U.S.S. Cole (DDG 67)

On April 19, 2002, media from across the globe descended upon Pascagoula, Mississippi, to cover the return to sea of the U.S.S. COLE. The COLE had been stationed at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding for four months, receiving repairs to damages suffered during the October 12, 2000, terrorist bombing in Yemen. Over 130 media crews representing local, regional, national and international media were present for the event. [Read More]

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U.S.S. Cole (DDG 67)

The Cirlot Agency helped develop a media strategy that allowed the media maximum access to the ship and the crew, while staying within the stringent security guidelines dictated by the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The objective was to make the U.S.S. COLE’s return to sea the biggest news event in America, and for the coverage to be reverent and tasteful. The Cirlot Agency helped turn the U.S.S. COLE’s departure into a five-day news event. The story received approximately 194 articles in 124 publications in all 50 states. International coverage included Canada and various outlets across Europe. In television news, 453 stories aired throughout the country. This included live cut-ins from CNN and live coverage from ABC’s Good Morning America. The coverage dwarfed previous coverage of the COLE’s arrival, which had been named by The Washington Post as one of the “Top Ten Stories of 2000.”


  • USS Cole
  • USS Cole
  • USS Cole