Rating: 
Summary: A poor treatment of the accident laced with posion
Review: Having lived through that day, April 19, 1989, I was very interested in reading this book. My division supplemented Turret Two and many good friends of mine died that day. I was extremely disappointed in the treament that some people received from Mr. Thompson and his "sources". Thompson relied far too much on a small group of people who evidently had scores to settle with the Navy and individuals who cannot defend themselves. Thompson poorly documents his book and did not interview people such as Patrick Shedd and Robert Burch who survived the accident, simply taking their testimony from the Navy's "official" record. All in all a good example of what the media has become, full of hype and self-serving. Do not waste money on this book, instead try Richard Schwoebel's book.
Rating:
Summary: Too many OPPORTUNIST
Review: I agree with the other survivor from Fla, that the book is a bunch of fairy tales and lies, and I may add alot of people who heard this and that, and who were not where they said they where and what they were doing!! In other words a LOT OF OPPORTUNIST!!!, I also find when it came to LTJG PHILLIP BUCH and Gunners Mate Senior Chief Reginald Ziegler they could do nothing right and the book makes LTJG Buch look like he was extremly INCOMPETENT AND NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. I find this in bad taste, why the author did NOT ask people who worked for LTJG Buch and Senior Chief Ziegler or better yet, why did he not ask the only two survivors of G2 Division (Turret Two Division)Kendall Truitt and myself, who would know their Division Officer and Senior Chief better. Instead he relied on information supplied by people who obviously had a axe to grind with them. An example of LTJG Phil Buch who was not a person to worry about himself, but the welfare of his Division. LTJG Buch not only used his chain of command to try and help me, but put his career on the line and went outside of Offical Navy channels and wrote to his state Senator Alfonse DeMato of N.Y. to intervene in my ongoing case with a vindictive fellow officer. With 20 years in the Navy I can Honestly that LTJG Phillip Buch was the very best division I have had the privilege to work for!! and for Ziggy EVERYONE and I do mean EVERYONE who knew him was surprised he was not a Master Chief he was a professional in every sence of the word. As for the Skipper yes he was hard, thats because he was the Captain of the ship. As everyone knows I came from the brig to the Iowa. I was treated just like any other crew member on the ship. In my contact and dealings with the Captain he was ALWAYS upfront and honest with me. For the treatment I received which was no differnt than anyone else, I will alway have the HIGHEST RESPECT and ADMIRATION for him. I know that a lot of things said about the Skipper are just outright lies, I know I WAS THERE!! Where as some of the people in the book I never saw during the RESCUE, FIREFIGHTING, SECURING THE FLOODING, DEWATERING AND THE CLEAN-UP!! I and the folks who were there would have loved there help, but the fact of the matter is plain and simple, they just wer'nt there!!! I suggest don't waste your money. John Mullahy
Rating: 
Summary: Very informative but a little disappointing
Review: I am a sister of one of the men that was killed in Turret Two during the explosion. The only thing that I would like to say is that I'm a little upset that ALL the men that were in the turret were not recognized. It seems only the ones who played an important role etc. were mentioned. All the men in the Turret were important and I'm sure all had their futures set like my brother. He was going to attend college after the Navy to be an Electrical Engineer, he had a photographic memory and was a very smart and generous man. The whole reason my brother was on the Iowa was due to one of the officers flunking him out of a class due to the reason that he did not think my brother was political enough. When in fact my brother had passed! All this just upsets me and I'm glad the truth is finally coming out! We all needed the whole truth just so we could finally get some sort of peace.
Rating:
Summary: The Blame Game
Review: I am the Mother of one of the sailor's killed aboard the USS IOWA (BB-61). I was deeply involved in investigating the cause of the explosion. Mr. Thompson's book is well written and statistically accurate. However, much can be said as to where he places the blame. The Navy had no qualms about hanging a dead sailor out to dry. Mr. Thompson didn't go far enough into the dirty tricks the Navy used to promote their theory. Dressing a dead sailor in Hartwigs uniform to prove his location during the explosion,and giving orders for the sailors to keep the actual location of Clay's body a secret. Mr. Thompson made numerous people out to be hero's, when in all actuality they were covering their own tracks. Dan Meyer was credited with exposing the Navy's cover-up of the location of Clay's body. But, he failed to say it took over a year of begging and pleading,from me, to get Meyer's to come forward. There were no hero's that day only pawns, in a deluded man's scheme. In my opinion Stephen Skelley and Ken Costigan, were responsible for the experiments. These experiments and the faulty powder were the direct cause of the explosion in turret two on April 19th, that took the life of "MY SON". Mr. Thompson's book is just that,"a book". It can't bring my child back and it can't give me justice. I must continue my life knowing that the men responsible continue to go unpunished. My only consolation is that unless these men admit their wrong, "A Glimpse Of Hell", will be their just reward.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT FANTASTIC, ALSO BUY EXPLOSION ABOARD THE IOWA
Review: I am the President of the Veterans Association of the USS IOWA and I just spent the weekend with all of the family members of the 47 who lost their lives and which the book was written about. I also spoke at length to the author Charles Thompson and requested he be my keynote speaker at our annual reunion to be held in May. I also had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Richard Schwoebel who wrote EXPLOSION ABOARD THE IOWA. If anyone wants factual proof that what author Thompson wrote about, then you should have been at the memorial on April 19,1999 at 10:00AM for the 10th anniversary of the explosion and spoke to the crewmen of turret 1 who had friends in turret two.For any IOWA Class sailor or anyone who refuses to accept the facts then you should vote for President Clinton for a Third Term.I put the Iowa in mothballs in 1958 in Philladelphia and we left that beautiful lady in great shape and her memory should not be tarnished by the way the navy tried to cover up their mistakes starting with the Captain at the time and on up the chain of command.
Rating:
Summary: So much left unsaid!
Review: I am the Sister of Clayton Hartwig. I found Charlies book EXCELLENT!. Hard for me to read, the pain of being involved as a family member. I would hope all of the famlies are now accepting the information he has uncovered. What the NIS and the NAVY did to our family and the other 46 famlies is outragious. He only lightly touches the trauma we went through, instead he put his findings of corruption, decete, and wrongdoings of the NAVY as his main objective. Read this book to see how the NAVY was run. How proud boys, became real men to serve on the best Battle Ship of the United States Navy. Finally understand how the BRASS became cowards, to coverup a accident that should have NEVER happened. Read this book before signing up with the UNITED STATES NAVY!.
Rating:
Summary: Exposes the truth
Review: I am the sister of one of the men in Turret One, who was mentioned in the book. My brother is an honest person, with no "ax to grind" or "score to settle". The book basically agrees with what he has told us over the past 10 years. He also lost good friends in the explosion, and all he and our family have ever wanted was for the truth to come out. This book does exactly that. The truth is sometimes hard to believe and accept, but the fact is that yes, the Navy did cover up this terrible tragedy. They tried to blame it ALL on one sailor, whose family had the courage to stand up, against enormous odds, and say this is wrong! For 10 years I have lived with the knowledge that my brother could have easily been one of the 47 men killed that day. All those families deserve to know the truth, no matter how distasteful it might be to some. I do entend to read Mr. Schwoebel's book also, and encourage everyone to do the same. I challenge anyone who has different opinions and/or information to do some research and write your own book, this can only help uncover the truth!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Give this book to a young man before he enlists !
Review: I picked this book up, thinking it would be a technically oriented war story book. Boy, was I surprised ! The author really rips into everyone. Almost every officer has some major character defect and a quirky personality. I was always impressed by how the battleships look, but the author tells how they are 50 year rust buckets, with leaking boilers, shorted-out wiring, etc. Think about the wiring you saw in your grandmother's house from the 20's. It had cloth insulation. Picture a whole ship built in this same style, and still in use today ! One turret is described as "the rain forest", because it had hydraulic fluid constantly dripping down all over it. My mouth was hanging open in shock, and I must say, enjoyment, as I read this book. I think the Navy must get recruits from Navy families, who like this stuff, or young men who are lied to by recruiters. If you read this book, you will not want to be in the Navy. I was in the Army, and I don't recommend it either. As far as the book being worth it -- the first third is a cracking good read. The rest of the book is not as wild, it's more depressing as you learn about the sleazy Naval Investigative Service, and the evil hacks that are in it. It's even more depressing when you find that senior officers are not John Wayne types, but just sleazy politicians in uniform. You do NOT want these people controlling your life or someone you care for.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding. Amazing. Very good read!
Review: I read this book on recommendation of a friend. I picked it up and couldn't put it down. I was amazed and saddened by how the United States government treats its soldiers. The gross incompenance of the Iowa's senior staff is appauling, and the cover up is a national disgrace. Every tax paying American should read this book!
Rating:
Summary: On target!
Review: I served onboard the USS IOWA as A Gunner's Mate from 86-90. Mr Thompson has written a very accurate account of the events surrounding the Turret two explosion. I highly recommend this book.
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