I WILL EXPLAIN ABOUT THIS A LITTLE SO AS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THIS NEXT INCIDENT HAPPENED. THE THREE INCH GUN HAS ABOUT A 31 INCH RECOIL AND ON THE PART OF THE SLIDE NEAREST THE BREACH THE SLIDE IS POLISHED FOR ABOUT 36 INCHES AND THE SAFETY MARK AT 31 INCHES IS PAINTED ON THE SLIDE. THE SLIDE IS COVERED WITH GREASE TO PROTECT IT FROM THE WEATHER AND ALSO AS THE GUN RECOILS IT PUSHES THE GREASE FORWARD REVEALING THE SAFETY MARK.
THIS ONE DAY WE WERE FIRING AND THE BURSTS WERE GOING PAST THE TARGET BY AT LEAST A MILE AND NONE OF THE CORRECTIONS SET IN AT THE RADAR UNIT DID ANY GOOD. AT ALMOST THE SAME MOMENT ALL OF US GUN COMMANDERS NOTICED THE GUNS RECOILING PAST THE DANGER MARK ON THE SLIDE. THE GUNS WERE RECOILING ABOUT 36 INCHES WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE CHAIN HOLDING THE BARREL TO THE GUN COULD BREAK AND THE ENTIRE UNIT COULD COME OUT OF THE CARRIAGE AND FALL ON THE PART OF THE GUN CREW THAT WAS FEEDING AMMUNITION. NATURALLY THE COMMAND WAS GIVEN THAT ALL GUNS CEASE FIRING.
ORDINANCE WAS CALLED IN TO EXAMINE THE GUNS AND AMMUNITION. BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE AMMUNITION WE WERE FIRING HAD BEEN SHIPPED TO FRANCE IN WORLD WAR ONE, THEN SHIPPED BACK TO THE STATES AND THEN SHIPPED TO PEARL HARBOR AFTER WWI AND NOBODY WILL EVER KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THAT AMMUNITION WAS HANDLED DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEARS UP TO WWII.
THE SHELLS HAD A MUZZLE VELOCITY OF ABOUT 2600 FEET PER SECOND. AND WITH THE BOUNCING AROUND THE WORLD SO MANY TIMES THE POWDER INCREMENTS WHICH WERE ABOUT THE DIAMETER OF A SMALL PENCIL AND ABOUT A HALF INCH LONG HAD BROKEN UP AND WHEN DETONATED THEY BURNED MUCH FASTER. OUR GUNS WERE DEVELOPING ABOUT 3000 FEET PER SECOND OR MORE. THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE DIRECTION EQUIPMENT IT WAS THE FAULTY AMMUNITION. SOME-ONE COULD HAVE REALLY BEEN HURT. THE AMMUNITION WAS DESTROYED AND NEW AMMUNITION WAS ISSUED.
THIS CERTAINLY SHOWS JUST HOW UN-PREPARED WE WERE TO FIGHT A WAR. BUT IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS COUNTRY'S KNOW HOW AND THE SPEED WHICH EVERYONE PITCHED IN I'M SURE THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN A HELL OF A LOT WORSE.
IT SEEMS THAT IN TIME OF DANGER THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS WHAT COUNTS. EVERYONE PULLS TOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT......