A Loud Popping Sound

...the speaker went dead and all we heard were crackling and hissing...

Contributed by Rogie del Mando, MM2 (ret.) USN

The USS Iwo Jima LPH-2 had only been in port here in Manama, Bahrain, for 5 days for an emergency repair of the ship's No. 1 boiler turbo-stop valve. Baharanian shipyard workers were the ones who did it and it was finished on time for the ship to get underway in the Persian Gulf.

Photo: Christening of the USS Iwo Jima LPH-2

It was 0814 30Oct90, the tug boats had just broken away and the ship was cruising on her own power at 5 knots. The fireroom supervisor reported to main control that there was a steam leak behind No. 1 boiler and requested to secure No. 1 boiler. The chief engineer communicated to the commanding officer in the bridge about the situation and asked permission to secure No. 1 boiler. The bridge responded denying the request because the ship was still on restrictive maneuvering.

Just as the cheng was about to give instruction to the fireroom, we heard a loud popping sound. At the same time the fireroom supervisor was yelling over the speaker that they needed help. "Help" was his last word and the speaker went dead and all we heard were crackling and hissing noises over the 2JV.

The ship went on general quarters. The captain went over the 1MC and announced about the situation in the fireroom while Repair Locker 5 were waiting for the fireroom to cool down.

When the space had cooled down, Repair Locker 5 personnel went down to the fireroom and found 6 of our shipmate lifeless. There were some who had gotten out during the explosion and 4 were evacuated to the nearby hospital ship, the USNS Comfort. They all did not make it, the last one expiring around midnight, bringing the total casualties to 10 engineering personnel: the MPA (the M-division officer), 7 from B-division, 2 from M-division, and 1 from E-division.