BB-41 suffered another turret explosion killing 43 men 20 November 1943 off Makin Island. 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. A bizarre accident occurred afterward while the Mississippi was anchored in San Pedro Bay. turret II as the crew loaded the gun. 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 firing rocked the whole harbor district, shattering windows and critically injuring four men who were caught behind the recoiling gun. Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USS Mississippi went to war in the Pacific. Only two sailors in the turret firing room, J.F. -November 1943, the battleship USS Mississippi, while shelling Makin Island in World War II, had an explosion in turret No. "I held one [sailor] in my hands as he passed," Carr said. Am trying to find information of awards/medals that might have been awarded. 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. ww2dbaseIn early 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi rejoined the Pacific Fleet. Navy officials said this week the report on the Mississippi was authentic, but pointed out that it was later overruled by higher-ranking investigators. 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. MISSISSIPPI. The turret explosion was captured by a camera mounted in one of the USS Iowa's towers. Note, however, he is identified as Frederick. The battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. Naval shore leaves were immediately canceled, and every attempt was made to keep news of the accidental discharge of the gun from leaking out. 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. 12:00 a.m. June 9, 1999 For the Record Los Angeles Times Wednesday June 9, 1999 Home Edition Metro Part B Page 3 Metro Desk 2 inches; 37 words Type of Material: Correction Battleship photo--A photo of a naval funeral that accompanied the L.A. Then and Now column in Sundays Times was incorrectly credited. After the war, Mississippi was effectively defanged, with three of her four main battery turrets removed. She was bombed from the air. 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. 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. 2 turret of the battleship USS Mississippi in 1943 that killed 43 sailors was caused by a "flareback" when unexpelled gases from a previous round ignited powder bags. 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. After overhaul at San Francisco. He said: "It's no big deal. 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 waterspray system was not, if I recall, used to clear the bore between shots, just the compressed air blast. . Prewar and during the Pacific War located in the Gilbert Islands. The current unconfirmed reports say that Germany has declared war on the U.S., which doesn't make much difference. Iowa's turret two on fire immediately following the explosion. Brotherton knew something was drastically wrong when he noticed brownish smoke coming from the No. 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. Carr was wearing headphones that allowed him to hear what the crews in the other turrets were saying. You need to play a total of 20 battles to post in this section. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives. Fearing that the same might happen with the remaining gun, the captain moved the MISSISSIPPI outside the breakwater. W.D. Caviezel and Robert McAvin, escaped, by diving down through a 40-foot hatchway that closed automatically behind them. Seconds before Turret No. "This is just from my experience of three years of working and shooting those guns: Eventually the powder bags ripped and the rammer head or the rammer chain sparked, and that's what set off the first explosion," Carr said. Another 2700 sailors observed the services. Politics. The shell flew harmlessly out to sea. The Iowa was commissioned in 1943. Returning to Pearl Harbor in March 1943, . . 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 . 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. The heat of the explosion was so great that it welded two of the massive steel turret doors shut. Mississippi was converted to a gunnery training and weapons development ship in 1946, and given the new hull number AG-128. Black smoke poured out from the burning 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. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? The British lost the Prince of Wales and the Repulse. The accident has been a major influence on my life. On December 9, 1941 Japanese forces occupied Makin Island. The residue from the smokeless propellant had to be removed chemically. 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. His work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Esquire, The National Interest, Car and Driver, Men's Health, and many others. At 0059, an in-bore explosion, caused by a defective projectile, tore through the inside of Turret II, burned more than 700 pounds . 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. The U.S.A. is now at war with Germany, Japan, and Italy. During the latter operation, on 29 November 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives . She was launched on 27 August 1942 and commissioned on 22 February 1943. 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. During gunnery practice on 12 June 1924, she suffered a turret fire that took the lives of 48 of her crew. "We stand by the results of the investigation," Coles said. 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. Two major investigations were underta In fact, the Iowa did so poorly on its first inspection that it was recommended to be decommissioned. Borders Makin Lagoon (Butaritari Lagoon). On April 19, 1989, the day of the blast, the ship was preparing for live-fire training at Vieques, Puerto Rico Naval Training Range. A bizarre accident occurred afterward while theMississippiwas anchored in San Pedro Bay. Decommissioned in September 1956, USS Mississippi was sold for scrapping in November of that year, after almost forty years of service. The ship was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia, from her keel laying in April 1915, her launching. Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USS Mississippi went to war in the Pacific. site is two fold. Forty-eight sailors were killed, and only one of the sailors manning the turret survived. 47 men were killed. Or had she been transferred to the Atlantic Fleet? Nearly twenty yearsand a major refit laterthe USSMississippiwent to war in the Pacific. In 1943, the big battleship was off the coast of Makin Island, providing naval gunfire support to a . 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. Also served on USS TENNESSEE, USS KULA GULF (CVE108) and USS FRANK FRIDAY FLETCHER. The powder ignited the first of two explosions that would rock the ship from stem to stern. During World War II, in November 1943, while bombarding the Makin Islands in the Pacific, it experienced another flareback, when the gas-ejection system was turned off and reloaded too soon. 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. Sandia investigators asked if two similar explosions on the battleship USS Mississippi could be related to the Iowa explosion. Don't worry about collecting. Today her name lives on in the Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Mississippi (SSN-782). The hand of a dead crewman in the number two turret accidentally hit the firing switch for the port gun, firing it. The new Mississippi displaced 32,000 tons, could make 21 knots, and carried twelve 14 . 2 turret aboard the battleship Mississippi, which also claimed 47 lives. TheIowasubsequently went to the shipyard so its power plant could be improved, but its gun systems weren't updated, he said. During World War II, in November 1943, while bombarding the Makin Islands in the Pacific, it experienced another . He said: 'No, it's the same thing my dad did.". 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 main battery was distributed two turrets forward and two aft. "Cover-up aboard the USS Iowa" (PDF). USS Mississippi (BB41AG128), the second of three members of the New Mexicoclass, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state. Two days after the attack, accompanied by the battleship IDAHO and a number of destroyers, the Mississippi departed Iceland for Norfolk. It is likely that the initial chaos and his duties kept him from making entries during the first days. Required fields are marked *. USS Mississippi (BB-41), during combat operations off Makin, Gilbert Islands, suffers cordite explosion in #2 14-inch gun turret. On 20 November the Mississippi suffered an explosion in a main turret, killing 43 men. Almost immediately upon his assignment to the ship, he found himself in the midst of the war, although the U.S. was "officially" neutral at the time. After an extensive preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault force headed towards the beach and Mississippi and the other ships increased their rate of fire. 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. The gunners on all three battlewagons were competing for a $20 prize that Congress had voted to award the fleets most proficient naval marksman. Also, the crew failed to examine one or more of the gun bores and call out Bore clear!" In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. 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. The commissioning ceremony aboard the USS Iowa, Feb. 22, 1943. She was present in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945, when Japan formally surrendered and returned to the United States soon thereafter. 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. Reply. 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. 2 gun turret, left two fully loaded gun barrels in the same . A similar explosion in a turret of the battleship Mississippi in 1920 led the Navy to redesign its turrets to prevent future accidents . by paul.mercer Thu Apr 03, 2014 9:29 pm, Post "That fireball went straight to the bottom of the turret. The military eats their own it takes a while to realize that.". She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, in June but soon shifted her base to Newport, Rhode Island. Mississippi provided gunfire support for the Lingayen landings in January 1945 and for the conquest of Okinawa in March-June. They also repeated assurances that friction or other accidental means did not cause the Iowa deaths. 2. 43 killed, 19 injured. Mississippi steamed to Australia on a U.S. Fleet good will tour in mid-1925. They are considered buried at sea by the US Navy. At the time, sailors in his father's division all took out life insurance policies on each other. Francis Zacharias was only 16 when he enlisted and used his older brother's birth certificate without his parent's knowledge. siege1863, I'm looking for any information on a Lt (jg) Millay who served aboard the USS Mississippi (BB-41) during it's WWII Pacific Tenure (1942-1945) He was at the Pearl Harbor Naval Barracks Dec 7, 1941 . All others are marked with an "X.". I'm sorry for anyone's personal grief or personal anguish over that.". Out of commission? Island Hopping . I was on active duty at that time. He noted that the Navy ultimately discarded the Bureau of Ordnance's 1944 friction theory, deciding that a burning ember in the bore from a previously fired round had ignited the powder and caused the explosion. 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). Find the perfect uss mississippi stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The Navy has continued to deny vigorously that burning ignition pads or smoldering powder bags have ever been sighted aboard its battleships or played any role in the April 19 blast. Anyway, what's left of it. The damaged 33,000-ton dreadnought headed back to port. RLoret 1 yr. ago. Battleship Mississippi (BB-41) Interactive Map. It took the sailors eight hours to douse the blaze. Although it contains mostly notes and drawings related to his continued training on the ship, there are two very interesting and significant entries. Sign up for a new account in our community. Assigned to USS IOWA Commissioning Crew on 22 February 1943. On 19 April 1989, the Number Two 16-inch gun turret of the United States Navy battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) exploded. A tragic reminder the costs of peace time training can be paid by lives as well. 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. In 1961 the USS ARIZONA was altered once more. The explosion in the center gun room killed 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. 2 turret. 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 . 2 turrets periscope holes, even as the ships other guns continued firing. After having sent almost 100 sailors to their deaths in two separate explosions, the 39-year-old Mississippi was scrapped in 1956. I'm very sorry it ever occurred. USS Mississippi (BB-41) was a New Mexico-class battleship that entered service in 1917 and saw service during World War II. 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. . Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? Then No. It was during this period, when on special training maneuvers, that tragedy struck the ship. We just outran several units of the German fleet (submarines). Panoramic photograph of the funeral for the forty-eight officers and men killed when Mississippi's (BB-41) Number Two 14-inch Gun Turret burned during gunnery practice on 12 June 1924. 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. . Debris from firing the big guns had again ignited powder bags, causing the same accident and the same damage. Flame and gases immediately filled the gun compartment, passed through the safety doors above the shell table to the other two gun compartments and through the peep doors to the turret officer's booth. US National Archives and Records Administration. Today located in Republic of Kiribati. All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB. 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. Two hundred sailors of each battleship of Battleship Division 4 were present. Iowa . The battleships three remaining turrets continued firing until the naval support phase of the invasion had ended. Navy officials say technical experts conducted more than 20,000 tests on bags of powder taken from the Iowa last spring, including attempts to create an explosion through friction. 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. On June 12, 1924, there was an explosion in the USS Mississippi's No. by tommy303 Thu Apr 03, 2014 11:55 pm, Post As a battleship, the Mississippi was heavily armored to slug it out with enemy ships. 1943 - 1943: 9: My father, A.A. Frye was an anti-aircraft gunner's mate on the starboard side. Editorial Guidelines and Publishing Standards. 138 killed and 60 injured. 3 other similar ships, the USS New Jersey, the USS Wisconsin, and the USS Missouri were built at the same time. The old warship was decommissioned in 1956, sold for scrap. The exact date and number of casualties were not available. 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. Then came the blast, which was so strong that it ripped the headphones right off Carr's head. Forty-three sailors died. Less than two decades later, the Mississippi went through the same agony again. During gunnery practice on 12 June 1924, she suffered a turret fire that took the lives of 48 of her crew. 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. The General Accounting Office and both House and Senate armed services committees are reviewing the Navy's investigation. by paul.mercer Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:12 am, Post "We all knew each other rather intimately.". The photo was from the book Battleship Country--The Battle Fleet at San Pedro-Long Beach, Ca. In 2009 he cofounded the defense and security blogJapan Security Watch. National Security. The USS Mississippi is home to one of the most intriguing naval coincidences of all time. Mississippi steamed to Australia on a U.S. Fleet good will tour in mid-1925. "The sad thing is I understand what they were doing and why they were doing it," Truitt told Task & Purpose. The investigations produced conflicting conclusions. They further claimed Hartwig became suicidal because he and Truitt who was married at the time had been lovers but Truitt had rebuffed him. 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. Following repairs, she participated in the capture of Kwajalein in February 1944 and bombarded Japanese-held islands in February and March. 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. Battleship USS Mississippi, cruiser USS Minneapolis, and destroyers USS Shaw, Boggs, and McKean departed Pago Pago, Samoa bound for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 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