Today marks 31 years that the center gun in turret number 2 exploded, killing 47 sailors.

A fellow gunners mate I used to work with was in the Navy prior to joining the Coast Guard. Dan went to A school with many of the men killed.

The official Navy “investigation” was a shambles.

Separate investigation revealed that the powder bags being rammed were rammed too fast too much..causing 5 100 pound bags of powder to explode before the breech could be closed.

The Navy, after dewatering the turret, began removing damaged equipment and deceased sailors before a real investigation could be conducted. A shameful chapter in the history of the US Navy.

Please say a quiet prayer for those men lost in turret two.

I didn't realize it had been that long. I was in my first year of service when it happened, but it resonated nonetheless. I miss the old battleships. There is nothing like them left. I was fortunate to spend a little underway time on the New Jersey before she was decommissioned. They will always be my favorite ships.

Rest in peace shipmates.

Paul Cooper, one of the SNL investigators, used to sneak cigarettes outside of my workspace. Nice dude.

He gave a great presentation on the Iowa investigation. Plus, he signed my copy of his book.

I transferred off the IOWA a month earlier, and was in school over in Little Creek. Saw the news on a TV in the Navy Exchange during lunch. Spent the evening in a gym back on the Norfolk base, along with lots of family members, guys from the ship that were at schools, and prior crew.

Late that night, after they believed that all next of kin had been formally notified, they handed me the list, and said "if you want to know about anybody specific, see the tall LT - ask a name, and he can say "yes" or "no" (as to whether that individual was deceased).

Only one error - one of the GMG3s had just gotten married, and his next of kin card was not updated. They contacted his parents back in Ohio, and they could not get a hold of the wife. She asked, I said "yes" and you can imagine the reaction. Assist team of chaplains and others moved in and took care of her.

After the NCIS dick up, the definitive answer came from NSWC Dahlgren and Sandia National Labs. It was not just ramming at high speed. It was ramming at high speed, and having a small amount of propellant grains lying sideways on the top of the powder bag. (16" powder grains are cylindrical, and almost thumb size. There are eight layers of stacked grains per bag, the ones lying sideways are what gets "trickled in" to make the weight right).

Final report here for the curious: http://archive.gao.gov/d19t9/144706.pdf

This message has been edited. Last edited by: feersum dreadnaught,

The explosion that killed 47 men on the USS Iowa last year was probably caused by the ignition of powder that was rammed at high speed too far into the battleship`s 16-inch gun, according to experiments of an independent laboratory reported to the Senate on Friday.

Experts from Sandia National Laboratories also criticized the Navy`s suggestion that traces of ''foreign materials'' found inside the gun barrel after the blast were vital components of a sabotage device placed between the powder bags by a suicidal sailor. The scientists said nearly all of the materials cited by the Navy as ''foreign'' are commonly found in naval guns.

In a final series of tests conducted Thursday at the Naval Surface Weapons Center at Dahlgren, Va., a 500-pound powder charge exploded during a test to simulate the loading of the Iowa`s gun.

''There was a flash of light . . . then a large cloud of smoke and the scene was obliterated,'' said Paul Cooper, an explosives expert with Sandia Laboratories, which was performing the tests for Congress as part of an independent audit of the Navy`s investigation.

The test Thursday prompted Navy Secretary Lawrence Garrett III to halt the firing of the 16-inch guns on the Navy`s four battleships, and to reopen the Navy`s investigation of the April 19, 1989, blast.

Details of the Sandia laboratory`s five-month investigation were made public at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Friday. The testimony fueled criticism of the Navy`s report that blamed the blast on 24-year-old Gunner`s Mate Clayton Hartwig.

I was a senior in High School when this all started going down. The only thing I think we all agree on is that the Navy botched the investigation. Something set those bags off.
I had been under the mistaken belief that no 16" guns were ever fired after this accident. But it seems we fired 1100 rounds during Persian Gulf.

The memorial in Norfolk:

I was aboard the Nassau LHA 4 at the time on a Med Float. We were diverted to provide aid however not needed as I recall. Two tragedies, the loss of life/damage and then the botched investigation.

Lock N Load

Michael
USMC Ret

quote:

Originally posted by specter77:
I was aboard the Nassau LHA 4 at the time on a Med Float. We were diverted to provide aid however not needed as I recall. Two tragedies, the loss of life/damage and then the botched investigation.

Lock N Load

Michael
USMC Ret

I was also on the Nassau when this happened. I was with the MSSG 26 Engineer Platoon. Who were you with?