I was at the Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society Museum a while back and saw a picture of a sailor who died in the explosion that tore this ship apart. I'd never heard of this incident before, so did some research. There was a picture of him and he was 17. The caption under the picture had him dying aboard the USS Sierra, but I did not find it listed as being in the vicinity of the Mount Hood when it blew up. But his date of death was the same as when the ship blew up.
His name was James Arthur Welch, born Jan. 11, 1927, died Nov. 10, 1944.
I'll be at a meeting there tonight and will try to find out more about him.
SEE-- Jan. 26, 2008 entry.
From Wikipedia--Lead ship of her class of ammunition ships in WW II. Exploded at Manus Island 10 Nov. 1944, killing all 267 offoicers and enlisted men aboard.
Built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, NC where 54 ships were built for the US Navy. Located 3 miles south of Wilmington on east bank of the Cape Fear River. Wilmington has been doing a lot to document and mark its WW II heritage. There is even a driving tour of sites.
Launched 28 Nov. 1943 and commissioned 1 July 1944.
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