An explosion aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise kills 27 people in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on January 14, 1969. A rocket accidentally detonated, destroying 15 planes and injuring more than 300 people.
The Enterprise was the first-ever nuclear-powered aircraft carrier when it was launched in 1960. It has eight nuclear reactors, six more than all subsequent nuclear carriers. The massive ship is over 1,100 feet long and carries 4,600 crew members.
At 8:19 a.m. on January 14, a MK-32 Zuni rocket that was loaded on an F-4 Phantom jet overheated due to the exhaust from another vehicle. The rocket blew up, setting off a chain reaction of explosions. Fires broke out across the deck of the ship, and when jet fuel flowed into the carrier’s interior, other fires were sparked. Many of the Enterprise’s fire-protection features failed to work properly, but the crew worked heroically and tirelessly to extinguish the fire.
In all, 27 sailors lost their lives and another 314 were seriously injured. Although 15 aircraft (out of the 32 stationed on the Enterprise at the time) were destroyed by the explosions and fire, the Enterprise itself was never threatened.
The USS Enterprise was repaired over several months at Pearl Harbor and returned to action later in the year.
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Yes missile launched by none other than traitor John McCain
Thought so. He did go to “jail” for it outside of Hanoi.
McCain’s eff-up was in 1967 on the Forrestal.
Wrong fire…that was the Forrestal fire. And he didn’t launch it, he was on the receiving end. Search for “Trial By Fire”. It’s a Navy training film.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rocket-causes-deadly-fire-on-aircraft-carrier
The Navy managed to get the vessel repaired and back in service in under a year. Much like landing men on the moon and returning them safely to earth (which did occur) in 1969, I don’t think that the remnants of the US could do that today.
It would be interesting to hear from a deck division officer on that crew and get filled in on how they managed a difficult, complicated repair.
For a split second there I thought they were talking about Star Trek III.
Yes!! The “nuclear wessel”! Funny! @ 1:22 mark.
My favorite Star Trek movie.
Zuni rockets blowing up some planes!
Where have I heard of that one before…
July 29, 1967 USS FORRESTAL.