anybody remember the Russian Air to Air missile storage facility that exploded some years ago??? destroyed something like over 1/3 of all their air to air stock and was a REAL mess.
Posted on 10/01/2005 8:56:50 AM PDT by genefromjersey
Near Pittsburg, California:
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq80-1.htm
"As war in the Pacific expanded, the Naval Ammunition Depot at Mare Island, California, was unable to keep up with the demand for ammunition. Port Chicago, California, located 35 miles north of San Francisco, proved an ideal place for the Navy to expand its munitions facilities."
"On the evening of 17 July 1944, the empty merchant ship SS Quinault Victory was prepared for loading on her maiden voyage. The SS E.A. Bryan, another merchant ship, had just returned from her first voyage and was loading across the platform from Quinault Victory. The holds were packed with high explosive and incendiary bombs, depth charges, and ammunition - 4,606 tons of ammunition in all. There were sixteen rail cars on the pier with another 429 tons. Working in the area were 320 cargo handlers, crewmen and sailors.
At 10:18 p.m., a hollow ring and the sound of splintering wood erupted from the pier, followed by an explosion that ripped apart the night sky. Witnesses said that a brilliant white flash shot into the air, accompanied by a loud, sharp report. A column of smoke billowed from the pier, and fire glowed orange and yellow. Flashing like fireworks, smaller explosions went off in the cloud as it rose. Within six seconds, a deeper explosion erupted as the contents of the E.A. Bryan detonated in one massive explosion. The seismic shock wave was felt as far away as Boulder City, Nevada. . . .
"All 320 men on duty that night were killed instantly. The blast smashed buildings and rail cars near the pier and damaged every building in Port Chicago. People on the base and in town were sent flying or were sprayed with splinters of glass and other debris. . . . The blast caused damage 48 miles across the Bay in San Francisco."
OK. I just thought it was a little too coincdental having just read about the Bali blast. Russian technology is, indeed, infamous.
Hmmm...know of any similar incidents along the Jersey ports at all during WW2?
Looks like senility is setting in early for me. :o/
anybody remember the Russian Air to Air missile storage facility that exploded some years ago??? destroyed something like over 1/3 of all their air to air stock and was a REAL mess.
Funny thing is, a while back, Amex was advertising "Ride on a Russian MiG" as part of their rewards program...they must lose more cardmembers that way.
Apparently it's happened a few times. See my link about the Texas City disaster in post #23.
"Something makes me wonder if there is something in the water there."
...
Yes, it's called Vodka. It resembles water, that's why they drink so much of it.
English > Russian - Russian > English Bablefish of "Someone set us up the bomb"
Naw....it was the Bali blast that set off the Russian ammo dump. You know how sparks carry in the wind. ;-)
Explosion at USN Ammunition depot Earle New jersey 1946:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-s/de221.htm
"USS Solar, a 1400-ton Buckley class destroyer escort, was built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania. Commissioned in February 1944, she served in the Atlantic on convoy escort and training duties during the remainder of World War II. Late in 1945, Solar was assigned to the Operational Development Force.
"On 30 April 1946, while discharging ammunition at Earle, New Jersey, an explosion wrecked the ship's forward structure, killing 165 sailors and injuring many others. Though Solar did not sink, she was wrecked beyond repair and was scuttled at sea in June 1946."
And by Bablefish I mean Babel Fish
It's that fire-water they keep drinking.
Probably two different incidents. There were many during WWII. There was another at one of the Great Lakes ports also.
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