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| USN Mount Hood-class ammunition ship 13,910 Tons 459' 2' x 28' 3" x 28' 3" 1 x 5"/38 gun 4 x 3"/50 gun 2 x Twin 40mm AA 10 x 20mm AA Cargo 7,700 Long Tons  USN July 1944   USN November 10, 1944 |
Ship History Built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company in Wilmington, North Carolina. Built under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1356) as Marco Polo configured as a cargo ship. On November 10, 1943 renamed Mount Hood after Mount Hood in the Cascade Range in Oregon. Launched November 28, 1943 sponsored by Mrs. A. J. Reynolds. On January 28, 1944 acquired by the U.S. Navy (USN) on a loan-charter basis then converted into the lead ship in the Mount Hood-class ammunition ship (Type C2-S-AJ1) by Norfolk Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company at Norfolk, Virginia, and at the Norfolk Navy Yard. Painted in camouflage pattern Measure 32, Design 18F. Commissioned July 1, 1944 with Commander Harold A. Turner in command and had an abbreviated fitting out and shakedown cruise in the Chesapeake Bay area. Wartime History On August 5, 1944 assigned to ComServFor, Atlantic Fleet and Assigned to Task Group 29.6 (TG 29.6). After being loaded with cargo at Norfolk, departed August 21, 1944 and six days later transited the Panama Canal and steamed independently across the Pacific via Finschafen then proceeded to Manus. On September 22, 1944 arrived at Seeadler Harbor off Manus and was assigned to ComSoWesPac to provide ammunition and explosives for warships. Sinking History On November 10, 1944 at 8:55am anchor in Seeadler Harbor, her cargo of explosives accidentally detonated in a massive explosion. Aboard, the entire crew was killed, except for eighteen who were ashore to pick up the ship's mail. Moored alongside and destroyed in the blast were nine Landing Craft, Mechanized (LCM) and a pontoon barge. The massive explosion caused a huge fireball that damaged and casualties on 36 other vessels in the anchorage including ships anchored as far as 2,000 yards away. Other vessels damage from the explosion or debris included: USS Abarenda (IX-131), USS Alhena (AKA-9), USS Argonne (AS-10), USS Aries (AK-51), USS Cacapon (AO-52), USS Cebu (ARG-6), USS Kyne (DE-744), USS Lyman (DE-302), USS Mindanao (ARG-3), USS Oberrender (DE-344), USS Petrof Bay (CVE–80), USS Piedmont (AD-17), USS Potawatomi (ATF-109), SS Preserver (ARS-8), USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), USS Talbot (DD-114), USS Walter C. Wann (DE-412), USS Young (DD-580), USS YF-681, USS YMS-1, USS YMS-140m USS YMS-238, USS YMS-243, USS YMS-319, USS YMS-335, USS YMS-342, USS YMS-39, USS YMS-49, USS YMS-52, USS YMS-71, USS YMS-81, USS YO-77, USS YMS 293, USS YMS 286, USS YMS 340 and USS YMS 341. USS Mindanao (ARG-3) was anchored 350 yards away. Topside 82 of her crew were killed by the blast and shrapnel. Moored alongside her starboard quarter were four motor minesweepers including USS YMS 293, USS YMS 286, USS YMS 340 and USS YMS 341. Afterwards, a photograph of salvage efforts showed the ship severely damaged with large holes in the port side from shrapnel that impacted the hull. Afterwards, it was under repair until December 21, 1944. USS Cebu (ARG-6) was anchored 800 yards away and the deck was hit by shrapnel and debris that killed five crew and wounded six others. The ship also sustained damage. USS Argonne (AS-10) was hit by 221 pieces of debris and recovered 1,300 pounds of wreckage during the search for survivors. The explosion results in 327 missing 45 dead and 371 injured. Officially stricken from the Navy register on December 11, 1944. AEN1C Michael Kunz, CASU 49 adds: "I was there on a Navy transport ship when the Hood blew up. we were at anchor about a mile from where the Hood was. We all ran for cover and waited about three minutes and then the oil came raining down on us. We were never told what had caused the explosion." Steve Nazzise adds: "A troop transport USS Chateau Thieery (AP-31) was tied up and ready to depart about 300 yards from the Mt. Hood when she exploded. She was one of the troop transports bringing the PT Boaters back home along with other troops from the battle fields of the Pacific." Memorial After the explosion, no remains of any of the crew were located. The entire crew was officially declared dead November 10, 1944. All remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Shipwreck The explosion destroyed the entire ship. The largest piece of wreckage recovered was only 10' x 16'. Underwater, divers discovered a trench roughly 1,000' x 200' and roughly 40' deep created by the shock wave underwater caused by the explosion. References Contribute
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