Ammunition Explosion
Mount Hood, at an anchorage in Seadler Harbor along with other COMSOWESPAC ships carried 3800 tons of ordnance material in her holds. Shore party of 17 members of ship's crew from Mount Hood departed ship at 0830. At 0855, a flash was seen coming from Mount Hood quickly followed by 2 explosions. ... There were no survivors other than the shore party of 17 who had departed the ship prior to the explosion. ... Naval Board of Inquiry convened to examine evidence relating to the disaster was unable to ascertain the cause. Available evidence strongly points to the conclusion that explosion was caused by force or agency within the ship itself .
