FN Lowell D. Wells 04-27-1953
US NAVY
US Navy | Killed April , 27 1953 aboard his ship the USS Bennington.
FN. Lowell Dale Wells USN was killed in an accident aboard his ship the USS Bennington. APRIL 27 1953 - 10:03 HOURS - BOILER EXPLOSION - USS BENNINGTON CVA-20
The NAVY released the names of the 11 killed and seven injured in an explosion aboard the aircraft carrier BENNINGTON off Cuba. Of those injured, only one was admitted to the Naval Hospital at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. All of the injured were
listed as having 1st or 2nd degree burns. The explosion was caused by a failure of the boiler tubing while the 27,000-ton
carrier was on a shakedown cruise off the southeastern part of Cuba. Reports stated that there was slight damage to the ship in the accident. The explosion occurred at 10:03 AM Norfolk time. Apparently the BENNINGTON was helping another ship at the time of the explosion. A message intercepted by the Headquarters of the Navy's Atlantic Air Arm in Norfolk stated that the destroyer USS CONE indicated that the carrier BENNINGTON had taken an injured man from the destroyer and performed emergency surgery on him, then transferred him to a hospital by helicopter.
