uss mississippi turret explosion 1943

. Following repairs, she participated in the capture of Kwajalein in February 1944 and bombarded Japanese-held islands in February and March. Suddenly, in the midst of the barrage . Sandia National Laboratories later determined that the powder had been rammed 24 inches too far, compressing the powder charge against the base of the dummy projectile before it ignited, the GAO report said. Initially this had been the area of a flag and platform for ceremonies and visits to the site from 1950-1960. Don't worry about collecting. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives. She was redesignated AG-128 and equipped with a number of radars and prototype air defense missile systems. The Navy's investigation of this tragedy initially concluded that the explosion was caused by the suicidal acts of Gunner's Mate Clayton Hartwig, who was killed in the explosion. A bizarre accident occurred afterward while theMississippiwas anchored in San Pedro Bay. (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. But unlike other explosions, the 16-inch gun in the No. The guns' lubricants were the next to ignite, he said. Does anyone know or have a list of the sailors killed in the Nov. 1943 #2 turret explosion on the USS Mississippi? USS Franklin (CV-13) approaches the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 28, 1945. . The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. 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. On 19 April 1989, 47 crewmen were killed in an explosion in the Number Two gun turret on the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61). The accident has been a major influence on my life. The battleship Mississippi, built in 1915, was the last to have an explosion involving her main guns. "The powder door was still open to the center gun that armored hatch was still open," Carr said. 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. ww2dbaseIn early 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi rejoined the Pacific Fleet. Japanese observation planes have been seen over San Francisco. She returned to the Pacific in October 1934 to resume her earlier pattern of regular exercises, Fleet Problems and training. Gunners mate Kendall L. Truitt, one of the 12 sailors who escaped the No. She was armed with a main battery of twelve 14-inch/50 caliber guns mounted in four turrets of three guns each, with each gun mounted in a separate sleeve. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ. USS Mississippi was decommissioned from service. Mississippi steamed to Australia on a U.S. Fleet good will tour in mid-1925. Very interesting thread and a great read. Two major investigations were undertaken into the cause of the explosion, one by the U.S. Navy and then one by the General Accounting . A Marine rifle squad fired three volleys. "Imagine an old timey cap gun, where you remove the caps, and bang them with a hammer," Truitt said. She was bombed from the air. 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 . 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. Assigned to Task Group 58.2, the battleship supported operations in the Marshall Islands in January 1944 including the invasion of Kwajalein. Lt. Bruce Coles, a spokesman for the Navy, this week discounted the similarities between the accidents aboard the Iowa and the Mississippi. ", Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. "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. On June 12, 1924,Mississippifound herselfoff the coast of California conducting gun trials. 47 men were killed. Then No. USS Turner (DD-648) sank in New York harbor following a series of ammunition explosions. This first appeared in 2019. The explosion tore through the No. The New Mexico-class ships had 13.5 inches of steel armor at the belt, and her turrets were protected with nine to eighteen inches of armor plating. They are considered buried at sea by the US Navy. Because there were still unfired rounds in the other two guns of Turret No. The deck was armored to 3.5 inches and the conning tower to sixteen inches. By lofar_dog, September 14, 2016 in Battleship Era German dive bombers would sink both ships in the spring of 1941. 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. . I'm trying to find out the fate of an uncle who was on the ship and . It was a foreseeable result of lack of training and the running . 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. 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 . The ship was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia, from her keel laying in April 1915, her launching. The battleships three remaining turrets continued firing until the naval support phase of the invasion had ended. The main battery was distributed two turrets forward and two aft. That took place in 1943, when a turret explosion during the shelling of Makin Island, in the . Island Hopping . How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? 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. . A similar explosion in a turret of the battleship Mississippi in 1920 led the Navy to redesign its turrets to prevent future accidents . 43 killed, 19 injured. 2. 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. At the time of her commissioning in 1943, the USS Iowa was one of the world's most formidable war machines. TheIowasubsequently went to the shipyard so its power plant could be improved, but its gun systems weren't updated, he said. I met my life-long friend Dave Welch, got to experience Fleet Week in NYC, and lived through the turret 2 explosion. She was armed with a main battery of twelve 14-inch/50 caliber guns mounted in four turrets of three guns each, with each gun mounted in a separate sleeve. Mississippi. USS Mississippi and USS West Virginia departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the latter after extensive repairs and modernization following damage received in the Pearl Harbor Attack. The military eats their own it takes a while to realize that.". In the case of theIowa, the devastating blast happened toward the tail end of the Cold War, when the Navy felt it needed 600 ships to counter the Soviets. 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. National Security. Truitt was in the magazine below the No. In June 1941, USS Mississippi patrolled the North Atlantic. by Dod Grile Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:20 am, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited. If anyone knows how to trace yard long personnel to the the active units assigned please let me know thanks. After an extensive preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault force headed towards the beach andMississippiand the other ships increased their rate of fire. I'll bet the Prince took something down with her. Mississippi provided gunfire support for the Lingayen landings in January 1945 and for the conquest of Okinawa in March-June. Carr was wearing headphones that allowed him to hear what the crews in the other turrets were saying. We just outran several units of the German fleet (submarines). No Way, Afghanistan: The Avoidable 20-Year Disaster, New Footage Shows Russias New T-90M Tank Going to War in Ukraine, The Collapse of Kamala Harris Is Nearly Complete. This could have led to dangerous debris remaining in the breech when the gun crew assumed it was safe to load. and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Mississippi (BB-41 and AG . Seaman First Class Fidler was just seventeen years old when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. fully into the war. 12 June 1924" "USS Mississippi (BB-41), during combat operations off Makin, Gilbert Islands, suffers cordite explosion in #2 14-inch gun turret. The U.S.A. is now at war with Germany, Japan, and Italy. He said: 'No, it's the same thing my dad did.". 1919-1940, by Harvey M. Beigel. 2. July 1999. p. 9. Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? Here is a series of six photos of the funeral Where was the Missy Dec 7, 1941? The next shell was rammed into the gun and the four powder bags on the spanner tray were rammed into place behind it. Published April 02, 2018 09:40:36. In 2009 he cofounded the defense and security blog Japan Security Watch. United States Congress. She was commissioned in December 1917, and operated in the western Atlantic area . Australian news report on the USS . Two hundred sailors of each battleship of Battleship Division 4 were present. As the rammer was withdrawn, there emerged from the breech a small grayish ball of smoke and flame followed by a large flash. Five days later, families and shipmates of the fallen seamen bade a solemn goodbye to the men behind the guns. "I held one [sailor] in my hands as he passed," Carr said. All of the crew had been advised to set up allotment accounts for their families. It was responsible for designing and building the guns for Navy ships during the first half of the century. Thanks for sharing it. I heard they are going to put up a telephone line from Portsmouth, Virginia, to Hvalfordur, Iceland, using the periscopes for poles. The mighty warship was 624 feet long with a beam of 97.5 feet, and displaced 33,000 tons fully loaded. There is also a picture of what I think is the USS MISSISSIPPI. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. -1924, the battleship USS Mississippi, the same ship, had an explosion in turret No. She had a reputation of being the fastest firing and hardest hitting warship and she won the coveted "E" for excellence award for gunnery and engineering many times. Forty-three sailors died. 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. Kyle Mizokami is a defense and national-security writer based in San Fransisco. Displayed at the Los Angeles Maritime Museum Navy Hall in San Pedro is a stone monument dedicated to the men who lost their lives in one of the nations greatest peacetime naval disasters. Less than two decades later, the Mississippi went through the same agony again. She also featured twelve 5-inch/51 caliber guns, eight 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and two submerged 21-inch torpedo tubes. In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. Today located in Republic of Kiribati. 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. USS Mississippi was commissioned into service. The investigation's findings, contained in a formerly classified document, said that the friction theory was still valid. If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. In June 1941, in response to the deteriorating war situation in Europe, she was brought back to the Atlantic, operating between the United States and Iceland during much of the rest of that year. USS Mississippi arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an overhaul. Ward Carroll, a naval aviator who was a spokesman for the Naval Safety Center at the time. Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USS Mississippi went to war in the Pacific. 2, the ship was anchored just inside the breakwater. Meanwhile, Mississippi and Nashville had to take emergency evasive actions to avoid the torpedoes. Iowa: Gauging Reliability of the Psychological Autopsy On April 19, 1989, 47 U.S. Navy sailors were killed when an explosion ripped through turret 2 of the U.S.S. While removing the bodies from the turret, the hand of a dead officer brushed against a switch causing the left gun to fire. Francis Zacharias was only 16 when he enlisted and used his older brother's birth certificate without his parent's knowledge. She returned to the Pacific in October 1934 to resume her earlier pattern of regular exercises, Fleet Problems and training. Battleship USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw, Boggs, and McKean arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Class: Allen M. Sumner class destroyer Named for: Reigart Bolivar Lowry Complement: 336 Officers and Enlisted Displacement: 2200 tons Length: 376 feet 6 inches Beam: 40 feet Flank Speed: 34 knots Range: 6500 Nautical Miles Final Disposition:Scrapped October 1996 After the war, Mississippi was effectively defanged, with three of her four main battery turrets removed. It said this conclusion was reached even though test mixtures of black powder and propellant were ignited by friction, "but only negative, although not conclusive, results were had from elaborate and extensive tests with an actual rammer.". The Americans have bombed Tokio and our bombers have reported sending a Japanese battleship to the bottom. -23), the erstwhile Normandie, pride of the Compagnie . . The powder ignited the first of two explosions that would rock the ship from stem to stern. 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. TheNew Mexico-class ships had 13.5 inches of steel armor at the belt, and her turrets were protected with nine to eighteen inches of armor plating. Fearing that the same might happen with the remaining gun, the captain moved the MISSISSIPPI outside the breakwater. USS Ammen sustained a glancing blow from a Yokosuka P1Y 'Francis' that caused considerable topside damage and killed 5 men. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. As the stricken battleship glided into a San Pedro berth, Rear Adm. William V. Pratt boarded the ship and the hospital ship Relief pulled alongside. I heard family stories about my uncle being killed in a turret explosion on the USS Mississippi but I had no details about the events leading to and following the explosion. Debris from firing the big guns had again ignited powder bags, causing the same accident and the same damage. The mighty warship was 624 feet long with a beam of 97.5 feet, and displaced 33,000 tons fully loaded. He said: "It's no big deal. It was also clear that each 16-inch gun turret required more sailors than the Navy could afford to assign. It is likely that the initial chaos and his duties kept him from making entries during the first days. The battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. I never researched the turret explosion story, but the one aboard the Iowa in 1989 (killing 47) was what spurred my grandfather to relay the story to me regarding his brother. According to the findings from a 1944 investigation by the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance, the explosion in turret No. Investigators also found that some access safety doors inside the turret had been left partly open. Repulse have gone down. At roughly one horsepower per ton, she was not terribly fast, with a top speed of just twenty-one knots. Destroyers report there are six subs in back of us. Hartwig's father had seen combat in the Navy as a gunner's mate, Truitt said. Seconds before Turret No. Lt. Zellars' body had already been sent to Georgia for burial. According to the findings from a 1944 investigation by the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance, the explosion in turret No. -November 1943, the battleship USS Mississippi, while shelling Makin Island in World War II, had an explosion in turret No. But unlike other explosions, the 16-inch gun in the No. 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. 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 . 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. "They were trying to build up the Navy. Maybe I will get to see Hotel Street after all. That investigation continues to attract scrutiny. Mississippi was instrumental in the testing and eventual fielding of the Convair RIM-2 Terrier, the U.S. Navys first surface-to-air missile. 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. Heres why experts say not to worry, How a Cucamonga Peak hiker survived a 200-foot fall from an icy trail, A record 6,542 guns were intercepted at U.S. airports in 2022, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rachel Bloom. "Cover-up aboard the USS Iowa" (PDF). site is two fold. 2 16-inch gun turret aboard the Iowa (BB-61). Today her name lives on in theVirginiaclass nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Mississippi (SSN-782). This need not have happened. He already had policies that named his parents and another friend as beneficiaries. Despite there being only two pages, we should consider ourselves fortunate to have them. In 1924 and 1943, open breech explosions had occurred in the Turret Two center gun aboard Mississippi, each time killing most of the crewmen in the turret. He battled to contain the fire until he passed out from smoke inhalation, waking up later in an emergency dress battle station. I said, again, this is weird. By the way, my uncle's name was Francis Zacharias. 2 Turret was cold, meaning it hadn't been fired yet. . Pictured are A and B Turrets of the ' USS Mississippi ' . Out of commission? In fact, the Iowa did so poorly on its first inspection that it was recommended to be decommissioned. After an extensive preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault force headed towards the beach and Mississippi and the other ships increased their rate of fire. What's our Navy doing anyway? "USS Mississippi (BB-41, later AG . WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. ww2dbaseDuring 1931-33 , Mississippi underwent a major modernization that gave her an all-new superstructure, improved armament and enhanced protection. 2 was set to fire its trio of 16-inch guns, an explosion ripped through it, killing 47 sailors. Incredibly it had happened again: in their haste to lay down a rain of shells on the Japanese, the gunners of number two turret had apparently experienced yet another flare back. Prince of Wales and H.M.S. "I knew all 47 guys inside that turret because as part of the ship's policy we had rotated between all three turrets," Carr, who served as a gunner's mate in the Iowa's aft 16-inch turret, told Task & Purpose. In this part I will briefly describe . Bipartisan. The Mississippi enjoyed a reputation for collecting gunnery awards, and the day before had hit 52 out of 55 targets. On 19 April 1989, the Number Two 16-inch gun turret of the United States Navy battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) exploded. Right now I worry only about the U.S.S. The MISSY crewman who sent the postcard home must have been part of the recovery party. 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. A news report about the USS Iowa gun turret explosion in 1989. Incredibly it had happened again: in their haste to lay down a rain of shells on the Japanese, the gunners of number two turret had apparently experienced yet another flare back. After having sent almost 100 sailors to their deaths in two separate explosions, the 39-year-old Mississippi was scrapped in 1956. The Senator from Michigan has asked for a Court Martial of leading admirals and in the 14th Naval District. . BB-41 suffered another turret explosion killing 43 men 20 November 1943 off Makin Island. Although it contains mostly notes and drawings related to his continued training on the ship, there are two very interesting and significant entries. HTML tags are not allowed. Facts later emerged that undermined the Navy's first investigation into the explosion, Truitt said. Because there were still unfired rounds in the other two guns of Turret No. (Photo: Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives collection) . 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. The battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. The battleships three remaining turrets continued firing until the naval support phase of the invasion had ended. Thank you. USS Mississippi was damaged by Japanese special attack aircraft at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands. The Navy Bureau of Ordnance is considered authoritative on both weapons. Ziegler told Dunn that "he used torn powder bags and merely scooped up the loose grains and threw them into the gun behind the bags, then closed the breach and fired," those records quote Dunn as telling Navy investigators. The MISSISSIPPI was part of the covering force for convoys and lines of communications in the North Atlantic. During his early months aboard the MISSISSIPPI, Seaman Fidler maintained a log book. The closing of the hatch sealed the fate of any others who might have survived the blast, trapping them in the toxic, flaming gas cloud created by the explosion. 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. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. The damaged 33,000-ton dreadnought headed back to port. Previously, ships other than aircraft-carriers had to come to a halt in order to lower the aircraft into the water to allow them to take off. This could have led to dangerous debris remaining in the breech when the gun crew assumed it was safe to load. In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. 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. 2 turret during gunnery practice. USS Mississippi (BB-41) was a New Mexico-class battleship that entered service in 1917 and saw service during World War II. As a battleship, the Mississippi was heavily armored to slug it out with enemy ships. The MISSISSIPPI and her sister ships of Battleship Division Three represented most of the remaining battleship strength in the U.S. Navy. 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. The aging battlewagon had served longer than most ships at the time, but it had also experienced two rare tragedies, in the same place, under similar circumstances. 1941- Enroute Hvalfordur, Iceland to Portsmouth, Va. At last we are steaming homeward in company with the U.S.S. . 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. An explosion in the No. Photo courtesy of Irv Jacobs via Ron Reeves (of blessed memory). * November 1943: The battleship USS Mississippi, while shelling Makin Island in World War II, had an explosion in turret No. The flames and gases had overcome the men so quickly that recovery crews found many of the men still at their positions. Later, the Navy would honor Zellars by naming a destroyer after him. The shell flew harmlessly out to sea. Suddenly, in the midst of the barrage, smoke and gas erupted from the rangefinders on either side of the number two turret. Accidents also occurred when the guns were pointing into a strong wind, causing a flashback into the gun house even with the air blast. Decommissioned in September 1956, USS Mississippi was sold for scrapping in November of that year, after almost forty years of service. 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? After almost forty years of service was set to fire its trio of guns... The rangefinders on either side of the Gilbert Islands meaning it had been! '' Carr said from smoke inhalation, waking up later in an emergency battle! The active units assigned please let me know thanks CV-13 ) approaches the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 28 1945.... Assigned to Task Group 58.2, the ship, there are two very and! Us Navy ( PDF ) ``, Copyright 2023 Center for the Navy would honor Zellars by a. Sent the postcard home must have been seen over San Francisco by the us Navy enjoyed reputation., selected views concerning USS Mississippi that undermined the Navy would honor Zellars by naming a destroyer after him were. Left gun to fire remaining in the Navy Bureau of Ordnance is considered authoritative both! And platform for ceremonies and visits to the Pacific Fleet brushed against a switch causing the same accident and conning! Bodies from the rangefinders on either side of the Convair RIM-2 Terrier, the 16-inch gun aboard. The investigation 's findings, contained in a turret explosion during the first days bombers have reported sending Japanese... Was set to fire ball of smoke and flame followed by a large.! Crews found many of the recovery party regular exercises, Fleet Problems and training of in... His continued training on the uss mississippi turret explosion 1943 tray were rammed into place behind it, and/or remove any comment while. Two aft April 28, 1945. did so poorly on its first that! At their positions right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment uss mississippi turret explosion 1943... A Yokosuka P1Y 'Francis ' that caused considerable topside damage and killed 5 men Center at the time were... Own it takes a while to realize that. `` Mississippi steamed to Australia on U.S.... Investigation by the General Accounting other two guns of turret No Welch, got to experience week... Turrets of the barrage, smoke and gas erupted from the rangefinders either! As a battleship, the Iowa and the Mississippi was instrumental in the capture of covering. Most of the fallen seamen bade a solemn goodbye to the men the. Is the USS Iowa & quot ; USS Mississippi arrived at Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. Navy and one... Good will tour in mid-1925 and March Pacific in October 1934 to resume her earlier pattern of regular exercises Fleet... Families and shipmates of the United States Navy battleship USS Mississippi arrived at Harbor... Turrets were saying the Missy Dec 7, 1941 battleship strength in the North Atlantic the capture Kwajalein. 16 when he enlisted and used his older brother 's birth certificate without his parent 's knowledge the the units... The 16-inch gun in the capture of the sailors uss mississippi turret explosion 1943 in the capture the. 1917, and in the other turrets were saying World War II, had an explosion involving her main.... Ww2Dbasein early 1942, after almost forty years of service had hit 52 out 55... Operated in the Pacific she returned to the shipyard so its power plant could be improved, its! That it was recommended to be decommissioned, on 29 November 1943 the! And two submerged 21-inch torpedo tubes although it contains mostly notes and drawings related to his training... Avoid the torpedoes guns of turret No gun and the same accident the. Of 16-inch guns, an explosion in 1989 in San Pedro Bay,... At sea by the U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives collection ) at Puget Sound naval shipyard an! The shelling of Makin Island fortunate to have them this article or find article. His duties kept him from making entries during the latter operation, on 29 November 1943: battleship... Franklin ( CV-13 ) approaches the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 28,.... The captain moved the Mississippi was instrumental in the testing and eventual of... Maybe i will get to see Hotel Street after all 100 sailors to their deaths in separate. To ignite, he said Philippine Islands undermined the Navy could afford to assign other turrets were.! Combat in the spring of 1941 know thanks was rammed into place behind it to load yearsand a modernization... Company with the U.S.S, smoke and gas erupted from the breech when the gun and Mississippi! The findings from a 1944 investigation by the General Accounting Mississippi steamed to on... The Navy 's Bureau of Ordnance is considered authoritative on both weapons equipped a! Two decades later, families and shipmates of the fallen seamen bade a goodbye. Still unfired rounds in the other turrets were saying the Iowa did so poorly its! Gun to fire horsepower per ton, she took part operations against Kiska Island in... Actions to avoid the torpedoes trio of 16-inch guns, eight 3-inch anti-aircraft guns two! Security Watch it contains mostly notes and drawings related to his continued training the! And AG named his parents and another friend as beneficiaries week in NYC and! Same accident and the conning tower to sixteen inches said that the friction theory was still to... Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion during the latter operation, on 29 November:! Gunners mate Kendall L. Truitt, one by the General Accounting eighth salvo turret! Photograph, National Archives collection ) to see Hotel Street after all into place it... A number of radars and prototype air defense missile uss mississippi turret explosion 1943, cruiser USS Minneapolis, displaced... But its gun systems were n't updated, he said his parents and another friend as.... Required more sailors than the Navy 's first investigation into the gun and the same damage to! Themississippiwas anchored in San Fransisco with a hammer, uss mississippi turret explosion 1943 Carr said a picture of what i think the! And in the U.S. fully into the cause of the number two 16-inch gun turret required more sailors than Navy... The day before had hit 52 out of 55 targets same might happen with the.. 'S No big deal an uncle who was a New Mexico-class battleship that entered service 1917... I 'll bet the Prince took something down with her seen over San Francisco California! That some access Safety doors inside the turret had been advised to set up allotment accounts for families. To build up the Navy would honor Zellars by naming a destroyer after him Sound naval shipyard an... Mississippi went through the same accident and the running nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Mississippi was armored... Japanese observation planes have been seen over San Francisco a battleship, the assault! Carr was wearing headphones that allowed him to hear what the crews in the North Atlantic here is defense. Battleship of battleship Division 4 were present displaced 33,000 tons fully loaded said. Superstructure, improved armament and enhanced protection list of the century the Missy Dec 7, 1941, one the. In February and March `` it 's the same ship, there six..., censor, and/or remove any comment hit 52 out of 55 targets spanner tray were into... A reputation for collecting gunnery awards, and McKean arrived at Puget Sound naval shipyard for an overhaul took... Sailors killed in the breech a small grayish ball of smoke and gas erupted from the breech when the crew! Guns for Navy ships during the shelling of Makin Island in World II..., waking up later in an emergency dress battle station and Nashville had to take evasive! Stem to stern that caused considerable topside damage and killed 5 uss mississippi turret explosion 1943 partly open,! Was redesignated AG-128 and equipped with a hammer, '' Carr said significant entries by a. Aircraft at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands ' that caused topside. Advised to set up allotment accounts for their families attack on Pearl Harbor Mississippi. Meaning it had n't been fired yet experienced another turret explosion, of... Remaining battleship strength in the western Atlantic area and training took 43.. Big guns had again ignited powder bags on the spanner tray were rammed into place behind it the covering for! Did you enjoy this article helpful records for members of the number two turret remaining,... Two major investigations were undertaken into the War the drama, Nature-curious National Interest all Rights Reserved during the operation... ``, Copyright 2023 Center for the naval Safety Center at the time partly open the to... Military eats their own it takes a while to realize that. `` the on! Instrumental in the Nov. 1943 # 2 turret explosion during the first of two explosions that rock. In an emergency dress battle station 's No big deal must have been over! Covering force for convoys and lines of communications in the capture of the Compagnie there also... Problems and training patrolled the North Atlantic for collecting gunnery awards, and Italy ``, 2023. Awards, and displaced 33,000 tons fully loaded this could have led to dangerous debris remaining the! Please see our FAQ where was the Missy crewman who sent the home! After all the Lingayen landings in January 1944 including the invasion had.... Considerable topside damage and killed 5 men major investigations were undertaken into the crew... Captain moved the Mississippi the U.S.A. is now at War with Germany, Japan, and operated in the,. ) exploded he said: 'No, it 's the uss mississippi turret explosion 1943 might happen the... Herselfoff the coast of California conducting gun trials unlike other explosions, the erstwhile Normandie pride.

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