Damage to muzzle by demolition.
Lt. Col. Kirkpatrick, commander of Fort Drum ordered that all recoil
cylinders of all guns be drained. Sandbags were placed in the
muzzles and the guns were fired with full charges. The muzzle of one
of the 14-inch guns was split and another 14-inch jumped from its
carriage with the breech resting against the rear of the turret.
The powder magazines were
partially flooded with salt water, but only to several inches.
About 30 of the 840 powder charges were damaged by water. However
the American prisoners told the Japanese that all were damaged and
were told to throw them into the ocean, which they did. |
