EXPLOSION IN TURRET TWO

Investigation Continued

3.         Our inquiry included consultation 5-9 October at Naval Base Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, with the formal investigating officer (Rear Admiral P. P. Cole, COMSERVGRU THREE); and during the same period, discussions with the Commanding Officer NEWPORT NEWS (Captain W. F. Zartman) and various of the ship’s company; examination of the turret and the ammunition recovered from it; and on-scene consultation with the ordnance technical team sent to Subic by the Chief of Naval Material in connection with the casualty.  Our inquiry also included consultations in HQ NAVORDSYSCOM; review of information and informed opinion available in the headquarters and from other ordnance-related technical commands: and examinations 13 and 30 October at NWL Dahlgren, Virginia, of 8” projectile detonation experiments done in relation to this casualty, and of the parts of the damaged gun and exploded projectile recovered from NEWPORT NEWS and returned to Dahlgren for analysis.

4.         We received the most complete cooperation, assistance, and support in all phases of our inquiry, from every fleet and Navy Department level concerned, notably COMNAVORDSYSCOM and COMSERVGRU THREE.

5.         We noted with satisfaction the evidence that throughout this deployment the ship’s performance had been outstanding, and that this had extended to the emergency actions taken in this casualty.

BACKGROUND 

6.               In-bore projectile explosions have been occurring ever since explosive-loaded types came into use, and have been experienced with every recorded type of explosive filler adopted for service.  Reference (c) notes some 298 such explosions since 1888 in Navy guns of 3” and larger calibers (the total including many which were deliberately induced at proving grounds for various purposes).  Four have been reported since reference (c), including that in NEWPORT NEWS, the latter being the first in that caliber in the nearly fifty years it has been in service.  Army experience is believed comparable.

7.         During World War II the Navy fired some 3,104,000 rounds in 3” and larger calibers, out of which 10 shipboard in-bore prematures were recorded.  Much of that ammunition reflected design philosophy and technology dating from long before the war.  The new-generation designs which appeared late in the war have been with us ever since, so afford a coherent basis for consideration.  The record of shipboard in-bore explosions since World War II, 3” and larger, is as follows:

(page 2)