1945 — Apr 9, US freighter Charles Henderson explodes, bombs being unloaded, Bari, Italy–52-54

–54 Shortridge, Bud. “SS Charles Henderson – WW II Loss.” Accessed 6-2-2021.
–52 American Merchant Marine at War. Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged…

Narrative Information

American Merchant Marine at War. Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged…
“Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths
“04/09/45 Charles Henderson Liberty Explosion Sunk Med-BlackSea Crew 39; AG 13.”

Chanter, Alan. World War II Database. “9 Apr 1945.”
“….The Liberty ship Charles Henderson, loaded with aircraft bombs, blew up in Bari harbour in Italy, killing 360 and injuring 1,730.”

Shortridge, Bud. “SS Charles Henderson – WW II Loss.” Accessed 6-2-2021:
“….Operator: Mississippi Shipping Co., Inc.
“Type: freighter
“Complement: Forty-two crew, thirteen Armed Guard….

“Charles Henderson Exploded While Being Unloaded in Bari, Italy.”

“On April 9, 1944 the SS Charles Henderson was one of thirteen Allied ships discharging in the port of Bari, Italy. Her cargo of around 2,000 tons of bombs for the USAAF was being unloaded at Berth 14by Italian stevedores under the charge of British Army sappers.

“Around midday flames suddenly shot up from No. 5 hold, followed by a tremendous explosion. The after part of the ship disintegrated in flames, and a cloud of black smoke rose several thousand feet in the air with burning debris from the ship raining down all around.

“The fore part of the ship, still loaded with about half the ship’s cargo of bombs, was blown forward, ending up partly on the quay. As well as destroying the Charles Henderson the explosion devastated the berth, and adjoining sheds, and all the port equipment in the vicinity. A large section of the ship’s bridge landed in the nearby Navy Yard and everything there went up in flames.

“Three other ships in port including a tanker caught fire. The tidal wave set up by the explosion damaged every other ship in the port and caused some of the wrecks from the previous disaster…[some 16 months earlier there was another explosion involving ‘mustard gas’….which all but leveled this port….to be torn away from the mole and to again block the harbor. It took a month to make the port operational again, a job completed just as the war in Europe was drawing to its close.

“What remained of the Charles Henderson was sold to Genoa shipbreakers for scrapping.

“Forty-two crew as well as twelve Armed Guard lost their lives…and to make matters worse 267 Italian workers got killed as well….along with 1600 injured…and a undetermined number of Allied military personnel were killed.”

Sources

American Merchant Marine at War. Chronological List of Ships Sunk or Damaged during 1945. Accessed 6-2-2021 at: http://www.usmm.org/sunk45.html#anchor564125

Chanter, Alan. World War II Database. “9 Apr 1945.” Accessed 6-2-2021 at: https://ww2db.com/event/today/04/09/1945

Shortridge, Bud. “SS Charles Henderson – WW II Loss.” Accessed 6-2-2021 at: http://www.cablesmart-austin.com/images/uss_mizar/SS_CHARLES_HENDERSON.pdf