C. Peter Chen of Lava Development, LLC. Smoldering material left in the gun had ignited the powder charge of the next shot. They also repeated assurances that friction or other accidental means did not cause the Iowa deaths. "Then approximately two minutes later, I recognized Senior Chief [Reginald] Ziegler, who was the chief in charge of Turret 2, yell into the phones: 'Fire, fire, fire! Another sailor, Senior Master Chief Steven Skelly, told Milligan that "There has been account after account of all classes of battleship" where friction ignited ripped bags of powder as they were rammed into the gun. Today her name lives on in theVirginiaclass nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Mississippi (SSN-782). The 1943 incident was virtually identical, and the Bureau of Ordnance cited either smodering debris from a previous shot or friction from over ramming the charges as possible causes. After having sent almost 100 sailors to their deaths in two separate explosions, the 39-year-old Mississippi was scrapped in 1956. Sometimes, if firing was prolonged and fairly rapid, the compressors supplying the air to the compressed air bottles could not keep up with the demand and in those cases, the bores might not receive a complete blast of air, leaving some debris or incandescent gases lingering inside. But when investigators learned that Hartwig had named Truitt the beneficiary of a $100,000 life insurance policy, they claimed thatHartwig who died in the blast had planted a bomb in the gun. The deadly blast aboard the Iowa marked the first explosion in a battleship turret since 1943, when 43 sailors aboard the USS Mississippi were killed, the Government Accountability Office later . It was later determined that 47 sailors were killed by the blast, which occurred as the Iowa was conducting routine gunnery exercises 330 miles northeast of Puerto Rico, 19 April 1989. She was powered by nine Babcock and Wilcox boilers and her four screws were driven by four Curtis turbines producing a maximum 32,000 horsepower. Two major investigations were underta I said, again, this is weird. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Jaguars, narcos, illegal loggers: One mans battle to save a Guatemalan jungle and Maya ruins, Has wildflower shaming gone too far? Your email address will not be published. The hand of a dead crewman in the number two turret accidentally hit the firing switch for the port gun, firing it. They are thick, alright. Find the perfect uss mississippi stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. USS Turner (DD-648) sank in New York harbor following a series of ammunition explosions. Less than two decades later, the Mississippi went through the same agony again. He had instinctively closed the doors to the ammunition hoist and flooded the magazines. Despite knowing how to solve the problem, the same accident happened two times over 20 years. Navy.". Saturday, April 26, -(UP)An explosion in the forward turret of the U.S. heavy cruiser St. Paul killed 30 men Monday while the ship was firing on Communist targets in Korea, the Navy announced today. The USS Iowa turret explosion occurred in the Number Two 16-inch gun turret of the United States Navy battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) on 19 April 1989.The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. In this part I will briefly describe . A Marine rifle squad fired three volleys. "He died in my arms.". 24 were killed. I served aboad the USS . Skelly, who was considered an expert and was later disciplined for his participation in unauthorized gunnery experiments aboard the Iowa, said he had heard of "at least three or four accounts" involving battleships other than the Iowa where broken powder bags "had been viewed in a gun.". Here's the explanation: http://archive . he told Penthouse in a January 1990 interview. It will answer your question After completion of basic naval training in the Spring of 1941, Bernard D. Fidler, of Burlington, Iowa, was given duty aboard the battleship U.S.S. "Cover-up aboard the USS Iowa" (PDF). Warships, naval battles, technology, weapons, navies of all eras, modeling, etc. Although each barrel was blasted between firings with pressurized air to evacuate debris, the middle barrel of each turret received a lower pressure burst than the left and right barrels. She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, in June but soon shifted her base to Newport, Rhode Island. USS Mississippi was decommissioned from service. I think it was a terrible, terrific tragedy that we had. Also, the crew failed to examine one or more of the gun bores and call out Bore clear!" The 14-inch/50 caliber gun was plagued with technical issues, a major problem considering it was the primary armament on the majority of serving U.S. Navy battleships. Then-Navy Secretary John Lehman fell in love with the idea of using battleships to build strike groups, easing the strain on aircraft carriers, according to retired Cmdr. Lava's technical capabilities. Battleship USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw and McKean arrived at Pago Pago, Samoa. The last explosion was so strong that it blew the turret's two-ton hatch off its hinges and into the water, he said. "If this story sounds familiar, it's because this is kind of the oldest story ever told around the U.S. Five days later, families and shipmates of the fallen seamen bade a solemn goodbye to the men behind the guns. In this role, she carried a variety of old and new guns and radars, while serving with the Operational Development Force in the Atlantic. siege1863, USS Mississippi (BB-41, later AG-128), 1917-1956, DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Permitting Policy and Resource Management, The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later, "Ex Scientia Tridens": The U.S. My uncle died in 1937 from TB (he contracted while on active duty) so the story was told to me by his brother (my grandfather). After an extensive preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault force headed towards the beach and Mississippi and the other ships increased their rate of fire. On May 12, 1989, Capt. . RSS. All of the crew had been advised to set up allotment accounts for their families. . 2 aboard the Mississippi resulted from either the presence of a burning ember left in the barrel "or from friction of the powder bags against the moving rammer" that pushed the propellant and projectile into position. Another sailor, David Smith, claimed that Navy investigators had coerced him into telling them Hartwig propositioned him and discussed how to use a bomb's timer, the Washington Post reported in September 1989. US National Archives and Records Administration. Brotherton knew something was drastically wrong when he noticed brownish smoke coming from the No. Mississippi suffered two turret explosions, oddly enough the same turret each time if I recall. Gunners mate Kendall L. Truitt, one of the 12 sailors who escaped the No. Prince of Wales and H.M.S. Was on board 1943-45. . 2 turret. So when that flame came down, all those powder bags went off, and that was the third and final detonation.". Seaman First Class Fidler was just seventeen years old when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. fully into the war. By lofar_dog, September 14, 2016 in Battleship Era On June 12, 1924, the MISSISSIPPI, along with the battleships TENNESSEE and IOWA, was engaged in gunnery practice off San Clemente Island. by Dod Grile Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:20 am, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited. 1. 2 16-inch gun turret aboard the Iowa (BB-61). Truitt was in the magazine below the No. She was present in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945, when Japan formally surrendered and returned to the United States soon thereafter. "I regret the accident occurred, obviously. She was commissioned in December 1917, and operated in the western Atlantic area . This was a wise decision on the part of the captain. Investigators also found that some access safety doors inside the turret had been left partly open. Over the protests of local clergymen, who believed that an admiral had no right officiating at funeral rites, Pratt insisted on delivering a tearful and moving eulogy. During gunnery practice on 12 June 1924, she suffered a turret fire that took the lives of 48 of her crew. . I have made an electronic (jpeg) copy of her War Record 1941-1945 which is among the best USN Battleship WWII cruisebooks made after VJ Day. US Battleship Turret Explosions 1904-1989. The old warship was decommissioned in 1956, sold for scrap. Official USN photo # DN-ST-89-06800, by LT. It's been 30 years since an explosion inside the number two gun turret on the USSIowakilled 47 American sailors, but for Mike Carr, it still feels like yesterday. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives. Seconds before Turret No. Shortly after midnight October 1, NEWPORT NEWS commenced a gunfire support mission from her station off the South Viet Nam coast against NVA troops and bunker positions in the vicinity of Quang Tri City. 2. One man who was recognized as a hero of the disaster and credited with saving the ship was the turret captain, Lt. (jg) Thomas E. Zellars. BB-41 suffered another turret explosion killing 43 men 20 November 1943 off Makin Island. Although investigators concluded that a faulty gas-ejection system prevented one of the guns breech plugs from closing securely, thereby permitting a jet of flame to spurt back into the powder-filled room when a salvo was fired, the Mississippis skipper, Brotherton, still faced the Navys unforgiving notions of a commanders accountability. An Aichi D3A 'Val' crashed across Abner Read's main deck as it dropped a bomb down one the destroyer's stacks that exploded in the engine room. My Father served on the USS MISSISSIPPI prior to his being sent to East Africa (NCU-3 Radio Marina in Asmara). Smoke pours from Turret #2 of the USS Iowa after an explosion and fire on April 19, 1989 . and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Mississippi (BB-41 and AG . A new method in the launch of ship-based aircraft was displayed with the explosive-powered catapult launch of a Martin MO-1 observation plane from the forward turret of the USS Mississippi. If Germany has declared war on the U.S., they should be bombing Iceland soon.". by tommy303 Thu Apr 03, 2014 11:55 pm, Post "Imagine an old timey cap gun, where you remove the caps, and bang them with a hammer," Truitt said. On June 12, 1924, there was an explosion in the USS Mississippi's No. On 19 April 1989, 47 crewmen were killed in an explosion in the Number Two gun turret on the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61). Riska Island was shelled 22 July, and a few days later the Japanese withdrew. Original Reporting. They have been throwing torpedoes at us for the past four months. See attached. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. On August 17, 1942 at 3:30am two submarines USS Argonaut (SM-1) and USS Nautilus (SS-168) surfaced and deployed rubber rafts with outboard . The USS Mississippi is home to one of the most intriguing naval coincidences of all time. Only the turret officers can be identified. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. Flash! 43 killed, 19 injured. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. USS Mississippi, a 32,000 ton New Mexico class battleship, was built at Newport News, Virginia. 2 turret. April 20, 1989. Available for both RF and RM licensing. No doubt inspired by events, Fidler began to record the actions of the MISSISSIPPI and his sense of what was transpiring, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. However, what he writes on December 10 and 11, 1941, tells the story well. Facts later emerged that undermined the Navy's first investigation into the explosion, Truitt said. RLoret 1 yr. ago. Repulse have gone down. In November 1943 New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Mississippi formed the Northern Attack Group (TG 52.2) under Rear Adm Griffin, and took part in the bombardment of Makin (part of Operation Galvanic, the invasion of the Gilbert Islands). Trying to contain it.'". (Photo: U.S. Navy) President Ronald Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman, had a dream in the early 1980s: A 600-ship fleet. On 19 April 1989, the Iowa. There is also a picture of what I think is the USS MISSISSIPPI. I still think we will make it without any casualties.". July 29, 2009 in EPHEMERA, PHOTOGRAPHS & MILITARY ARTWORK. She spent most of 1942 along the U.S. west coast and went to the South Pacific late in that year. According to Truitt, Hartwig first told him about the insurance policy two years before the explosion as the Iowa was preparing for a six-month combat deployment to deter Libya from attacking merchant ships. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. USS Mississippi (BB-41/AG-128), the second of three members of the New Mexico class of battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state.The ship was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia, from her keel laying in April 1915, her launching in January 1917, and her commissioning in December that year. ", Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. Iowa . The battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. Second, it is to showcase Also served on USS TENNESSEE, USS KULA GULF (CVE108) and USS FRANK FRIDAY FLETCHER. "They knew more about guns than everybody else in the Navy put together.". Kyle Mizokami is a defense and national security writer based in San Francisco who has appeared in the Diplomat, Foreign Policy, War is Boring and the Daily Beast. Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USSMississippiwent to war in the Pacific. Funeral services were held June 17 on Trona Field at San Pedro. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ. Politics. 1919-1940, by Harvey M. Beigel. Anyway, what's left of it. He passed away in 2010. HTML tags are not allowed. Each of those visits was special, but a particularly unique one resulted in a perk rarely seen on a military vessel: in 1943 a bathtub was . The deadly blast aboard the Iowa marked the first explosion in a battleship turret since 1943, when 43 sailors aboard the USS Mississippi were killed, the Government Accountability Office later . USS Mississippi, a 32,000 ton New Mexico class battleship, was built at Newport News, Virginia. Abner Read jettisoned her torpedoes which immediately began their runs toward other ships in the group. "At 10 minutes to 10 a.m., somebody came over the phones and said, 'We're having a problem, Turret 2, center gun,'" Carr recalled. After firing its seventh salvo, the Mississippis gun crew prepared to load silk bags of gunpowder into the magazines of the ships 14-inch guns in the No. The USS Iowa (BB-61) was the lead ship of the last class of battleships built by the U.S. Navy, and was the first of four in that class to be commissioned, on 22 February 1943.Although the Japanese super-battleships Yamato and Musashi were heavier and had larger guns (nine 18.1-inch) the Iowa-class (Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin) were without doubt the most sophisticated . Assurances that friction or other accidental means did not cause the Iowa ( BB-61 ) armed forces please! So when that flame came down, all those powder bags went off, and website this... And her four screws were driven by four Curtis turbines producing a maximum 32,000 horsepower `` they more... 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S the explanation: http: //archive went through the same accident happened times! United States soon thereafter Mexico class battleship, was built at Newport News, Virginia in! Old warship was decommissioned in 1956, it is to showcase also served the! Coming from the No screws were driven by four Curtis turbines producing a maximum 32,000 horsepower 39-year-old Mississippi was in! South Pacific late in that year Germany has declared war on the part of the next time comment. The No was an explosion in the Navy put together. `` agony again examine one or more the... Asmara ) Turner ( DD-648 ) sank in New York harbor following a of!, this is weird and fire on April 19, 1989 12, 1924, suffered... Flame came down, all those powder bags went off, and that was the third and detonation! Two turret explosions, oddly enough the same agony again ( PDF ) 19,.... By four Curtis turbines producing a maximum 32,000 horsepower Rights Reserved ; s No stock photo,,. Make it without any casualties. `` coincidences of all eras,,.

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