wouldn't contaminate other species with our psychopathy.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:01 | 4684754 disabledvet
Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:14 | 4684573 Tompooz
Tompooz's picture

Gotta love Orwell.  


Yea! Let's send a peace-ship!

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 21:44 | 4685113 intric8
intric8's picture

This development is double plus good! The ministry of love has assured us that the spreading of love will result from this. They are making LOVE, not war. [ns]

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:16 | 4684810 monkeyboy
monkeyboy's picture

Brought to you by Sea World...

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:54 | 4684341 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

Dispatch a dolphin with a camera.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:26 | 4684424 swmnguy
swmnguy's picture

Mutant Sea Bass. Sharks with fricking "laser" beams.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:44 | 4684299 drink or die
drink or die's picture

Wasn't the Taylor the ship that ran aground during Sochi?


edit: Yes, it was. They got a new captain though, so maybe this time they will be able to drive it straight.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:46 | 4684312 Truther
Truther's picture

Trying another run for it. Could damage it the first time.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:08 | 4684372 navy62802
navy62802's picture

Gulf of Tonkin, Black Sea Edition.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:54 | 4684501 IronForge
IronForge's picture

She's Floating Fodder - designed to taunt and distract TEAM_RUS.

A Twilight Assignment before Decommisioning.  Maybe they'll try to stage a SINKEX (Sinking Excercise - i.e., Target Practice) along with a NeoCon Propaganda Show.

FFGlets are too vulnerable on their own.  

Do Ms. Nuland and Oligarchs have Torpedo Boats, Small Submarines, or Manned Torpedoes at their disposal?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:12 | 4684563 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

Nothing like wasting taxpayer dollars to send two ships to toot around the Black Sea.

And how is that de-escalation in any sense of the word?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:44 | 4684305 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

A couple of cruise missles each and those boats are on the bottom.

This is theater and everyone has read the script.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:21 | 4684408 Omen IV
Omen IV's picture




Apparently, all efforts to revive the "Aegis" and provide target information for the defence failed. Russia's reaction to military pressure from the United States was profoundly calm, feels the Russian political scientist Pavel Zolotarev:

Read more:

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:30 | 4684435 nightshiftsucks
nightshiftsucks's picture

Bullshit,and I have aa 12" penis.hahhahha

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:35 | 4684447 knukles
knukles's picture

And "Donald Cook" is now Baron of Skidmarks and Lord High Smearies.  
Jerry Kohn says he has a 14" penis, BTW 

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 00:15 | 4685464 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

Continuing with ZH tradition:  "So, ya say he's hung like a horse?"

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:17 | 4684583 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

Flat BS. How would anyone external know the screens went dark?

You CANNOT resign from the US military except if you are an officer. This sounds to me like old fashioned Pravda drivel.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:40 | 4684667 Tengri Temujin
Tengri Temujin's picture

Not unless afterwards they picked up communications between the ship and HQ describing what happened.

I mean they got Nuland on the phone.

Mon, 05/05/2014 - 00:25 | 4727445 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

I'm very skeptical. They didn't even get the number of U.S. crew members right.

Sounds like b.s. - maybe for the American public so they are less supportive of US military actions ?  (As if the fed govt listens to the American people. The author has a lot to learn about the U.S.)

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 00:49 | 4685510 angel_of_joy
angel_of_joy's picture

Su-24 is an old, old aircraft (operational in 1974). The Aegis sytem is the newest (and the most expensive) the USN has to date.

If this is even half true, the Russians got a huge ROI out of it...

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:45 | 4684310 HamRove
HamRove's picture

"Peace And Stability"

War is Peace
Slavery is Freedom yada yada yada

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:46 | 4684313 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

Long dolphins.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:56 | 4684350 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

More tuna-free dolphin in my can thanks...

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:46 | 4684317 QQQBall
QQQBall's picture

Flipper is on our side, so how can anything go wrong.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:49 | 4684321 Charles Nelson ...
Charles Nelson Reilly's picture

Make sure the Japs ain't around... Dolphin meat has replaced sex for a lot of them

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:58 | 4684324 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

A U.S. Navy trained Special Forces, MacGyver Kung-Fu Dolphin - ON EARTH DAY!

It probably is trained to fly a carbon monoxide emitting, jet fuel sucking F-22 Raptor (the one that malfunctions, rendering pilots unconscious), and also don a bomb protective suit to do "the long walk" and defuse bombs/mines a la Hurt Locker style, too.

Putin is rumored to have already given the order to release the Spetsnaz trained Russian Orca Team 6 as a countermeasure to the Navy Dolphin Deployment.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:52 | 4684331 WMM II
WMM II's picture

"the US Navy combat dolphin and sea lion team will not accompany the mission."



at least the dolphin has common sense enough.



Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:14 | 4684387 knukles
knukles's picture

No SeaWorld for you, Commander Perry
Eat your peas ... straight out the can...

--- ... ---

Morose code, BTW

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:19 | 4684404 IronForge
IronForge's picture



Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:30 | 4684431 knukles
knukles's picture

Oh yeah.
Hey, I'm on Governemt Quality System ....


Actually it's in Japanese (yes, that's a bit twisted and sick, but....)

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:43 | 4684677 Tengri Temujin
Tengri Temujin's picture

But they are bringing in the fighting fish

They will go up against the Russian ones when each side meets in the zodiacs in the middle of the black sea with their fish in big glass bowls.  Then the real wargames begin.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:53 | 4684334 McMolotov
McMolotov's picture

Remember the Taylor!

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:56 | 4684345 marcusfenix
marcusfenix's picture

yeah, cause nothing screams "peace and stability " like more warships, more troops, more combat aircraft and more sanctions...

yet somehow when the the nukes start flying Washington will still swear this is all Russia's fault.


2014 is shaping up to be one epically shitty year.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:17 | 4684397 knukles
knukles's picture

So Get Your Ass Long the S&P, Buy Lots of Calls on the S&P, Short the VIX on the S&P, Go Leveraged on the S&P, Jerk Off on the S&P, Watch Porn on the S&P, Eat Your Peas on the S&P, Scream Bloody Murder About the S&P....

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:02 | 4684365 Gringo Viejo
Gringo Viejo's picture

"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.".....Orwell

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:31 | 4684438 knukles
knukles's picture

I Love Big Brother

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:07 | 4684371 TheEndIsNear
TheEndIsNear's picture

Quibble: Please hire a proof-reader. I work cheap. Sometimes the typos are so terrible it slows reading down to a crawl. For example, what sort of Chinese reference is this:  "Since then, thing shave escalated,..."

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:08 | 4684783 TheFourthStooge-ing
TheFourthStooge-ing's picture

"Since then, thing shave escalated the vacancy rate large part of, as people stunned and appalling rough. Housing the property firmly dangdang arrived to a foreign land. Who also can not predict ugly bestiality on its head the inevitable results of it perish fate."

As you can see, it makes more sense in the proper context.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:10 | 4684377 docmac324
docmac324's picture

Key Words: "Carrier Battle Group".  When you here this, then too much money has been spent to go home empty handed. 

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:16 | 4684385 trader1
trader1's picture

this hyper-reality war entertainment is required programming to keep the rightwing conservative nutjobs' attention span diverted away from the fast track plan for a new global climate change treaty.  i guess the silver lining is that you only have to bear another 5-17 months of the mass media circus.  plus, if you don't buy into the mass media bs, then you have every reason to always look on the bright side of life.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recognized Earth Day on Tuesday by noting that "world leaders have pledged to reach a global legal climate agreement in 2015." That initiative, he believes, will be advanced through an exchange of ideas from both government and private sector leaders at the Climate Summit scheduled for September 23 in New York.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:15 | 4684391 Marley
Marley's picture

European far-right backs putin over Crimea

They haven't been clicking through here lately.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:18 | 4684401 trader1
trader1's picture

and what about the american far-right?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:21 | 4684411 yrbmegr
yrbmegr's picture


Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:25 | 4684421 knukles
knukles's picture

Oh yeah, that far right fucknut buncha Libertarians as separate from the "right wing" of the Republican Establishment who Vote Alongside the Fucking Marxists in DC

Yeah, that strange bunch of radical turrurists fuckers who think the Constitution means something, who believe in quaint shit like principles, honetsy, the poeple, fair dealings, and all that sorta outdated crap.

Yeah, them far fucking right wingers

Jesus, poeple.....

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:28 | 4684427 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

Follow the white rabbit down the bunny hole of the false left-right political paradigm/narrative that's been purposefully planted to divide & conquer, and ultimately, ensure that enough Americans who even bother with the political process vote in a way that satisfies their psychological need to feel as if they actually casted a vote that is anything other than completely meaningless.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:44 | 4684477 trader1
trader1's picture

that's quite defeatist of you, but hey if you want to do something about that double bind:

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:20 | 4684595 Dickweed Wang
Dickweed Wang's picture

and what about the american far-right?

They're waiting (and wishing) for Obamageddon to start . . . .

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:25 | 4684838 Savyindallas
Savyindallas's picture

I think I'm the "far right" -- a Buchanan /Ron Paul paleo conservative Libertarian. Anti-war, anti-police state, anti- Wall Street. I'm hoping to avoid Obamageddon, but I think others like Neocon McCain types, are hell bent on making it happen.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:16 | 4684395 yrbmegr
yrbmegr's picture

Where did all the Cliven Bundy hagiography go?  That was so much fun!

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:22 | 4684415 knukles
knukles's picture

Oh, That's Been Solved

They (the Fedral Gubamint) killed all his livestock, poisoned the wells, sent the Indians repeating rifles (actially M-16's reimported from Mexico after the Fast & Furious export enhancement program, which we know because the weaponry never had the US Army RFID ID's removed) raped and killed his daughters, scalped his woman and his balls and sent him to a low income housing project in the South Bronx with a defective EBT card.

No problemenski! 

When Harry's Reed is Happy, Everybody is Happy

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:25 | 4684420 Uber Vandal
Uber Vandal's picture

In the past, the US Department of Defense was aptly called the Department of War.

In keeping with the spirit of Rename and Reframe, perhaps the outdated word warship should henceforth be replaced with Peaceship or Defenseship.

<sarc, but may end up that way>

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:22 | 4684599 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

I am nearly certain that it won't be sarc soon. Have you seen that grotesque Navy commercial saying they are a "global force for good"?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:35 | 4684649 sushi
sushi's picture

perhaps the outdated word warship should henceforth be replaced



Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:38 | 4684456 madmax1965
madmax1965's picture

Wouldn't this make the third ship?  The Truxton the Donald Cook and now Taylor?  Of course it is possible one of them bailed already, Donald Cook? Whatever, stupid is as stupid does!

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:41 | 4684462 Seize Mars
Seize Mars's picture

Dolphins? Seriously is this the fucking Onion?
Fuck authority, fuck following orders.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:23 | 4684604 Dickweed Wang
Dickweed Wang's picture

Fuck man, I'm fucking with ya, fuckin A . . .

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:43 | 4684471 Tracerfan
Tracerfan's picture

US is now the armed forces of the unelected Kiev Nazi regime?  The regime calling for the killing of Russians?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:47 | 4684482 Super Broccoli
Super Broccoli's picture

what's the point of pilling up 1970's tech vessels in that pond really ?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:27 | 4684613 Dickweed Wang
Dickweed Wang's picture


They're easier to sink with air-to-sea missles that way . . . .

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:28 | 4684620 IridiumRebel
IridiumRebel's picture

Whatchu TONKIN 'bout Super Broccoli?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:50 | 4684488 Catullus
Catullus's picture

Those dolphins and sea lions are a USN frigates' only operable offensive weapon

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:53 | 4684499 AdrenalineTrade
AdrenalineTrade's picture

I wonder if these dolphins have been marinating in the cesium-137-filled waters of the Pacific?  If so, their bright green glow will make them easy pickings for Russian depth charge teams at night.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:01 | 4684528 Richard Head
Richard Head's picture

If I were gonna send a ship out for a false flag mission, it would be an Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate.  Cheap junk.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 19:29 | 4684617 Racer
Racer's picture

Duh, only to the US Bully can think that sending a WAR ship means peace

but if the US have imbeciles like 

Biden 'got to spend money to save from going bankrupt' in power

Woe is me and I just hope nail guns and slopes appear out of nowhere to these morons

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 05:29 | 4685742 dreadnaught
dreadnaught's picture

we should also change the title of the DOD back to the title of "The War Department" as it was first known

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:02 | 4684758 gann1212
gann1212's picture

i think we should send the aflac duck against them. see them some insurance and make a few bucks to finance all these troop movements.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:06 | 4684778 Spungo
Spungo's picture

We should make sure our next president is either openly straight or openly gay. We need to stop electing closet gay leaders who start a war every time their sexuality comes into question.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 20:18 | 4684816 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

so here's the endangered species list for the Black Sea that we're gonna have to annihilate Russia for in order to defend.

look's like Russia is on the top of the list so I guess we'll have to go all in on this one..."in the name of the Endangered Species Act."

we got our eye on Mexico and Canada don't mess with the wildlife. That upsets our military/industrial establishment people.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 22:19 | 4685200 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

I hear that the Solar Cells are endangered there as well. Better call Reid and his son, as they are experts on saving the Solar Cells.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 21:03 | 4684979 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

That brings back memories! Navy Dolphins have been part of the force for many decades. I even remember the facility where Pacific Fleet Dolphins got their training. We were informed at one of our Navy Training Schools what these dolphins were being used for and what types of intelligence they allowed the Navy to collect. Oddly enough, the information we were given was part of a Black Sea operation aimed at Sevastopol and the then Soviet Navy.

The idea of using them goes way back, and the Russian Navy itself admits to having it's own dolphin units.

As to speading peace and stability. America has a duty to the world to maintain peace and freedom across the globe. From Afghanistan and Iraq, the peace and freedom was paid for in lives and money, but America won those battles. Now we have helped to spread the peace and stability in Gerorgia, which fought off a Russian invasion in 2008. Syria has been partly liberated by American CIA and cash infusions to freedom fighters in Syria. Libya was liberated in a well know operation. Kosovo was added to the free world by a NATO campaign to sepreate Kosovo from Serbia. This operation was topped off by a recent election there that made it independent as a new free and democratic nation. South Sudan has been liberated and also given a vote to become independent and liberate all that oil too, for the new contracts US oil giants now have there.

Ukraine had an illegal government that won election a few years back, but not being a pro USA government, it was obvious that all Ukrainians changed their minds and wanted the election overturned by guns, fire bombs, clubs and various other freedom fighter weapons. Now that peace and freedom have won out in Kiev, the US is duty bound to defeat the terrorists in East Ukraine. As long as that group holds out against freedom and prosperity and IMF loans, Ukraine will never been a prosperous and liberated example of American freedom.

On the "to liberate list"is of course the axis of Evil, Iran. All evil in the Middle East stems from Iran's illegal government, a government that Israel should step in and expunge in favor of a USA and Israeli hand picked ruler, who can finally institute total freedom in Iran.

Other nations are also evil, and it is America's duty to liberate all people's seeking American IMF loans, World Bank technocrate leaders and a seat at the NATO freedom table.

Evil is still out there. Obama is a peace prize hero, he will liberate the subject people's of the world. Russia being the nation most in need of American freedom, IMF loans and a good dose of American Media Cultural Freedom and US corpoate governance.

Spread that freedom, we are exceptional people, our role is to defeat the forces of evil and let the Zionest Bankers and Neoliberal economics professors liberate them.

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 05:27 | 4685738 dreadnaught
dreadnaught's picture

so it appears you are a Neo-Moron instead.......sad.....your acid/crack fueled youth is catching up with you.....sad

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 21:48 | 4685129 yochananmichael
yochananmichael's picture

promote stability?


does that mean the US forces will help restore the duly elected president of the Ukraine?

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 23:12 | 4685334 pupdog1
pupdog1's picture

The US Navy could no longer afford combat dolphins, and had to sell them to Sea World.

They were replaced by mutant sea bass.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 23:16 | 4685344 pupdog1
pupdog1's picture

Enough fiddle-fuckin' around with these foppish feckless frigates.

It's time to send in the USS Biden, bristling with 12 gauge shotguns.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 23:36 | 4685401 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Military/Navy people know that they have both offensive and defensive purposes:

Plant explosives and to find mines. Perhaps they are also trained to locate subs.
Being sonar based, you can probably repell them with a strong audio pitch/mix.

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 00:23 | 4685477 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

Instead of just 'pinging', let'em groove to Iron Butterfly and "In a Goda Davida"

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 00:41 | 4685500 torak
torak's picture

News release from The US Navy Combat Dolphin Team:  "So long and thanks for all the fish!"
