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Lessons Learned from Past Disasters
USS Iowa - Continued

Journalist 1 & C - Advanced manual for Journalism and other reporting practices
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USS IOWA Lt.  Russ  Greer  (CINCLANTFLT  PAO)  details the   public   affairs   response   to   the   USS   Iowa tragedy in 1989 as follows: The explosion and fire that killed 47 sailors aboard the USS Iowa  (BB  61)  (fig.  2-1)  on  the morning  of  April  19,  1989,  produced  a  classic crisis for Navy public affairs. In the confusion of the first reports, there was immense pressure from the media, the public and Congress to learn the names of the dead and injured. Next came the return of the ship itself. A memorial service followed, attended by President Bush, and then the investigation began with extensive speculation in the media about the cause of the tragedy. For  public  affairs  professionals,  the  pattern  of the  crisis  has  become  all  too  familiar  in  recent years   with   the   USS   Stark,   USS   Samuel   B. Roberts,    USS    Bonefish    and    USS    Vincennes incidents providing textbook paradigms. The   lessons   learned   from   the   USS   Iowa disaster include the following: Have  a  written public affairs emergency reaction  plan  and  practice  it.  The  plan  should deal  chiefly  with  the  physical  tools  you   need  to handle    a    crisis,    such    as    telephones,    extra personnel, transportation, communications, and so forth. 174.131 Figure 2-1.—USS Iowa (BB 61) explosion and fire, April 19, 1989. (Official U.S. Navy photograph by Lt. Thomas Jarrell) 2-3







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