The U.S.S. Cape Fear was a vessel within the United States Navy. It was the site of the infamous Attack on the Cape Fear by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist cell member PinPin Pula, which resulted in the destruction of the ship, 19 civilians dying from the explosion (including Pula himself) and also led to NCIS Major Cases Response Team leader Leroy Jethro Gibbs to at the time permanently resign from NCIS in outrage of the mishandling of the operation by his superiors.