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Posted on 03/12/2004 3:36:30 AM PST by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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 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  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.      |
free dixie,sw
Loening M-2 "Kitten" (1918)
As a matter of fact, it was. I had to leave before the thread got posted, and I just got home.
Description: Ammunition ships deliver munitions to warships.
Features: Ammunition ships keep the fleet supplied with ammunition and ordnance, independently or with other combat logistic ships. Ammunition is delivered by slings on ship-to-ship cables, and by helicopters.
Background The Navy's ammunition ships are all of the Kilauea class. The lead ship of the class, USNS Kilauea (T-AE 26), along with USNS Butte (T-AE 27), USNS Santa Barbara (T-AE 28), USNS Flint (T-AE 32), USNS Shasta (T-AE 33)USNS Mount Baker (T-AE 34) and USNS Kiska (T-AE 35) are operated by the Military Sealift Command with a civilian master and crew, but the remaining one is Navy manned with a commanding officer.
General Characteristics, Kiluauea Class
Builder: AE 29, Bethlehem Steel, Sparrows Point, Md.;
Power Plant: Three boilers, geared turbines, one shaft, 22,000 shaft horsepower
Length: 564 feet (169.2 meters)
Beam: 81 feet (24.3 meters)
Displacement: Approximately 18,088 tons full load
Speed: 20 knots (23 miles, 36.8 km, per hour)
Aircraft: Two CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
Ships:
USS Mount Hood (AE 29), Bremerton, Wash.
Crew: 17 officers, 366 enlisted
Armament: Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems
Date deployed: 14 December 1968
Sure seems like tempting fate doesn't it?
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