The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-05-27
NAVY COUNTS 81
(Continued from PAGE Onel

AsS aASace 1850 SS2uoJ M
New England.
Al violent blast on the second On
third deck below the flight deck
third deck below the fight deck
was followed by soaring flames
which roared through many for.
ward compartments. Then came al
least one more explosion.
Scores Are Trapped
Scores were trapped in sleeping
quarters. Many suffocated. Many
persisted in the flames.
The disaster, one Of the worst
in peacetirne US. naval history,
was the second aboard a carrier
In New England waters in less
than q year. Last October, 81 died
in an explosion and fire on the
carrier Leyte while she was
locked in Boston.
A four-man court Of inquiry,
headed by Rear Adm. John M.
Hoskins, commsndant Of the Quon-
set Naval Air Station, was named
to begin investigating today.
Secretary Of the Navy Charles S.
Thomas, who flew to Quonset for
a quick inspection, and Capt.
william F. Raborn, Jr., Benning.
ton skipper for only a month, said
there was no indication Of sabo-
tage.
Cause Is Mystery
Raborn, from Oklahoma City,
said the cause of the explosion is
- mystery to me-"
"All leads have proved ground
less" he said. "There was nothing
explosive in the area where the
blast occurred.
The "best information" he said,
Is that the blast occurred "pos-
sibly ut the five-inch fuse maya
zine" He emphasized that this in
formation had not been confirmed.
The big carrier was en- route
back to Newport, across Nara.
gansett Bay from Quonset Point,
on q routine training mission.
Aboard were four squadrons Of
about $50 men each which make UP
Air Task Group 181, based at the
oceana Naval Air Station near
Norfolk, Va. The squadron board
cd the Bennington last weekend.
The blast shock the Bennington
just after the first of the four
squadrons had been launched--a
common practice aboard carriers
nearing air bases.
Planes Launched
Realizing a serious catastrophe
occurred we. launched the rest Of
the air group 10 free the decks for
casualty control" Rabofn said.
The planes, many Of them jets,
took off for Quonset 40 surface
craft and helicopters were sum-
nloned by radio.
Two Navy and four Coast Guard
helicopters met the carrier 30
miles from port and evacuated
scores Of seriously injured to the
Newport Naval Hospital. They'd
pick up injured on the deck Of
the carrier, fly to Newport. then
return for more. They continued
until the carrier locked slightly
more than six hours after the
blast.
Although the exact location Of
the blast could not be determined
Immediately, it was in the forward
part Of the ship near the officers
wardroom. =
Hish Praise For Personnel
Capt. Raborn had highest priase
for all personnel aboard the car.
rier, which carries q normal
complement Of $500.
II am damn proud to be COM
fnanding officer Of such q heroic,
unselfish crew Of American sea.
men," he said.
Ems. Robert Grant Of Brooklyn,
NY, his hair and eyebrows
singed and raw bleeding cuts On
his ankles, refused medical atten-
ton to aid in the evacuation Of
other wounded.
He told Of five guys' literally
vanishing when i hatch was blown
in by the terrific blast. He said
he formed hand chain with some
men who worked their way to the
starboard side forward. On the
way, he apparently lost conscious.
ness and was pulled out.
Francis 10th, an aviation ma
chinist's mate from Phoenixville.
Pa, volunteered for the fire con.
troll crew. He said: II lust couldn't
stand there. ! had to help"
James r. Witham, q, Of Somer.
vile, Mass a quartsrinasker, said
the escape hatch from his com.
partment was Cultured with DO.
dies Of injured and dying men"
Eve couldn't open the escape
hatch to help them and the heat
was terrible" he said.
Hear BuddiSs Die
Seaman Edward Cushman Of
Milford, Conn.,, and two compan-
ions said they listened to their
trapped buddies die from suffoca-
ton 40 shipmates tried to reach
them.
Cushman was able to talk with
the trapped men by phone Sill