General Dec 1, 2011 at 4:00 am

Kablooie!

A Guide to Oregon's Greatest Explosions

Joe Streckert
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Comments

1
You forgot to mention the shelling of Fort Stevens by a Japanese submarine during WWII. At least one of the shells exploded. No one was injured, and US forces did not return fire.

An American B-17 later dropped bombs in the vicinity of the submarine, but the sub slipped away unharmed. This happened off the coast, but it still merits mention.
dimitrir on November 30, 2011 at 7:49 PM Report this
2
you forgot to mention the hottest fire in oregon history when the giant entirely wooden hall of the 1902 World's Fair exhibition center went up in a whoosh. It was so hot there are still scorch marks on the tarmac of Guild Lake road. It was estimated to have burned at 2500 degrees for an hour and totally consumed. The two firemen AND their horses were instantly killed by simply riding within 15 feet of the inferno.
duh.
I'mrightyerwrong on November 30, 2011 at 9:39 PM Report this
3
This was a blast!
on November 30, 2011 at 11:01 PM Report this
4
I'm so proud of Jeff. Those illustrations are adorable.
Gene5ive on November 30, 2011 at 11:30 PM Report this
5
Worthwhile read! Thanks!
Fruit Cup on December 1, 2011 at 11:22 AM Report this
6
Illustrations really are fantastic. Great article too. +1 <3's
BumpasaurusX on December 1, 2011 at 1:39 PM Report this
7
You forgot that Oregon Ranger Station that E.L.F. blew up back in the 90s.
markmark on December 1, 2011 at 3:25 PM Report this
8
How much did the taxi ride did to Eugene and back cost?
Todd Mecklem on December 1, 2011 at 7:29 PM Report this
9
Also...hmm, first Arab-themed ad I've ever had Google Ads serve up on the Merc site, and it happens to be when I click through to an article about explosions.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6439819…
Todd Mecklem on December 1, 2011 at 8:16 PM Report this
10
"His bombs and the balloons were the only direct hits Japan made against the US in WWII."

Pearl Harbor?
on December 2, 2011 at 12:01 PM Report this
11
Scott, Pearl Harbor was in a colony—sorry, territory *of* the United States, not in the U.S itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_of_…
Todd Mecklem on December 2, 2011 at 1:20 PM Report this
12
#8 good question. And I hope to hell that driver got a wicked good tip!
AlaskanNow on December 2, 2011 at 7:56 PM Report this
13
I wonder if the Florence whale blast is where "Reno 911!" got the idea to have the deputies blow up a beached whale in the "Reno 911!:Miami" movie.
AlaskanNow on December 2, 2011 at 7:58 PM Report this
14
i'm kind of surprised not to read any comments about an "explosion in my pants" yet.
tabarnhart on December 2, 2011 at 9:30 PM Report this
15
Katu was on the scene for the whale explosion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBgThvB_IDQ
on December 3, 2011 at 8:27 PM Report this
16
The civil defense center at Kelly Butte was a fully finished, functional alternate city headquarters with its own well, generators, radio tower, and decontamination facility. It had a large command room with a big map of the Portland area at one end as well as dormitories and offices for police, fire, mayor and other city officials. It had bedding but I don't know if the kitchen was ever stocked.

My father was the engineer who did the structural design of it, and I saw the inside of it when it was almost finished.

It was buried in the east side of Kelly Butte, with one end accessible but highly secure.
on December 5, 2011 at 5:25 PM Report this
17
An interesting and informative article. Should disposal attempts of the wreck of the New Carissa be sufficiently infamous for inclusion?
on December 13, 2011 at 3:19 PM Report this

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