NORFOLK, Va. — Remembering a tragic chapter in U.S. Navy history.
34 years ago, an explosion aboard the battleship USS Iowa killed 47 local sailors.
April 19, 1989. It was peace-time. Long before 9-11. Long before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And then, at 9:53 am, for the USS Iowa, everything changed.
The number two turret exploded, killing 47 sailors.
On this 34th anniversary, dozens of former crew members came to Iowa Point at Naval Station Norfolk to recite the names of the fallen reflect upon their loss.
"It's to remember them and to show support for those that survived. Those that survived are the ones we can help now. And I do what I can," said Marvin Hall, a former Iowa sailor.
Roland Cole, a former Iowa sailor, said "I think it's very important that we come here every year to pay respect to those 47 sailors."
David Canfield was another former Iowa sailor. He said it's not a day to be sad.
"And you know, a lot of us that went through that day, we dwell on the time that we lost our friends But I try really hard these days to remember how they lived, not how they died." Canfield said.
"These are the guys we went on liberty with. These are the guys we served on boats with. These are the guys we went and partied with. I don't want to remember how they died. I want to remember how they lived," Canfield said.
The original Navy investigation found that the explosion "most probably" was an act of sabotage.
A subsequent Navy probe determined that there was no evidence that the blast was caused intentionally.
In a third investigation, the Government Accountability Office concluded the mishap was likely the result of an accidental over-ram of gun powder.