24 were killed. 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. A tragic reminder the costs of peace time training can be paid by lives as well. This is a compilation of Special Report cut-ins from ABC News during the early afternoon hours, in the aftermath of the deadly explosion aboard the USS Iowa . Mississippi suffered two turret explosions, oddly enough the same turret each time if I recall. "That's sort of what started the whole thing.". 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 old warship was decommissioned in 1956, sold for scrap. Mississippi provided gunfire support for the Lingayen landings in January 1945 and for the conquest of Okinawa in March-June. The MISSISSIPPI was once again with the Pacific Fleet. 47 men were killed. Seaman First Class Fidler was just seventeen years old when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. fully into the war. 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. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives . 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 mighty warship was 624 feet long with a beam of 97.5 feet, and displaced 33,000 tons fully loaded. 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. First, it is aiming to offer interesting Funeral services were held June 17 on Trona Field at San Pedro. The main battery was distributed two turrets forward and two aft. On June 12, 1924,Mississippi found herself off the coast of California conducting gun trials. The MISSISSIPPI was part of the covering force for convoys and lines of communications in the North Atlantic. In early 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi rejoined the Pacific Fleet. It's possible that the powder bags began to smoke because they were old, so the gun captain rammed the bags with too much power. 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. 2 gun turret, left two fully loaded gun barrels in the same . and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Mississippi (BB-41 and AG . This need not have happened. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. There's some paper with this group and his hat. He said: 'No, it's the same thing my dad did.". Photo courtesy of Irv Jacobs via Ron Reeves (of blessed memory). Available for both RF and RM licensing. WASHINGTON Friction, the cause initially considered for the explosions aboard the USS Iowa this year, was also thought by Navy gun experts to be a possible cause of a 1943 explosion aboard the battleship USS Mississippi that killed 42 sailors. Destroyers report there are six subs in back of us. Fearing that the same might happen with the remaining gun, the captain moved the MISSISSIPPI outside the breakwater. Here is one of my postings from another collecting forum. 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. They further claimed Hartwig became suicidal because he and Truitt who was married at the time had been lovers but Truitt had rebuffed him. Two major investigations were undertaken into the cause of the explosion, one by the U.S. Navy and then one by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Sandia National Laboratories. During the mid-1950s, she was test ship for the Navy's first surface-to-air guided missile, the "Terrier". It was also clear that each 16-inch gun turret required more sailors than the Navy could afford to assign. After the war,Mississippiwas effectively defanged, with three of her four main battery turrets removed. The heat of the explosion was so great that it welded two of the massive steel turret doors shut. During 1931-33 , Mississippi underwent a major modernization that gave her an all-new superstructure, improved armament and enhanced protection. This could have led to dangerous debris remaining in the breech when the gun crew assumed it was safe to load. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. Suddenly, in the midst of the barrage . The British lost the Prince of Wales and the Repulse. I've listened to so much bum dope that I don't believe anything I hear anymore. When we're doing a shot with more than three shells, you would stage powder bags inside the powder flats. In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. Naval Academy, The Sullivan Brothers and the Assignment of Family Members, Historic Former U.S. Navy Bases and Stations, The African American Experience in the U.S. Navy, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Navy, Contributions of Native Americans to the U.S. Navy, The World Cruise of the Great White Fleet, Navy Underwater Archaeology Return Program, Annual Navy History and Heritage Awards - Main, Research Permits for Sunken & Terrestrial Military Craft, Scanning, Copyright & Citation Information, Obtain Duplications of Records and Photos. Debris from firing the big guns had again ignited powder bags, causing the same accident and the same damage. USS Mississippi (BB-41) was a New Mexico-class battleship that entered service in 1917 and saw service during World War II. Naval officers in dress uniforms stood in front as 1200 sailors in dress blues stood on the sides of the coffins. This cool kids outdoors club will introduce you to L.A.s best asset, Hong Kong will lift its mask mandate Wednesday, its last major COVID restriction, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Burbank aborted landing was latest close call for U.S. flights. It wasn't long after the Iowa returned home that the Navy seemed to be looking for someone to blame the disaster on. 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. 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. BB-41 suffered another turret explosion killing 43 men 20 November 1943 off Makin Island. He had instinctively closed the doors to the ammunition hoist and flooded the magazines. Decommissioned in September 1956, USS Mississippi was sold for scrapping in November of that year, after almost forty years of service. Laid down in April 1915 at the Newport News Naval Yard, Virginia, Mississippi was commissioned in December 1917, a month after the end of World War I. . She was redesignated AG-128 and equipped with a number of radars and prototype air defense missile systems. Abner Read jettisoned her torpedoes which immediately began their runs toward other ships in the group. USS Mississippi arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an overhaul. Mississippiwas instrumental in the testing and eventual fielding of theConvair RIM-2 Terrier, the U.S. Navys first surface-to-air missile. 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. . 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. Iowa . Ward Carroll, a naval aviator who was a spokesman for the Naval Safety Center at the time. 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. The main battery was distributed two turrets forward and two aft. Smoldering material left in the gun had ignited the powder charge of the next shot. Mississippiwas a heavily armed battleship by the standards of the day. 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. by Dod Grile Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:20 am, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited. While bombarding Makin 20 November, a turret explosion, almost identical to the earlier tragedy, killed 43 men. In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. Forty-eight men died of asphyxiation as a result of the explosion. Out of commission? Technology. In order to place the present memorial over the ship, a section of the boat deck that rested over the galley amidships was cut away. 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. After repairs, the Mississippi continued its wartime service, and was present in Tokyo Bay for Japan's formal surrender to the U.S. on Sept. 2, 1945. . Mississippi. As a battleship, the Mississippi was heavily armored to slug it out with enemy ships. They are considered buried at sea by the US Navy. If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. . Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? Following repairs, she participated in the capture of Kwajalein in February 1944 and bombarded Japanese-held islands in February and March. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. Francis Zacharias was only 16 when he enlisted and used his older brother's birth certificate without his parent's knowledge. I'm very sorry it ever occurred. The exact date and number of casualties were not available. Initially this had been the area of a flag and platform for ceremonies and visits to the site from 1950-1960. Original Reporting. I collect yard longs - mostly army or armored WWII but do have some Navy. The MISSISSIPPI and her sister ships of Battleship Division Three represented most of the remaining battleship strength in the U.S. Navy. Over more than a decade, she operated with the fleet's other battleships, conducting exercises and training operations in the Pacific and in the Caribbean. "USS Mississippi (BB-41) cordite fire in the #2 14-inch gun turret. 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. Only the turret officers can be identified. 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. Gunners mate Kendall L. Truitt, one of the 12 sailors who escaped the No. I recently purchased a yard long photo with ship photo that the seller claimed were bought together at an estate sale in Lake George NY. It was the deadliest peacetime naval disaster ever to occur along the California coast, an explosion that tore through a gun turret on the battleship Mississippi, killing 48 sailors and injuring dozens more. In 1961 the USS ARIZONA was altered once more. In this part I will briefly describe . While removing the bodies from the turret, the hand of a dead officer brushed against a switch causing the left gun to fire. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. Mississippi provided gunfire support for the Lingayen landings in January 1945 and for the conquest of Okinawa in March-June. 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. The recoil severely crushed ten men inside and the salvo narrowly missed an outgoing passenger vessel. The U.S.A. is now at war with Germany, Japan, and Italy. ww2dbaseMississippi was converted to a gunnery training and weapons development ship in 1946, and given the new hull number AG-128. Very informative. The Senator from Michigan has asked for a Court Martial of leading admirals and in the 14th Naval District. Article on accident here. W.D. In June 1941, USS Mississippi patrolled the North Atlantic. A photo taken from the bridge captures the explosion of the No. 2s 14-inch guns went off again. The next shell was rammed into the gun and the four powder bags on the spanner tray were rammed into place behind it. Today located in Republic of Kiribati. USS New Jersey During World War II . The accident has been a major influence on my life. Then came the blast, which was so strong that it ripped the headphones right off Carr's head. Though the Navy Bureau of Ordnance's findings are 45 years old and involved the Mississippi's 14-inch diameter guns, the mechanisms and equipment in volved are similar to the 16-inch guns used on the Iowa and the Navy's other three battleships now in service, current and retired Navy personnel say. 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. TheNew Mexicoclass was the fourth of six distinct battleship classes laid down the 1910s, as the Navy rushed to fortify the Atlantic against tensionsand then outright warin Europe. In this role, she carried a variety of old and new guns and radars, while serving with the Operational Development Force in the Atlantic. It was one of the worst disasters suffered by the Navy during peacetime. The New Mexico class was the fourth of six distinct battleship classes laid down the 1910s, as the Navy rushed to fortify the Atlantic against tensionsand then outright warin Europe. he Washington Post reported in September 1989. Later in the year, she was part of the force that invaded Peleliu and Leyte and defeated a Japanese task force in the Battle of Surigao Strait. But unlike other explosions, the 16-inch gun in the No. Borders Makin Lagoon (Butaritari Lagoon). Seconds before Turret No. ", Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. 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? The current unconfirmed reports say that Germany has declared war on the U.S., which doesn't make much difference. Required fields are marked *. Naval shore leaves were immediately canceled, and every attempt was made to keep news of the accidental discharge of the gun from leaking out. 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. You need to play a total of 20 battles to post in this section. You can follow him on Twitter: @KyleMizokami. Thank you. "They were the real gun experts," said retired Rear Adm. Gene LaRocque, a former battleship captain and the founder of the Center for Defense Information in Washington. Maybe I will get to see Hotel Street after all. 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 following video remembers those. The battleship Mississippi (BB 41) pictured transiting the Panama Canal during the 1920s. 2 turret. After an extensive preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault force headed towards the beach andMississippiand the other ships increased their rate of fire. On June 12, 1924,Mississippifound herselfoff the coast of California conducting gun trials. Mississippi steamed to Australia on a U.S. Fleet good will tour in mid-1925. A Marine rifle squad fired three volleys. 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.". He is the founder and editor for the blogs Japan Security Watch, Asia Security Watch and War Is Boring. Thanks for sharing it. 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. 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. The Iowa was commissioned in 1943. 2 turret during gunnery practice. The last explosion was so strong that it blew the turret's two-ton hatch off its hinges and into the water, he said. The Case of the U.S.S. 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. 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. The battleship would continue participating mainly in training exercises until the 1940s. It took the sailors eight hours to douse the blaze. Sounding the fire alarm, Brotherton shouted orders to cut electric power, flood the magazines and stop the ship. "He hit me on the shoulder one day, and he's like, 'If I ever die, you're going to be a rich man,'" Truitt recalled. 2 aboard the Mississippi resulted from either the presence of a burning ember left . By the way, my uncle's name was Francis Zacharias. Mississippi sailed from San Pedro 19 October to take part in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. He said the owners told him that the yard long was the crew of the ship but I figure that it contains the sailor that was assigned to the ship pictured. From the Washington Naval Treaty to the end of the Second World War. Hand of a dead officer brushed against a switch causing the left gun to fire Wilcox and... The mighty warship was 624 feet long with a number of casualties were available... To be looking for someone to blame the disaster on a U.S. Fleet good will in. Michigan has asked for a Court Martial of leading admirals and in the capture of the worst suffered! 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