Bring back the RPT
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On this day in 1961 the aviation fuel tanker U.S.N.S. Potomac caught fire and exploded at Radio Island in the Morehead City harbor.
The ship's sea suction valve was open which allowed fuel to spill into the water. The leaking cargo was carried with the tide towards a small vessel where three men were fishing. In an attempt to get away from the strong fumes the fishermen pulled anchor and headed towards the bridges but ran into a cable causing the boat to come to a sudden stop. Onboard the fishing craft a small gas lantern had been knocked over and a fire started, all three men jumped overboard and swam to safety, the flames from the small fire travelled on the water about 500 yards towards the tanker.
The Potomac quickly ignited and at 6:55 p.m. a large explosion rocked the ship. Ten minutes later another explosion occurred when the aft tanks of the vessel caught fire, the blast was felt over two miles away. All but one of the twenty two crew members onboard survived after abandoning ship. The charter sport fishing boat Bunny Too came in close to the burning Potomac to pull survivors from the water. Numerous other vessels came to assist in rescues and to help put out the fire. Among them were the U.S.C.G. Cutter Chilula, small support vessels front the USS Valley Forge, the USS Lindenwald and the USS Terrebonne Parish.
Parts of the Potomac were still on fire by October 1 when salvage operations started. The bow section of the destroyed vessel remained in the harbor until April 1963.The charred remains of the stern sat in the water until October 1963 when it was towed to Newport News. It was eventually rebuilt and became part of the tanker Shenandoah. Image from the Carteret County News Times. Credit N.C. Maritime Museum.
The ship's sea suction valve was open which allowed fuel to spill into the water. The leaking cargo was carried with the tide towards a small vessel where three men were fishing. In an attempt to get away from the strong fumes the fishermen pulled anchor and headed towards the bridges but ran into a cable causing the boat to come to a sudden stop. Onboard the fishing craft a small gas lantern had been knocked over and a fire started, all three men jumped overboard and swam to safety, the flames from the small fire travelled on the water about 500 yards towards the tanker.
The Potomac quickly ignited and at 6:55 p.m. a large explosion rocked the ship. Ten minutes later another explosion occurred when the aft tanks of the vessel caught fire, the blast was felt over two miles away. All but one of the twenty two crew members onboard survived after abandoning ship. The charter sport fishing boat Bunny Too came in close to the burning Potomac to pull survivors from the water. Numerous other vessels came to assist in rescues and to help put out the fire. Among them were the U.S.C.G. Cutter Chilula, small support vessels front the USS Valley Forge, the USS Lindenwald and the USS Terrebonne Parish.
Parts of the Potomac were still on fire by October 1 when salvage operations started. The bow section of the destroyed vessel remained in the harbor until April 1963.The charred remains of the stern sat in the water until October 1963 when it was towed to Newport News. It was eventually rebuilt and became part of the tanker Shenandoah. Image from the Carteret County News Times. Credit N.C. Maritime Museum.
tl;drOn this day in 1961 the aviation fuel tanker U.S.N.S. Potomac caught fire and exploded at Radio Island in the Morehead City harbor.
The ship's sea suction valve was open which allowed fuel to spill into the water. The leaking cargo was carried with the tide towards a small vessel where three men were fishing. In an attempt to get away from the strong fumes the fishermen pulled anchor and headed towards the bridges but ran into a cable causing the boat to come to a sudden stop. Onboard the fishing craft a small gas lantern had been knocked over and a fire started, all three men jumped overboard and swam to safety, the flames from the small fire travelled on the water about 500 yards towards the tanker.
The Potomac quickly ignited and at 6:55 p.m. a large explosion rocked the ship. Ten minutes later another explosion occurred when the aft tanks of the vessel caught fire, the blast was felt over two miles away. All but one of the twenty two crew members onboard survived after abandoning ship. The charter sport fishing boat Bunny Too came in close to the burning Potomac to pull survivors from the water. Numerous other vessels came to assist in rescues and to help put out the fire. Among them were the U.S.C.G. Cutter Chilula, small support vessels front the USS Valley Forge, the USS Lindenwald and the USS Terrebonne Parish.
Parts of the Potomac were still on fire by October 1 when salvage operations started. The bow section of the destroyed vessel remained in the harbor until April 1963.The charred remains of the stern sat in the water until October 1963 when it was towed to Newport News. It was eventually rebuilt and became part of the tanker Shenandoah. Image from the Carteret County News Times. Credit N.C. Maritime Museum.
I included a picture just for you.
Marcia, Marcia, Marcia !On this day in 1969, The Brady Bunch premiered on television.
Sept. 28, 1918: In an incident that would go down in the lore of World War I history—although the details of the event are still unclear—Private Henry Tandey, a British soldier serving near the French village of Marcoing, reportedly encounters a wounded German soldier and declines to shoot him, sparing the life of 29-year-old Lance Corporal Adolf Hitler.
I figured someone wanted to say it so I went for it before they had the chance.
On this day in 1941, Red Sox legend Ted Williams plays a double header on the final day of the season, goes 6-8 on the day, closing the season with a .406 average. Williams is the last to finish a MLB season with a batting average over .400.
He was juicing.On this day in 1941, Red Sox legend Ted Williams plays a double header on the final day of the season, goes 6-8 on the day, closing the season with a .406 average. Williams is the last to finish a MLB season with a batting average over .400.
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