The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The USS Mount Hood (AE-11) - March 12th, 2004

see educational sources

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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USS Mount Hood (AE-11)


1944 -1944

USS Mount Hood, a 13910-ton ammunition ship, was built at Wilmington, North Carolina, and converted for Naval service at Norfolk, Virginia. Commissioned in July 1944, she transited the Panama Canal in August and was assigned to the South Pacific area to provide ammunition to the fighting forces. On the morning of 10 November 1944, while she was moored at the Manus Naval Base, Admiralty Islands, Mount Hood's cargo of explosives detonated in a massive blast. The ship was utterly destroyed by the accident, which killed all those on board her. Damage and casualties were also inflicted on ships anchored as far as 2000 yards away. Personnel casualties on Mount Hood and on other vessels totalled 45 known dead, 327 missing and 371 injured.


Off the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 16 July 1944. She is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 18F. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.


Underway in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 6 August 1944. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.




Explosion, 10 November 1944
Photographs of the actual explosion are presented in approximately the same order as taken.


The photograph was taken by a sailor from Spencer, West Virginia, who gave it to the donor. Donation of Admiral Felix B. Stump, 1963. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


Photographed by a photographer of the 57th Construction Battalion, who had set up his camera to take pictures of the Battalion's camp.
Note smoke trails left by fragments ejected by the explosion, and splashes at their impact points.
Collection of Commander Lester B. Marx, Commanding Officer of the 57th C.B. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


Note smoke trails left by fragments ejected by the explosion. Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


USS Mount Hood (AE-11) Explosion as seen from the Naval Supply Depot on Manus. Copied from the War Diary, Naval Base, Manus, for November 1944. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


Smoke cloud expanding, just after she exploded. Photographed by a photographer of the 57th Construction Battalion, who had set up his camera to take pictures of the Battalion's camp.
Collection of Commander Lester B. Marx. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


Salvage and rescue work underway on USS Mindanao (ARG-3) shortly after Mount Hood blew up about 350 yards away. Note heavy damage to Mindanao's hull and superstructure, including large holes from fragment impacts. View looks forward from alongside her port quarter.

USS Mindanao had 180 crewmen killed and injured by this explosion. She was under repair until 21 December 1944.
Small craft alongside or nearby include (from left) YPB-6 (probable identification), two LCVPs and YPB-7.
Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


Four motor minesweepers (YMS) alongside the starboard side of USS Mindanao (ARG-3) shortly after Mount Hood blew up about 350 yards away from Mindanao's port side. These wooden minesweepers were protected from most of the direct force of the blast by Mindanao's hull, but received some damage.

USS YMS-340 is second from the left. Note that her open bridge bulwarks have been blown down. Also note differing types of retracting accoustic "hammer box" mountings on the bows of these ships.

Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


Damage to Quonset huts atop the barge YF-681 from concussion from the explosion that destroyed USS Mount Hood. The barge is alongside USS Argonne (AG-31), which was also damaged by the blast.
Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Feather.

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C.

[SAMWolf]

Morning stand watie.

[SAMWolf]

1938 Nazi Germany invades Austria (Anschluss)

It wasn't as much an invasion as it was a "Come on in".

[SAMWolf]

You're got more nerves than I do.

The thing that would do me in would be my total lack of patience. Same reason I could never be a sniper.

[stand watie]

GM!

btw, i saw the following bumperSNICKER on a PU headed NORTH on I-95 yesterday:

I'm NOT TOO FONDA Hanoi-John KERRY!

do you have any idea who is printing those?????

gotta have on for my van!!!!!

free dixie,sw

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning sw!!

free Dixie, bf

No idea who is printing the bumper snickers. Sure is a good one. :-)

[stand watie]

TRUE!

HI, miss feather!

free dixie,sw

[SAMWolf]

So far I've just seen graphics posted on the net. :-(

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' to the Foxhole. Terrific presentationa as is the norm.

Hope y'all don't mind, but I'm asking for prayers for my father-in-law, George. He suffered a stroke yesterday. By nightfall, he had regained the ability to speak, though slurred and also regained feeling in his right side.

George is a WWII vet who served aboard the USS Tinosa, a submarine. He is also a plumber who forgot to retire. He's 84 years old and competes like a 30 or 40 year old. He has participated in the Bloomsday Race (12K) yearly and frequently plays racquet-ball with his son. He was working on a plumbing job when the incident occurred and rushed to the hospital.

He had planned to drive down here to central CA next week from Spokane. Mrs. d will be traveling to Spokane tomorrow. Prayers for George and the family, please

Thanks, FRiends. dd

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Good afternoon Stand watie and foxhole freepers! Thanks for the ping.. I have been meaning to come over and say hello to Sam and Snippy.

This my first post on the Foxhole as Diva Betsy Ross.

First of all let me say thank you to all of the troops and Veterans who are here. Thanks to the Foxhole freeps who keep this thread going for those who have made sacrifices for freedom.

I have not seen that bumper sticker,SW... but I could make one for you on my home printer. What do you think of that idea?

[Professional Engineer]

Howdy ma'am. I haven't read of this event before, thanks.

[snippy_about_it]

Hiya PE. I hadn't heard of it either until Sam gave me the idea for the thread. I think he knows everything. ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

No problem Dave, we will offer prayers for your father-in-law George. We are so grateful for his service as we are yours.

[Professional Engineer]

1849 1st gold seekers arrive in Nicaragua en route to California

[Professional Engineer]

Today's Paul Harvey mid-day monologue had mention of Ham Radio ops.

[Colt .45]

Having been an Aviation Ordnanceman, and having worked with Ordnance for my career I know that this stuff is very unforgiving of any complacency or neglect during handling. The USS FORRESTAL, the USS ORISKANY, and the USS ENTERPRISE were lessons learned the hard way. Every safety regulation in the Navy's Ordnance Handling manual is written in blood. Someone had to die to get the message across. So for all of those who think ammo handling is a no brainer - THINK AGAIN!

The two types of ordnance I hated handling the most was Willie Pete (white phosphorus) and Thermite. I really wasn't fond of handling rockets either. Give me the good old GP bombs anyday.

[snippy_about_it]

Good afternoon feather. Once again, I'm behind. :-)

[Colt .45]

Having been an Aviation Ordnanceman, and having worked with Ordnance for my career I know that this stuff is very unforgiving of any complacency or neglect during handling. The USS FORRESTAL, the USS ORISKANY, and the USS ENTERPRISE were lessons learned the hard way. Every safety regulation in the Navy's Ordnance Handling manual is written in blood. Someone had to die to get the message across. So for all of those who think ammo handling is a no brainer - THINK AGAIN!

The two types of ordnance I hated handling the most was Willie Pete (white phosphorus) and Thermite. I really wasn't fond of handling rockets either. Give me the good old GP bombs anyday.

We used to have a saying, "If you screw up during the handling or loading of ordnance, you get to become a pink mist!

[snippy_about_it]

Good afternoon EGC. I'm late too. Lots of work to do today.