Description

The 1969 USS Enterprise fire was a major fire and series of explosions that broke out aboard USS Enterprise on January 14, 1969, off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. After a Zuni rocket detonated under a plane's wing, the ensuing fire touched off more munitions, blowing holes in the flight deck that allowed burning jet fuel to enter the ship. The blaze killed 28 sailors, injured 314, and destroyed 15 aircraft. The cost of replacing the aircraft and repairing the ship topped $126 million. Even graver damage was likely prevented by improvements made after the similar 1967 USS Forrestal fire.