USS Iowa BB-61 Turret 2 Explosion 20th Anniversary
Posted on 18. Apr, 2009 by Eric Broze in Video
It has been 20 years since the explosion of turret 2 on board the USS Iowa BB-61.
Please take a moment to remember the 47 brave sailors who died that day. April 19th, 1989.
Here is my take on the event.
And a more traditional approach.
H/T to RollingThunderHorse for use of the video.
Paul Frost
19. Apr, 2009
I do remember, I remember every day and almost every minute of every day, for all these 20 years. This event, by being there, involved, defined my life and I could never forget those men, their faces, the conversations and the tragedy. I have questioned myself relentlessly about what “I” could have done better that day, but I know I did everything I could. God bless the families and we know that those 47 men are in our thoughts and prayers always.
Eric
19. Apr, 2009
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Paul. That day made a lasting impact on us all.
Pedro Garcia
02. Jan, 2010
Hello Eric and Uss Iowa soldiers and families, My Name is Pedro Garcia from deep south Texas by the border with Mexico. I offer my appreciation and sincere symphathy for the departed and their families. I am a friend of Jose Luis Martinez Jr’s parents, Jose and Adela. Jose Jr. was a victim of this terrible tragedy. 20 years his senior I knew him briefly as a little boy in the same town we grew up in Hidalgo TX. He also had a new wife at the time and a little girl who is now grown up. Recently I visited his parents and l aslo saw the movie “A Glimpse of Hell” starring James Cann which depicts this story. It made me sad but together with you website and google articles, it brought me closer to understanding what it may have been on that fateful day and the aftermath. I was wondering if you perhaps recall Jose Luis Martinez Jr. Again thank you for your website. My prayers are with you and the familes!
susan backherms
17. Jun, 2009
I think that you could have stopped some of the other from stealing from the dead I am Robert Backherms widow and I forgotten how things really were ther
tony mckelvy
23. Nov, 2009
I agree 100% with Mrs. Beckherms! I felt sick to my stomach after learning that this took place. I spent all night recovering and identifying remains of my fallen brothers in arms and this type of action makes you wonder if you really ever know your neighbor.
Tyler backherms
16. Feb, 2010
Hello Susan, this is Tyler Backherms, my Father chad is Rob’s younger brother and if you were married to him i guess that makes you my aunt, I never met you before but i offer my condolences, im sure your husband was a great man and i thank him for his sacrifice, Reply back please it would mean a lot to me, thanks.
Mark Salmon, X-GMG1 Turret 3
20. Apr, 2009
Like you, I remember and will never forget because I was there. Last night I gathered with friends and tolde them stories about that fine crew and that fateful morning. I pray for the families of our 47 lost brothers and wish for all of them peace and the knowledge that we remember with them.
Mrs.Susan Backherms
17. Jun, 2009
what were the soties about how the men were un trained and that the captain had no business running that ship
Eric
17. Jun, 2009
Susan, I fully respect who you are and the memory of Robert. With that said, if I remember correctly, Robert was not very experienced along with the other members of that gun. This is why Chief Ziegler had Hartwig supervise that day.
Are you saying your husband was not trained in his position, or not trained to ram powder for a 5 bag shot? Considering Robert’s position as rammer this seems important.
In regards to Captain “Moose” Moosally. I found him to be an excellent Captain who was perfectly capable of running the ship.
tony mckelvy
23. Nov, 2009
In response to Eric’s previous statement, it is true that there were inexperienced people in all 3 turrets as well as some 5″ guns,but being inexperienced did not mean that the were not trained. This was an unfortunate event in Naval history, but I attest to the fact that training was done daily. I came onboard Feb.1989 in New Orleans and was assigned to G-4(I was not a GM). I left Hospital corps school to the fleet and thrown in with Gunner’s mates. I later moved to G-2 for the rest of my tour. I was notorious for my rebellions,which later sealed my military fate.
Marc garafano
21. Apr, 2009
I remember that day. I was NOT there but my best friend was. He perished with 46 other of the military’s finest. Geoff Schelin was and will always be my friend. In the extremely short time (3 months) he was stationed on the Iowa I see that he made an impact. I met these men who were there and who endured this tragic day and I must say that they are not just shipmates, they are family members. I spent 2 excruciating years wondering if I should attend this memorial since I was not a family member nor a shipmate of the Iowa but once I was there the anxiety all but disappeared. ALL involved opened their arms and welcomed me as if I was one of their own. Judging on how I was treated I COULD NOT IMAGINE THE LOVE AND SUPPORT they showed Geoff and the other men who perished. Thank you folks of the USS Iowa. I will always remember this weekend and I will never forget the IOWA.
Eric
21. Apr, 2009
Thanks for remembering and being a true friend, Marc, and you are part of our Iowa family. I sure would have liked to attend, however it was not possible.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Troy Davis
14. May, 2009
This spring break I went to the U.S.S. Iowa memorial in Norfolk Virginia. I felt very welcomed being there because everyone was so nice even though I didn’t even know any of the sailors that lost their lives on that ship. It’s good to see that all of you can come together and soothe your pain for the loss of your friends and family.
Thank you all for the good experience and welcoming me to tag along with you guys.
Troy Dustin Davis (16)
susan backherms widow
17. Jun, 2009
please remember that we all are not and never did come together I fully blame Kendall Truitt and Kathy Kubicinas brother more the tradgyed as well Some got rich over the deaths Find the insurance polices that Kendall had on the men including my husband Robert
tony mckelvy
23. Nov, 2009
I knew Ken Truitt well,but Hartwig I barely knew. I can’t grasp the whole idea of the conspiracy that we were manipulated to believe. If anyone got rich off any of this,I’m sure that inside they are miserable!
Robb Beckett
03. Jun, 2009
I am a son of a sailor that was on the U.S.S. IOWA when this happened. He was a Petie Officer and a member of the damage control team. His name is Robert Beckett. I myself had been on the ship prior to and after this accident. My heart goes out to all of the crew of this ship.
mrs susan Backherms widow
17. Jun, 2009
perhaps you should wake up and relize that the Navy murdered your father just like my husband Robert and when they can they will cover thier tracks and lie to protecte their carrers
Eric
17. Jun, 2009
Susan. Perhaps you should read Robb Becketts comment again. Robbs father was not killed during the explosion, but was a damage control team member.
I will agree with you Susan, that the Navy’s actions and cover up were terrible, however, it was not murder.
Kenneth R. Jones
27. Apr, 2010
Robb Beckett, I suspect your dad, with whom I served with, is now in his early 60′s. Yes, Bob Beckett was a Damage Controlman 2nd (sw) with the Repair Division. I hope he is well and would look forward to bringing him up to date on my family and the First Gulf War where I was serving following the stretch on the Iowa. God Bless.
Larry Daniels
18. Jun, 2009
Thanks for letting me know about this site Eric. I to remember that dreadful morning. My best friend Rodney Young perished in that fire. He was the left gun layer. He and i were best friends through thick and thin. The night before we had argued with one another because we had lost playing a game of spades with fellow gunners mates Larry Harris and his brother Rodney Harris. We went to bed that night mad at each other. I didn’t get too see him before we went into the gun mounts that morning, we never got a chance to make up our differences. I’ve had to live with that.
Darin Calhoun
07. Jul, 2009
I am GMG3 Darin Calhoun, Projectile Decks Captain and DCPO for Turret 3. I transfered out of 2nd Division two months prior to the accident. I am glad the the Navy cleared Heartwig’s name after many years of his sister fighting to clear his name. The Navy was trying to keep the Battleships active and the Congress was looking for a reason to decommissioning them. No one in our Division bought the Hartwig & Truitt story. But 60 Minutes and 20/20 came close to the truth. After the accident we were briefed on the explosives. It appeared that the ammo barge the had the powders was in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. Now the main propellant in these 110 pound bags is Nitrocellulose and is very stable. The powder grains are as big as a grown man’s thumb. However the black powder charge or “booster” is not as stable, and in high temperatures can become unstable. So when the powders were rammed into the chamber, the unstable black powder set of the charge, and with it two other charges. This 330 lbs of low explosives is usually not catastrophic but in the enclosed turret it was. Think of it like a fire cracker held in your hand it just goes “POP”, now put it under a soda can and the can will fly into the air. The explosion when out of the gun room into the other gun rooms, down the elevator shaft, into the powder flats, and back up again. They believed it bounced like this two to three times.
The two surviving gunners mates Truitt, and McMillian were in the powder magazines. After the explosion they went into the powder flats. There were no survivors and the powder flats was on fire. Truitt evacuated the magazines while McMillian secured the doors and ran to Damage Control were he flooded the powder flats and saved the ship from being blown in half.
After the fire teams had put out the fire the gunners mates and medical retrieved the bodies. It was the hardest thing to do. I saw the place were I would have been two months prior in the center gun powder elevator and the poor man whom I never knew was a pile of ash one foot high.
I still live with the guilt of having been one of the ones who have survived, I still try every day to be worthy of their sacrifice. God only knows if I will ever succeed, but I let everyone know the great men who serve this nation and lay down their life so that we can enjoy our freedoms.
-Darin Calhoun
Darin Calhoun
08. Jul, 2009
Sorry, just proof that I’m getting old, the hero that saved the ship was not McMillian it was John M. Mullahy.
-Darin Calhoun
Eric
08. Jul, 2009
Thanks for sharing your story.The insight of gunners like yourself is much appreciated.
I was in 3rd deck division and Turret 3 powder magazine during that fateful day. I also live with survivor guilt, however, looking back, I did everything a lowly seaman could do to help, including pulling out bodies.
Many heroes were born that day, and you are one of them, Darin.
tony mckelvy
23. Nov, 2009
I’m trying hard to remember you Eric!
Eric
23. Nov, 2009
Thanks, Tony. Me Too. The memory gets a little fuzzy after 20 Years. I think we both came on board at the same time. Fat Tuesday 89 in New Orleans.
w. shaver
05. Aug, 2009
Yes it was a real tragic event, we were out in the area, a usnavy tanker, we were to fuel them that afternoon or next day, We were as old as the Iowa as well, we’d had electrical fires & static electric problems for quite some time, also we hauled their munitions as well, summer befor loaded that suspect munitions at anchorage in Norfolk Harbour & transported it to the Gulf Region for the operation earnets will, we sent it to the mt bakert or Hood to send to those two ships, Iowa & its sister ship , we had trouble with that powder all along & no one said a thing, so much has never been talked about that incident. Hopefully it’ll never happen again, being out on the high seas working with unsafe equipment,
Eric
05. Aug, 2009
Hi Shaver,
I never really thought about all the ships and people who handled the ammo before it hit the Iowa, Besides Whiskey Anchorage. Thanks for bringing your unique perspective.
SN Willie Shorter
16. Nov, 2009
Hi everbody i am glad to find you all i was there in Turrent 1 i was in 1st DIV DECK throwing powder bags in the elevator when we saw smoke i was scared as hell we all thought we were on fire then we heard about T-2. We saw smoke and i thought we were going to die. By the grace of god we got out. Then we had to help fight the fire and help retrive the bodies with the ships BOSN i remember my friend Bradshaw from MIAMI i saw him and you could not tell who he was i miss my friend.
tony mckelvy
23. Nov, 2009
Your story is a common one from a Gunner’s division sailor. I can remember pulling body parts out during our futile attempt to do a underway restoration all the way up until the end of our 6 month cruise that followed the explosion. My friend Brendan McCauley and I spent every day in turret 2 following the explosion. Everyone in G-2 was new onboard except Brendan,myself, and maybe 2 or 3 others.
CINDI WERTHMULLER
01. Apr, 2010
SUSAN, Today is the Last time I talked to my brother 21 years ago. I am doing a reserch paper for my English class and found this on the web. I cannot believe you STILL LIVE IN YOUR BUBBLE! You blame Clay and Ken FOR WHAT??? YOU NEED TO KNOCK THAT CHIP OFF YOUR SHOULDERS AND JOIN THE REAL WORLD. I believe I missed you at the 20th? Actually I did NOT miss you, but now I see we all need to pray for you. We all know the Truth and only God will be the judge. NOBODY made any Money.
Please Pray for this Women!!!
GOD BLESS THE USS IOWA 47
Paul Frost
18. Apr, 2010
Wow! Has it been 21 years today. I was just thinking about talking to S.A. Leslie Everhart that previous night. I talked to him about religion and God and he said he wanted to go to church with me, I do not remember if he was a very religious person, I just remember we talked for a long time as my berthing was right there in the same area since I was in GM division at the time. He said he loved his wife very much. I hesitate to put this on here because I know it can bring up so much pain and my memory is 21 years old to the day but I still remember him saying that. It is odd that this memory has stuck in my mind. I do not know how I feel about that all now. I have always felt guilt I never expressed this to his wife. It has bothered me for all these years and I still have this clearly in my mind., Vividly.
I think I did not because there was so much grief and pain and I was still reeling from what we had to do after the explosion. For the following 48 hours after that explosion I do not think I slept and do not remember all I did, I have blocked a lot out, for it was not easy. That was, for me, the hard part, that I still think of most days. Wow, 21 years and it is like yesterday!
Ken Lyngar
19. Apr, 2010
21years ago I was sitting in the mess decks with Dwayne Battle we were arguing over who`s dept. was better he being in gunnery and me being an MM3 in emo2 as a snipe i was relentless, but that morning was the last time I got to talk to him in less than 30 minutes his fate was sealed I was in repair locker 5 ,hose team it was a good thing we got all those new firefighter suits before we left port.as for the crew it was the best ship i was ever on.
merchantmarineguy
20. Jul, 2010
Does anyone remember a GM Thomas Solheim? Was he onboard during this incident?