31 years ago today, while conducting gunnery exercises off the coast of Puerto Rico, Turret II exploded aboard Iowa. 47 members of her crew were killed. Every year, a memorial ceremony is held for them, and I was able to attend last year and honor the men who died.
- Tung Thanh Adams - Fire Controlman 3rd class (FC3) Alexandria, VA
- Robert Wallace Backherms - Gunner's Mate 3rd class (GM3) Ravenna, OH
- Dwayne Collier Battle - Electrician's Mate, Fireman Apprentice (EMFA) Rocky Mount, NC
- Walter Scot Blakey - Gunner's Mate 3rd class (GM3) Eaton Rapids, MI
- Pete Edward Bopp - Gunner's Mate 3rd class (GM3) Levittown, NY
- Ramon Jarel Bradshaw - Seaman Recruit (SR) Tampa, FL
- Philip Edward Buch - Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LTjg) Las Cruces, NM
- Eric Ellis Casey - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Mt. Airy, NC
- John Peter Cramer - Gunners Mate 2nd class (GM2) Uniontown, PA
- Milton Francis Devaul Jr. - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Solvay, NY
- Leslie Allen Everhart Jr. - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Cary, NC
- Gary John Fisk - Boatswains Mate 2nd class (BM2) Oneida, NY
- Tyrone Dwayne Foley - Seaman (SN) Bullard, TX
- Robert James Gedeon III - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Lakewood, OH
- Brian Wayne Gendron - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Madera, CA
- John Leonard Goins - Seaman Recruit (SR) Columbus, OH
- David L. Hanson - Electricians Mate 3rd class (EM3) Perkins, SD
- Ernest Edward Hanyecz - Gunners Mate 1st class (GM1) Bordentown, NJ
- Clayton Michael Hartwig - Gunners Mate 2nd class (GM2) Cleveland, OH
- Michael William Helton - Legalman 1st class (LN1) Louisville, KY
- Scott Alan Holt - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Fort Meyers, FL
- Reginald L. Johnson Jr. - Seaman Recruit (SR) Warrensville Heights, OH
- Nathaniel Clifford Jones Jr. - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Buffalo, NY
- Brian Robert Jones - Seaman (SN) Kennesaw, GA
- Michael Shannon Justice - Seaman (SN) Matewan, WV
- Edward J. Kimble - Seaman (SN) Ft. Stockton, TX
- Richard E. Lawrence - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Springfield, OH
- Richard John Lewis - Fire Controlman, Seaman Apprentice (FCSA) Northville, MI
- Jose Luis Martinez Jr. - Seaman Apprentice (SA) Hidalgo, TX
- Todd Christopher McMullen - Boatswains Mate 3rd class (BM3) Manheim, PA
- Todd Edward Miller - Seaman Recruit (SR) Ligonier, PA
- Robert Kenneth Morrison - Legalman 1st class (LN1) Jacksonville, FL
- Otis Levance Moses - Seaman (SN) Bridgeport, CN
- Darin Andrew Ogden - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Shelbyville, IN
- Ricky Ronald Peterson - Seaman (SN) Houston, MN
- Mathew Ray Price - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Burnside, PA
- Harold Earl Romine Jr. - Seaman Recruit (SR) Brandenton, FL
- Geoffrey Scott Schelin - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GMG3) Costa Mesa, CA
- Heath Eugene Stillwagon - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Connellsville, PA
- Todd Thomas Tatham - Seaman Recruit (SR) Wolcott, NY
- Jack Ernest Thompson - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Greeneville, TN
- Stephen J. Welden - Gunners Mate 2nd class (GM2) Yukon, OK
- James Darrell White - Gunners Mate 3rd class (GM3) Norwalk, CA
- Rodney Maurice White - Seaman Recruit (SR) Louisville, KY
- Michael Robert Williams - Boatswains Mate 2nd class (BM2) South Shore, KY
- John Rodney Young - Seaman (SN) Rockhill, SC
- Reginald Owen Ziegler - Senior Chief Gunners Mate (GMCS) Port Gibson, NY
They came to the Navy as strangers. Served the Navy as shipmates and friends and left the Navy as brothers in eternity. - George H.W. Bush
Comments
Consider them all virtually honored here; I assume there was no ceremony this year. Any word on how the Iowa and her staff are holding up under lockdown?
They're doing OK, although the pace of fundraising emails is up. There was a livestreamed ceremony with a few people onboard about an hour ago.