Explosion on U.S. Warship Near Gulf

Rueters ^ | May 8, 2003

[Jeff Head]

Explosion on U.S. Warship Near Gulf Injures 11-Navy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eleven U.S. Marines were injured on Wednesday in an explosion in a trash container aboard the amphibious assault warship USS Saipan in the northern Arabian Sea, the Navy said.

None of the injuries was life-threatening, although one of the eleven was evacuated to an American Army field hospital in Kuwait for treatment of a serious arm injury, the U.S. 5th Fleet said in a statement. Others were being treated aboard the ship.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, the Navy said. The 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain. 'The explosion occurred in a trash receptacle in Marine berthing, piercing a bulkhead and injuring personnel in the adjacent compartment,' the statement said.

The injur<ped personnel were members of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and deployed to the Gulf region in support of military operations in Iraq. The Saipan is one of a class of big U.S. Navy vessels that look like small aircraft carriers. They carry several thousand Marines along with about 50 helicopters and assault aircraft.

[Jeff Head]

Hadn't seen this posted. Hope we don't have a Naval version of Sgt. Ahkbar on board.

Accident's happen, but usually not something this large (to punch through a bulkhead into the next compartment) out of a trash container.

[Bigg Red]

explosion occurred in a trash receptacle

Doesn't sound like an accident.

[Jeff Head]

FYI ... US Navy/US Marines

[Blood of Tyrants]

Third posting, Jeff.

[Jeff Head]

Thanks ... and sorry I did a search on Explosion and Near Gulf and didn't turn up anything in the Title search. Mus have done something wrong.

[Jeff Head]

Ah ... I see now. The default is to order by relevance ... when I order by date it showed them all.

My bad.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

It will be pulled - but am glad you posted it - hadn't seen it - prayers for those injured!!

[Jeff Head]

HERE's the first one.

[RaceBannon]

Ill bet someone got rid of a grenade or battlefield souviner before the health and safety inspection occured

[RaceBannon]

Ill bet someone got rid of a grenade or battlefield souviner before the health and safety inspection occured

[Jeff Head]

Something along those lines seems to be the common consensus over on the first thread.

But enough fragmentation punching through the bulkhead to injur 11 was a little hard for me to swallow ... but stranger things have happened.

[RaceBannon]

remember: bulkheads of modern Naval vessels is Aluminum!

Could have been 2 grenades? Or, some fragment of a partially exploded munition next to another like piece, I know an idiot..I mean, Boot Marine that went for a walk in the impact range on OP2 on Lyman Road at Lejuene back in 79, he put it in his cammie pockets on his leg, they scratched togethor, he was lucky they were willie pete, it burned through his pant leg instead of explode!