On October 20, 1924 an explosion occurred in the forward turret of the light cruiser USS Trenton. The event shocked the public, especially given that a very similar accident had already occurred aboard the Battleship Mississippi the previous June.
By September of 1944, the Western Allies had broken out of the Normandy beachehead, and suddenly and quickly moved across northern France . By September 7th, the 90th division was stretched across the northern sector on Patton’s Third Army’s left, advancing slowly northeast. As they did so the German defenders made a risky attack in an effort to spoil the allied advance, cutting through Allied lines in a surprise action at the small town of Mairy-Mannville.