Gun Turret #2 Explosion Investigation

 



EXPLOSION IN TURRET TWO
Investigation Continued

20.            NEWPORT NEWS routinely received replenishment 8” HC projectiles with steel nose plugs in place, to be replaced by ship’s force with separately-delivered PDF as required.  (This has been the practice since the introduction of bombardment PD fuzes in World War II.)  Removal of the steel plug could loosen the adapter into which it is threaded, and which in turn is threaded into the projectile body; and loosening the adapter would disturb the ADF in its cavity, which is regarded as undesirable.  The ship’s force had been instructed and cautioned accordingly, and provided with a tool for holding the adapter against unscrewing as the nose plug is backed out.  Some comment in the ship indicated dissatisfaction with that tool, so that if any difficulty was encountered in backing out the nose plug, it was left in place and the projectile was used in that configuration.  Thus, two projectiles with steel nose plugs were found in the center gun hoist after the casualty, and it is apparent that the projectile involved in the casualty could have been fitted with either PDF or steel nose plug.  We do not consider that this alternative is significant to the casualty.

21.       During the night of 30 September-1 October (local time, zone minus eight) she was firing harassment and interdiction missions against pre-designated shore target areas in Quang Tri province, Republic of Vietnam.  She was in condition THREE, which we consider an appropriate condition of readiness for the operational situation.  She had fired 8” high capacity, full charge, rounds as follows:

  Time Gun & Rounds
  Start Stop Right Center Left
30 Sep 0923 0924 10   10
  0926 0928 10   10
  0930 0933 10   10
  2350 2354     5
  2355 2359 10 10  
           
1 Oct 0000 0005   5  
  0006 0007   2 3
  0008 0010 5    
  0011 0012 5    
  0013 0016     5
  0017 0020 5    
  0055 0100   4  

22.      The series of 4 rounds in the 0055-0100 time period were being fired from the after plotting room in slow salvo fire. In this procedure in NEWPORT NEWS, plot controls the firing circuit, but in all other respects the gun is in full automatic and, so long as the gun captain holds the rammer control in the ram position (which we understand was the procedure in effect), reloads itself automatically after

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