Former sailors salute fallen shipmates, 33 years after deadly USS Iowa explosion

NORFOLK, Va. — It was one of many darkest days in U.S. Naval historical past.

At precisely 9:50 a.m. on April 19, 1989, 47 USS Iowa (BB 61) crew members have been killed when the World Struggle II-era battleship’s Quantity Two turret exploded throughout workout routines off the coast of Puerto Rico.

It’s mentioned to be one of many Navy’s worst peacetime accidents.

Former crew members — lots of whom endure from post-traumatic stress dysfunction — mentioned Tuesday that there’s a sort of therapeutic that takes place on account of their yearly gathering on the ship’s former homeport of Naval Station Norfolk.

“I have been coming down right here for a lot of, a few years with my spouse and household. It helps up right here lots,” mentioned Mark Gustafson, pointing to his head.

It was Roland Cole’s first go to to the annual commemoration ceremony.

“It was very good to see fellow shipmates and household,” he mentioned. “It is bringing closure to me and it means a complete lot.”

“I wish to see my shipmates,” he mentioned. “I wish to honor those that handed, maintain their reminiscence alive.”

The preliminary Navy investigation sought in charge an allegedly suicidal sailor named Clayton Hartwig for sabotage. Later, the Authorities Accountability Workplace concluded that the explosion was probably the results of an unintentional over-ram of gunpowder.

Chief of Naval Operation Frank Kelso expressed “honest regrets” to Hartwig’s household and the households of all these killed within the explosion, however the Navy by no means publicly apologized for the mishandled unique probe.

The Iowa was patched up and 6 weeks later, proceeded on its deployment, wrapping up in December of 1989. The ship was decommissioned in October of 1990 and now serves as a floating museum in San Pedro, California.