Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-04
GIANT ARSENALS
URGED FOR NAVY
Lake Denmark Inquiry Board
Recommends Hero Medals
for Officers and Men.

BY the Associated Press.
A new naval ammunition depot of
of at least 100 square miles for the
Pacific Coast and a similar arsenal
for the East Coast and Gulf sections
will be established If Congress follows
the recommendations of the naval
| court of inquiry into the disastrous
explosion July 10 at the Lake Den
mark, n. j.. depot
The findings, which also recon-.
mended the repairing of Lake Den
mark to accommodate such small ex,
plosives as may be stored there safely,
have been approved by acting Secre-
tary Robinson, who announced that
immediate steps would be taken to
carry out the recommendations
Decorations Are Urged.
The court found that lightning
alone was responsible for the eXplo-
sion, which caused % known deaths
and injury TO So other persons, with
two Marine Corps privates still listed
as missing. The findings added that
every known precaution had been
taken at the station, particularly
against lightning, and that the con-
duct of officers and men of the Navy
and Marine Corps during and after
the explosion had written another
chapter of heroism in the annals Of
the Navy. Decorations were recon-
mended for a number of the person
mel
The damage was placed at $4,000
600 and the value of salyageable mu-
nitions at $40000,000.
4. At
that lin the light of present knowl-
edge the area of the Lake Denmark
depot is too small and it's situation
too near inhabited land for the safe
storage of more than small amounts
of high explosives"
All Officers Present
ut is to be noted the findings
said, that every officer attached TO
the station was on the reservation at
the time of the disaster. The evidence
shows beyond all doubt chat the Navy
and Marine Corps personnel who were
killed met their death while heroically
carrying out their duty in the face OF
imminent peril. of which they We're
thoroughly cognizant.'
The board expressed the view that
one of the two proposed new depots
should be within 1000 miles from the
Pacific Coast. with convenient rail-
road facilities to the Los Angeles.
Puget Sound region. The eastern
depot would be accessible to the At
lantic and Gulf Coasts and eastern
naval magazines. Unoccupied safety
zones two miles wide about each were
recommended.
A series of technical recommenda-
tons regarding the segregation Of
various classes of munitions and ex-
plosives also was made.
Bowling May Get ID. s. Nj.
For Capt Otto C. Bowling, who
commanded the Lake Denmark depot
and remained at his post for 10 hours
until temporarily blinded by injuries,
the court recommended the distin-
guished service medal, and that post
humous awards of the Navy cross
be made to 16 officers and men Of the
Navy and Marines. and the Navy
cross be awarded to Pvt Casmer
NJ. Kensick, Marine Corps, who had
remained with Capt. Bowling.
The court also suggested that the
highest possible appropriate recogni-
ton" be awarded to Henry D. Wad-
hams, chief clerk of the depot, whose
conduct was described as nothing
short of heroic"
After approving the recommend
tons, which now win be studied by
the various naval bureaus, Acting Sec
rotary Robinson left Washington for
an inspection of the Yorktown, Va,
ammunition depot.