1924 — Oct 20, USS Trenton Gun Turret Powder Bag Explosion, off Norfolk, VA       —     14

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-24-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–14  US Dept. Navy. “Casualties: US Navy…Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured…”

Narrative Information

Mesothelioma News: “While conducting gunnery drills off Norfolk, Virginia in October, there was an explosion of powder bags in her forward turret that killed or injured everyone in the gun crew.”  (Mesothelioma News.  “USS Trenton (CL-11).”)

Navy History and Heritage Command. “Trenton II (CL-11), 1924-1946”: “While Trenton carried out gunnery drills about 40 miles off the Virginia capes on 24 October 1924, powder bags in her forward turret exploded, killing or injuring every man of the gun crew. The explosion erupted with such force that it thrust open the rear steel door and blew five men overboard, one of whom, SN William A. Walker, drowned. During the ensuing fire, Ens. Henry C. Drexler and BM1c George R. Cholister attempted to dump powder charges into the immersion tank before they detonated but the charges burst, killing Drexler, and fire and fumes overcame Cholister before he could reach his objective, and he died the following day. Both men received the Meda; of Honor posthumously.”

U.S. Navy: “USS Trenton (CL-11) powder bag explosion in forward twin 6-inch gun turret. 14 killed. 20 Oct. 1924.”  (US Navy. “Casualties: US Navy…Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured…”)

Sources

Mesothelioma News. “USS Trenton (CL-11)” Law Firm of Baron and Budd, P.C. Accessed 8-15-2010 at: http://www.mesotheliomanews.com/asbestos/navy-and-naval-shipyards/us-navy-cruisers/uss-trenton-cl-11/

Navy History and Heritage Command. “Trenton II (CL-11), 1924-1946” Accessed 3-24-2025 at: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/trenton-ii.html

United States Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center. See “Casualties: US Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured in Selected Accidents and Other Incidents Not Directly the Result of Enemy Action.” Washington, DC: Washington Navy Yard. Accessed 3-24-2025 at:  http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/accidents.htm