44-11-10 Explosion of USS Mount Hood

Explosion of USS Mount Hood, November 10, 1944 - HiGu > .

The ammunition ship USS Mount Hood was responsible for supplying ammunition to hundreds of ships from the United States Third Fleet in Seeadler Harbor. On November 10, 1944, something went terribly wrong. The story reminds us that the sailors on support vessels risked their lives in the World War II effort.

Seeadler Harbor, also known as Port Seeadler, is located on Manus Island, Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea and played an important role in World War II. In German, "Seeadler" means sea eagle, pointing to German colonial activity between 1884 and 1919 in that area. The bay was named in 1900 after the German cruiser SMS Seeadler. 

On 29 February 1944, General Douglas MacArthur led Operation Brewer to take the islands from the Japanese who had occupied them beginning in 1942. The islands were secured by the Americans on 19 March 1944, who then built a large base at Seeadler Harbor including wharves and an airbase. This base served as a staging area for further World War II operations in New Guinea and the Philippines.

USS Mount Hood exploded accidentally while moored in Seeadler Harbor on 10 November 1944. The ship was carrying ammunition and the tremendous explosion caused 432 fatalities, 371 wounded, damage to surrounding ships and base from debris and sinking or severely damaging 22 smaller craft.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeadler_Harbor .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_Islands_campaign#Securing_Seeadler_Harbour .