World War II Central Illinois Stories

Oral History Interview: Paul Hackett of Urbana

 

Paul Hackett was a Storekeeper 2nd class on board the USS Mindanao when the ammunition ship the USS Mount Hood exploded on Nov. 10, 1944, at Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, northeast of New Guinea. The Mindanao, 350 yards away, suffered extensive damage particularly to her superstructure, and aft. Of her crew, 180 were killed or wounded.