Explosion in Gun Turret During Training Exercises Kills 48 Aboard U.S.S. Mississippi, June 12, 1924

Inhalation of Flames, Rather than Gas and Poisonous Fumes, Caused Death of the 48 Men in Explosion

San Pedro, California, June 13—The U.S.S. Mississippi, self-wounded giant of the Pacific fleet, in one of those forward gun turrets, 48 men died in an explosion yesterday, lies anchored outside the harbor breakwater today.

Trained by their calling to face death, unexpected and sudden, her officers and men are removing traces of the terrific blasts of T.N.T. that swept their comrades into eternity.

Still another unexploded charge is reported lodged in one of the Mississippi’s great 14-inch rifles, but naval officers asore say that virtually all danger of a repetition of yesterday’s tragedy is past.

Naval traditions of the kind that cluster about the names of Farragut, Decatur, John Paul Jones, and other American sea fighters of the past, courage, devotion to duty and modesty, flared brilliantly in the midst of yesterday’s smoke and carnage.

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How It Happened

San Petro, Calif., June 12—How the explosion aboard the Mississippi appeared to sailors on the decks of the3 warships near the scene was told by members of the crew of the Tennessee and Idaho, superdreadnaughts that were steaming in formation about 2,000 yards from the Mississippi.

“It was just a few minutes before noon and we were expecting mess call when somebody yelled, “Look at the Mississippi,” said a sailor from the Tennessee. “All the ships had been firing constantly, their guns emitting a cloud of smoke from the muzzle following by a tongue of flame.

“But this was different. The number 2 gun turret on the Mississippi was hidden in a cloud of smoke. Then a burst of flames enveloped it. We knew something had happened. Inf act, we knew just what had happened. When one works around the guns he figures his chances and knows just what would happen if a charge were to explode prematurely.

“We knew that abut every man in that turret was killed. There was only two small hatchways to escape by, and they couldn’t have gotten out if they wanted to. I had a friend in that turret.

“Immediately after the explosion we saw the crew of the Mississippi hurrying to quarters. We knew that they would flood the turret to stop any chance of the fire getting to the magazines below the gun deck.

“The Tennessee and Idaho immediately stood by and lowered small boats to render assistance if it was needed.

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From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Saturday, June 14, 1924