The #2 turret of the USS Iowa (BB-61) exploded on April 19, 1989, killing 47 members of the turret crew in one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in U.S. Navy history; in the background, the left gun of Turret One is shown fully elevated as its crew attempts to clear an earlier misfire by trying to coax the powder bags to slide backward against the primer, a risky procedure that underscores the dangerous conditions aboard the battleship that day.🕊⚓🇺🇸 | History Vault Archives

On April 19, 1989, Turret #2 of the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) exploded during a sea-firing exercise. The massive explosion occurred inside the 16-inch gun chamber, instantly killing 47 crew members and destroying nearly the entire turret interior. Flames and thick smoke billowed from the turret, while crews elsewhere in the ship conducted damage control and rescue efforts under extremely dangerous conditions. At the same time, in the background, Turret One is visible with its left barrel fully