RE: [californiadisasters] Port Chicago Disaster [was "Bomb Guy"]

On the Kitty Hawk after the #3 arresting cable snapped we lost the #113 bird over the front edge of the boat, both the pilot and co-pilot ejected safely and were picked up by a rescue boat and a Seahawk. My friend lost his right leg right below the knee cap. Another airman was hit in the head and his helmet was smashed to pieces but his head was intact. Another person was hit in the chest and thrown 20 ft. across the deck. Another airman was hit in the ankle and another was thrown across the deck and he wound up with several broken/shattered/fractured bones over most of his body. There were a few other serious to critical injuries as well. In all 10 airman up on deck were injured. No one died that night. 

the rest of the story was that the Lt. in charge of the arresting wire for the night wanted to cut corners, so he told his chief who in turn told the first class and the rest of the workers what the plan was. A Prowler had just came into land and a Superhornet was the last plane for the night. So the Superhornet is coming into land and the Arresting cable crew was supposed to change the weight of the wire from the Prowler to a Superhornet --1000 pounds difference between the two planes-- The rest is history. 

They Arresting Cable night shift was charged with, Being Negligent, Failure to obey order or regulation, Military Property of United States - Loss, Damage, Destruction, or Wrongful Disposition, Improper Hazarding of Vessel, Maiming and for the Lt. Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman.

Scott Bixler
125
V125
Josepho Team (Lifeguard)
Associate Adviser
(310) 337-9904 Mom's
(310) 821-1012 Dad's

(310) 357-6051 Cell

---

To: californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com
From: kimnoyes@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 23:47:36 -0800
Subject: [californiadisasters] Port Chicago Disaster [was "Bomb Guy"]

 

At 10:18 PM on July 17, 1944, while two Liberty ships were being loaded with ordnance in Suisun Bay by crews of mostly black sailors a boom or winch failed and dropped some ordnance.

This was immediately followed by an initial smaller explosion and resulting fire.

Several seconds following the first explosion a massive 3-mile diameter fireball rose from the dock crushing and consuming everything within its area including both Liberty ships and a US Coast Guard fire barge which was picked up 600 feet into the air and dumped in the bay immediately sinking and wiping out its crew. All 320 personnel on the docks and ships were immediately killed with no survivors while 390 others nearby were injured, many of them seriously burned. Bodies and body parts were scattered all over the immediate vicinity.

The conditions in which the black sailors were working both at the time of the disaster as well as subsequently led to the infamous Port Chicago Mutiny a few weeks later.

Kimmer

On Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 9:03 PM, newnethboy <kef413@gmail.com> wrote:

It's not for no reason that "SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY" is such a big push in
places like that. Even with all the push, things still happen. And when they
do, they quickly get big.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Bixler" <karrie_scott@hotmail.com>
To: "California Disasters" <californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 8:14 PM
Subject: RE: [californiadisasters] Bomb Guy



Working on the flight deck of the USS Kitty Hawk took some of the same
qualities and who would ever want to work 20+ hrs. on the world's smallest
airport in the middle of the ocean.? I had my share of close calls and so
have my friends. The 3" thick arresting cable snapped when the 113 bird from
VFA-102 came in for a landing at 2200 hrs. for carrier quals. That accident
resulted in a Capt's. Mass of the LT. in charge and it went all the way down
to the E-1.
Another accident that happened on the USS Forrestal  was an ordinance
accident, where a missile fired on accident from a jet and it struck another
jet. Then a series of unfortunate events occurred that resulted in the
complete loss of the ship and severe casualties among the rescuers and crew.
http://www.navysite.de/cvn/cv59.htm

Scott Bixler 125 V125Josepho Team (Lifeguard) Associate Adviser(310)

337-9904 Mom's (310) 821-1012 Dad's
(310) 357-6051 Cell

--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read our blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/derkimster
Visit my Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/kimusinteruptus

__._,_.___

Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.

Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___