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 USN October 30, 1941  US Army May 22, 1944 |
Location West Loch is the western arm of Pearl Harbor on Oahu in Hawaii in the United States. To the east is Ford Island. Wartime History During the Pacific War, West Loch was used as a staging area for transport and cargo ships. By 1944, the shoreline was developed with buildings and dock facilities for loading vessels. West Loch Disaster On May 21, 1944 Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) and other vessels were loading ammunition in West Loch for the upcoming amphibious operations in the Marianas. At 3:00pm, LST-353 suddenly exploded showering other LSTs and ships with fragments, which set off further explosions. The precise cause of the disaster is unknown, but likely rushed loading and storage of ammunition and an accidental detonation set off a chain reaction of explosions. Five other LSTs were damaged and sank including USS LST-43, USS LST-69, USS LST-179, and USS LST-480 plus two others severely damaged. In total, 163 sailors and soldiers died and 396 were wounded, including many African American dock workers. On May 22, 1944 fires still raged out of control aboard the burning ships as fire fighting efforts continued. This incident became known as the "West Loch Disaster" and was kept secret until 1960. Afterwards, the U.S. Navy salvaged the wreckage of the damaged and sunk ships and towed them out to sea and scuttled them. During salvage operations, Navy divers discovered HA-21 Type A Midget Submarine No. 21 (Midget E) and raised it to the surface then dumped it three miles to the south. Despite the cleanup, the hull of LST-480 was abandoned near shore. On February 17, 1945 two divers trapped in a cave-in of steel wreckage in a sunken LST were rescued by volunteer diver BM2 Owen F. P. Hammerber who after performing the rescues became trapped and drowned inside the wreckage. Afterwards, he earned the Medal of Honor, posthumously. HA-21 Type A Midget Submarine No. 21 (Midget E) Sunk December 7, 1941 located 1944 rediscovered 2009 LST-480 Sunk May 21, 1944 during West Loch Disaster, hull remains visible today References FindAGrave - PO Francis Patrick Hammerberg (photo, grave photo) Contribute
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 December 7, 1941 |
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