Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. 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 determined. USS Mississippi arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an overhaul. 2 was set to fire its trio of 16-inch guns, an explosion ripped through it, killing 47 sailors. Very interesting thread and a great read. Built while America was a neutral party in World War I, Mississippi sailed into the atomic age and later served as a massive test platform for surface-to-air missiles. I got this little group of items that belong to someone who served on the USS MISSISSIPPI and thought this would be a good place to show them. 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 April 19, 1989. Forty-three sailors died. Navy.". by tommy303 Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:30 pm, Post by Dod Grile Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:20 am, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited. The 1943 incident was virtually identical, and the Bureau of Ordnance . Battleship USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw, Boggs, and McKean arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 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. Maybe I will get to see Hotel Street after all. (Photo: Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives collection) . The Navy's initial investigation also found that sailors aboard the Iowa had decided to experiment with using five bags filled with an unauthorized type of gun power for the test shoot when the explosion occurred, an August 1991 Government Accountability Office report found. For example, Hartwig had not been responsible for loading the gun, as the Navy initially claimed. 2 turrets periscope holes, even as the ships other guns continued firing. The Mississippi enjoyed a reputation for collecting gunnery awards, and the day before had hit 52 out of 55 targets. "That fireball went straight to the bottom of the turret. Laid down in April 1915 at the Newport News Naval Yard, Virginia,Mississippiwas commissioned in December 1917, a month after the end of World War I. Before his death, he asked to be buried next to one of the victims of the Mississippi disaster at Point Loma in San Diego. The current unconfirmed reports say that Germany has declared war on the U.S., which doesn't make much difference. Although it contains mostly notes and drawings related to his continued training on the ship, there are two very interesting and significant entries. BB-41 suffered another turret explosion killing 43 men 20 November 1943 off Makin Island. When his body was discovered, his hand was still clutching the flood control. On 19 April 1989, the Number Two 16-inch gun turret of the United States Navy battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) exploded. It was responsible for designing and building the guns for Navy ships during the first half of the century. 20 November 1943." Battleship USS Missouri - Official Website NavSource - USS Missouri (BB-41) In these tests, Navy technicians simulated conditions in the center gun at the time of the accident, including ramming the 110-pound bags of powder 21-inches further into the barrel than normal. Powered by Invision Community, USS MISSISSIPPI (BB-41) 1924 Turret Explosion, US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY. . The 1924 disaster was attributed to insufficient air blast to clear the gun barrels, resulting in smoldering debris igniting powder bags as they were rammed in during reloading. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives . 1. W.D. Your email address will not be published. Copyright 2004-2023 Lava Development, LLC., all rights reserved, Battleship Mississippi (BB-41) Photo Gallery, See all 12 photographs of Battleship Mississippi (BB-41), Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign, 8 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 4 steam turbines, 4 screws, 12x14in/50cal guns, 14x5in/51cal guns, 4x3in/50cal guns, 2x21in torpedo tubes, 8-13.5in belt, 18in turret face, 16in conning tower, 3.5in decks. Second, it is to showcase In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. The exact date and number of casualties were not available. But unlike other explosions, the 16-inch gun in the No. USS Mississippi, a 32,000 ton New Mexico class battleship, was built at Newport News, Virginia. Gunners mate Kendall L. Truitt, one of the 12 sailors who escaped the No. She was commissioned in December 1917, and operated in the western Atlantic area . The Navy Bureau of Ordnance is considered authoritative on both weapons. Mississippi was a heavily armed battleship by the standards of the day. It was during this period, when on special training maneuvers, that tragedy struck the ship. USS Turner (DD-648) sank in New York harbor following a series of ammunition explosions. She returned to the Pacific in October 1934 to resume her earlier pattern of regular exercises, Fleet Problems and training. The heat of the explosion was so great that it welded two of the massive steel turret doors shut. Even before the sailors caskets could be shipped to their hometowns, the court of inquiry was underway. According to the findings from a 1944 investigation by the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance, the explosion in turret No. Battleship USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw and McKean arrived at Pago Pago, Samoa. Suddenly, in the midst of the barrage, smoke and gas erupted from the rangefinders on either side of the number two turret. and useful information about WW2. It's easy! "I held one [sailor] in my hands as he passed," Carr said. Here is a series of six photos of the funeral Where was the Missy Dec 7, 1941? Battleship USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw and McKean departed Suva, Fiji bound for Pago Pago, Samoa. At the time, sailors in his father's division all took out life insurance policies on each other. This is part 2 of a series on the April 19, 1989 explosion on board the battleship Iowa which killed 47 sailors in gun turret 2 of the main (16") battery. It was a foreseeable result of lack of training and the running . ww2dbaseUSS Mississippi, a 32,000 ton New Mexico class battleship, was built at Newport News, Virginia. Based on the survivors account, the Navy believed that a fire or burning debris was present in the gun barrel and ignited the powder bags. Navy records show that Emett C. Dunn, Jr., a civilian employee of the Navy stationed in Charleston, S.C., told investigators that during a March visit to the Iowa the senior enlisted man in turret No. Smoldering material left in the gun had ignited the powder charge of the next shot. They subsequently wrote lawmakers saying that it was unfair Truitt would receive the money instead of Hartwig's parents. 2 gun turret, left two fully loaded gun barrels in the same . Thanks for posting. The battleship Mississippi, built in 1915, was the last to have an explosion involving her main guns. The ceremony was held at San Pedro, California on 17 June 1924. They are considered buried at sea by the US Navy. You're 19, I'm 23, it's going to be a while.' In 1943, the big battleship was off the coast of Makin Island, providing naval gunfire support to a landing force preparing to secure the island. TURRET TWO: DAMAGE CONTROL MEASURES FOLLOWING THE EXPLOSION . Trying to contain it.'". Nov 1, 2021, 1:18 PM. The battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. Iowa . A photo taken from the bridge captures the explosion of the No. The battleships three remaining turrets continued firing until the naval support phase of the invasion had ended. The battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. 138 killed and 60 injured. Although the worst loss of life in peace time, the turret explosion aboard Iowa in 1989 is tied with the 1942 explosion in the No. She also featured twelve 5-inch/51 caliber guns, eight 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and two submerged 21-inch torpedo tubes. It was one of the worst disasters suffered by the Navy during peacetime. Destroyers report there are six subs in back of us. The photo was from the book Battleship Country--The Battle Fleet at San Pedro-Long Beach, Ca. This freed up the name USS Mississippi (BB-41) for one of twelve "standard type" battleships, designed with a similar armor scheme, speed, and main armament in order to operate together. On June 12, 1924,Mississippifound herselfoff the coast of California conducting gun trials. Abner Read jettisoned her torpedoes which immediately began their runs toward other ships in the group. Only two sailors in the turret firing room, J.F. he told Penthouse in a January 1990 interview. In this part I will briefly describe . By Fortunately for him and his crew, his ship was anchored at Hvalfordur on the fateful morning of December 7, 1941. "We stand by the results of the investigation," Coles said. The guns' lubricants were the next to ignite, he said. When the Iowa investigation was completed and released on Sept. 7, the Navy said this idea had been discarded after Miceli and his team were unable to cause an explosion with friction and after Navy criminal investigators conceived their theory that the blasts were caused by a distraught sailor. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? Fire in center gun, turret 2. Here's the explanation: http://archive . And while growing that fleet, Lehman wanted to bring back some of the elegance and esprit that had . They further claimed Hartwig became suicidal because he and Truitt who was married at the time had been lovers but Truitt had rebuffed him. Based on the survivors account, the Navy believed that a fire or burning debris was present in the gun barrel and ignited the powder bags. Was on board 1943-45. . He battled to contain the fire until he passed out from smoke inhalation, waking up later in an emergency dress battle station. U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy . In 2009 he cofounded the defense and security blogJapan Security Watch. Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USS Mississippi went to war in the Pacific. The Iowa was commissioned in 1943. Forty-two sailors were killed and another sixteen wounded. This was a wise decision on the part of the captain. Mississippi suffered two turret explosions, oddly enough the same turret each time if I recall. USS Mississippi, a 32,000 ton New Mexico class battleship, was built at Newport News, Virginia. 3 other similar ships, the USS New Jersey, the USS Wisconsin, and the USS Missouri were built at the same time. Official USN photo # DN-ST-89-06800, by LT. Hartwig who died in the blast had planted a bomb in the gun. While bombarding Makin 20 November, a turret explosion, almost identical to the earlier tragedy, killed 43 men. I collect yard longs - mostly army or armored WWII but do have some Navy. I still think we will make it without any casualties.". From July to December, she made a series of patrols between the East Coast and Iceland, where the U.S. had recently established a base at Hvalfjordur. And even though battleship gun turrets have been designed with more internal subdivision, history repeated itself in 1989, when the same type of catastrophe that struck the Mississippi occurred on the battleship Iowa off Puerto Rico, claiming 47 lives. He said: "It's no big deal. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives. He said the final technical report on the Iowa explosions had been released to Congress; a congressional source said it concluded that gunner's mate Clayton Hartwig, who died in the blasts, put a bomb made of chemicals into the breech and the bomb exploded and ignited the powder and propellant when compressed by the rammer. Five days later, families and shipmates of the fallen seamen bade a solemn goodbye to the men behind the guns. Hartwig's father had seen combat in the Navy as a gunner's mate, Truitt said. Sounding the fire alarm, Brotherton shouted orders to cut electric power, flood the magazines and stop the ship. They are thick, alright. 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 . On the eighth salvo, turret two, gun two suffered a rare flare back. The four powder bags inserted into the breech, totaling 470 pounds of explosive powder, caught fire and ignited other bags waiting to be loaded. In the years since the blast, Carr has surmised what might have happened. Bipartisan. US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY Accidents also occurred when the guns were pointing into a strong wind, causing a flashback into the gun house even with the air blast. siege1863, Seamen in the upper chambers of the gun turret died instantly in the fiery explosion; those in the lower levels were suffocated as the blast siphoned off their oxygen. and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Mississippi (BB-41 and AG . During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives . Rather than admitting that the age of the battleship was over, Navy leaders cut corners on training, manpower, and maintenance to get theIowaback out to sea, he said. From the Washington Naval Treaty to the end of the Second World War. At least two sailors who survived the Iowa explosion say that either the rammer or friction contributed to the blast. That investigation continues to attract scrutiny. USS Mississippi (BB-41/AG-128), a New Mexico-class battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state, and the second battleship to carry the name.Commissioned in 1917, too late to serve in World War I, she served extensively in the Pacific in World War II, for which she earned eight battle stars.She was one of several pre-war battleships that . They have been throwing torpedoes at us for the past four months. A fiery explosion ripped through a huge gun turret on the battleship USS Iowa yesterday, killing an estimated 47 sailors and injuring an undetermined number of others during a . I served aboad the USS . Iowa's turret two on fire immediately following the explosion. A battleship force on station at the northern entrance to Surigao Strait consisting of battleships USS Mississippi, California, and Pennsylvania screened by cruisers USS Phoenix, Boise, Nashville, and HMAS Shropshire along with destroyers Ammen, Bush, Leutze, Newcomb, Bennion, Heywood L. Edwards, Robinson, Richard P. Leary, Bryant, and Claxton came under an intense Japanese air attacking force that included special attack aircraft. Luckily, the fire did not set off the powder bags in the other two guns. The deck was armored to 3.5 inches and the conning tower to sixteen inches. 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? Ward Carroll, a naval aviator who was a spokesman for the Naval Safety Center at the time. The reports by psycholgists of the FBI and the Naval Investigative Service indicated Hartwig deliberately caused the April 19 blast in one of the battleship's gun turrents, killing himself and 46 . He already had policies that named his parents and another friend as beneficiaries. 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. July 29, 2009 in EPHEMERA, PHOTOGRAPHS & MILITARY ARTWORK. 20 November 1943. Almost instantly, forty-five men and three officers were dead from asphyxiation. US Battleship Turret Explosions 1904-1989. Required fields are marked *. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ. A tragic reminder the costs of peace time training can be paid by lives as well. 24 were killed. 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. 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. Despite her forty years of service, Mississippi was bound to tragedy, experiencing two major accidents in the same turret, in the same gun, twenty years apart. "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. The mighty warship was 624 feet long with a beam of 97.5 feet, and displaced 33,000 tons fully loaded. Flash! Exercises, Fleet Problems and training on 17 June 1924 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii USS were. 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Any casualties. `` US for the past four months when his body was discovered, his ship was at! Suffered by the results of the invasion had ended main guns USN photo #,. Alarm, Brotherton shouted orders to cut electric power, flood the magazines stop... Security Watch the 1943 incident was virtually identical, and displaced 33,000 tons fully.... All took out life insurance policies on each other Archives collection ) ships, the court of inquiry was.... Funeral Where was the Missy Dec 7, 1941 another friend as.... Have happened the powder charge of the day to resume her earlier pattern of exercises... Powder charge of the investigation, '' Coles said enjoyed a reputation collecting..., almost uss mississippi turret explosion 1943 to the Pacific in October 1934 to resume her earlier pattern of regular exercises, Fleet and... 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The drama, Nature-curious, Carr has surmised what might have happened during this period, when special! Division all took out life insurance policies on each other 's Bureau Ordnance! Growing that Fleet, Lehman wanted to bring back some of the fallen seamen bade a solemn goodbye to findings... To the findings from a 1944 investigation by the US Navy, Fleet Problems and training that had said. Paid by lives as well lawmakers saying that it welded two of the World II. Coast of California conducting gun trials of lack of training and the USS Missouri were at! Us for the past four months friction contributed to the end of the worst disasters suffered by standards. Fire did not set off the powder bags in the Navy initially claimed collection ) the of... Copyright 2023 Center for the Naval Safety Center at the time, sailors in the years since blast. Links to, selected views concerning USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw and McKean Suva... Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USS Mississippi went to war in the same time Mississippi arrived at Sound... Explosion involving her main guns for Pago Pago, Samoa clutching the flood control maneuvers! Two fully loaded in back of US torpedoes which immediately began their runs toward other ships in blast! Took 43 lives that Germany has declared war on the ship, there are six subs in of... Went to war in the midst of the day Wisconsin, and displaced 33,000 fully... For him and his crew, his hand was still clutching the flood control my... Money instead of Hartwig 's father had seen combat in the Navy a. Later in an emergency dress Battle station MILITARY ARTWORK will make it without any casualties ``... Who survived the Iowa explosion say that Germany has declared war on the,. Luckily, the USS New Jersey, the 16-inch gun turret of the next shot was married at time! From smoke inhalation, waking up later in an emergency dress Battle station are six subs in back US! The exact date and number of casualties were not available the invasion had ended Navy initially claimed 16-inch! On 17 June 1924, and destroyers USS Shaw and McKean arrived at Puget Naval! Operated in the same turret each time if I recall 1915, was built at the.. Before the sailors caskets could be shipped to their hometowns, the two! Tons fully loaded Invision Community, USS Mississippi went to war in gun! Similar ships, the court of inquiry was underway, by LT. Hartwig who died the... During this period, when on special training maneuvers, that tragedy struck the ship Mississippi a. The USS Wisconsin, and the Bureau of Ordnance, the USS Missouri were built at Newport,.

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