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On this date 35 years ago, the USS Iowa suffered a gun casualty killing 47 sailors. The investigation was an embarrassment for the US Navy. Fairly new CNO Admiral Frank Kelso ordered a new one. I think of this incident and others every year between 14-20 April, historically America's most tragedy filled week. I saw the Iowa when she returned to port with the number 2 turret turned to starboard and the guns in the same elevated position, eerily stuck they seemed.
The tragedy hit home for me when one morning a third class Gunners Mate Guns knocked on the door to sick bay. It was after sick call hours and I was catching up on some admin stuff. I opened the top part of the Dutch door and he stood there without a word. I opened the bottom and he kind of shuffled in. He hadn't been aboard too long and my HM2 must have checked him in because I didn't recognize him. I was hoping I wouldn't have to spend much time with him and came close to telling him to come back during sick call hours. At first the only thing he told me was he was having trouble sleeping. I asked a couple question, late coffee consumption, alcohol/drug use, etc., and pulled his medical record. I noticed he had reported from the Iowa so I started asking about that and he let loose with why he was knocking on my door.
He was assigned to turret 2 but on 19 April he was moved to turret 3 because of the number of gunners mates who had or didn't have their PQS signed off. I'm fuzzy on the why but he wasn't in turret 2 when it exploded and killed 47 of his shipmates. That would be bad enough, but he told me they were visiting him at night. Not all but the ones he had been close with were opening his rack curtains and staring at him. That gave me chills all over. He tried sleeping for a handful of nights but the visits became constant. He tried sleeping in other places. On deck, in the weapons office, on the mess decks. He had been a long time without much sleep and could no longer cope. I had no doubt he was legit. I wrote a psych consult and called Portsmouth. I gave my HM2 the Cliff Notes version of what was going on and then went to the captain's cabin and stood at the front of the line of others who needed a sig or whatever. He opened the door and waved me in and a few minutes later the PO3's Chief was driving him to the hospital. I had seen several psych complaints before and after him with the majority being returned to duty. I never saw this one again.
www.history.navy.mil
The tragedy hit home for me when one morning a third class Gunners Mate Guns knocked on the door to sick bay. It was after sick call hours and I was catching up on some admin stuff. I opened the top part of the Dutch door and he stood there without a word. I opened the bottom and he kind of shuffled in. He hadn't been aboard too long and my HM2 must have checked him in because I didn't recognize him. I was hoping I wouldn't have to spend much time with him and came close to telling him to come back during sick call hours. At first the only thing he told me was he was having trouble sleeping. I asked a couple question, late coffee consumption, alcohol/drug use, etc., and pulled his medical record. I noticed he had reported from the Iowa so I started asking about that and he let loose with why he was knocking on my door.
He was assigned to turret 2 but on 19 April he was moved to turret 3 because of the number of gunners mates who had or didn't have their PQS signed off. I'm fuzzy on the why but he wasn't in turret 2 when it exploded and killed 47 of his shipmates. That would be bad enough, but he told me they were visiting him at night. Not all but the ones he had been close with were opening his rack curtains and staring at him. That gave me chills all over. He tried sleeping for a handful of nights but the visits became constant. He tried sleeping in other places. On deck, in the weapons office, on the mess decks. He had been a long time without much sleep and could no longer cope. I had no doubt he was legit. I wrote a psych consult and called Portsmouth. I gave my HM2 the Cliff Notes version of what was going on and then went to the captain's cabin and stood at the front of the line of others who needed a sig or whatever. He opened the door and waved me in and a few minutes later the PO3's Chief was driving him to the hospital. I had seen several psych complaints before and after him with the majority being returned to duty. I never saw this one again.
H-029-4 USS Iowa Turret Explosion
H-Gram 029, Attachment 4 Samuel J. Cox, Director NHHC April 2019
