Naval Inquiry Into Explosion in Turret 2 on U.S.S. Mississippi, June 17, 1924

Three Officers Who Lost Lives on U.S.S. Mississippi Lieutentant Thomas E. Zellars, Grantville, Ga., graduate of the Naval Academy.

Ensign Wm. G. McCrea, appointed from Renevo, Pa., and an Annapolis honor man.

Ensign Marcus Erwin Jr., appointed from Asheville, N.C., a year ago.

Air Pressure in Turret Poor Is View of Gunner. . . First Clue as to Blame. . . Poor Pressure Had Been Encountered Practically All Through the Firng of the 14 Rifles; One of the Greatest Peace Time Disasters in History of Navy

San Petro, Calif, June 16—The first definite evidence of what might have caused the disaster in the dreadnaught Mississippi’s turret No. 2, Thursday, snuffing out the lives of 48 men, was presented to the naval court of inquiry of the fleet here today by Francis Majewski, one of the sailors who escaped from the death chamber.

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Tells of Stealthy Death

A vivid picture of the fate which overtook he fighting men of turret No. 2, while the guns of their ship and two other vessels roared at a target on the San Clemente drill grounds south of here, was contained in information offered at yesterday’s session.

The testimony of Capt. W.D. Brotherton, commander of the Mississippi, emphasized the stealth with which sudden flaming death went from a gun breech into the crowded turret and extinguished almost half a hundred lives, before the rest of the ship knew what had happened.

“I blame no one,” he said in conclusion. ‘All my men did their duty, every one. I have only the highest praise to offer.

There was praise, too, for the way men stuck to their posts, after the nerve-shattering news of disaster.

Down in the engine and fire rooms the “black gang” stayed at their jobs, realizing fully a further explosion would mean death to them all. Deadly fumes from the turrets were sucked down into their compartment by the forced draught ventilating system and several men temporarily were overcome.

Later those men were relieved by another crew, every man of which knew what had happened in No. 2 turret and that fire might at any moment reach and explode the forward magazines a few feet away from where they must work.

Declares Spirit Is Big

“It was navy stuff, that’s all,” said Lieut. Carl E. Weincke, engineer officer of the Mississippi. “The spirit on this ship is big.

Tomorrow will be a day of mourning in several southern California cities and next Tuesday, the day tentatively set aside for the funeral services of the victims, will be marked by solemn services in which civilians will join with men and officers of the fleet in paying homage to the men who died.

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From the front page of the Wilson Times, June 17, 1924