Cole BO

[John Young]

>From a US Navy medical report on the USS Cole:

The explosion left a significant dusting of powder
aboard weather deck surfaces and a residual smell
(like fetrilizer) on the mess decks as well as in other
areas, including the starboard passageway leading
to Sick Bay. Smoke curtains helped to contain the
smell. The crew did not remove the substance from
the weather decks (where personnel slept on account
of the heat) because the FBI had not arrived to take
samples for testing. 12 fatalities could not be extricated
initially due to structural damage in the galley and mess
areas. As the temperature exceeded 100 degrees
daily, decomposition commenced rapidly. Crewmembers
and FBI agents used up supplies of oil of wintergreen
and eugenol during recovery efforts in order to minimize
decomposition odors. Vanilla extract was use for the
same purpose.

Excerpted from:


http://www.foia.navy.mil/usscole/ENCLOSE/enl140A5.pdf