Even if there is no enemy action aircraft operations on carriers is a dangerous business for pilots and ship's crews. There are many examples of casualties caused during take-off and landing operations and such was the case on January 25, 1944 aboard USS Sangamon CVE-26. The carrier was en route from Pearl Harbor to Kwajalein to support the U.S. invasion of the Marshall Islands and was conducting normal aircraft patrols. At 1651 hrs. an F6-F Hellcat of VF-37 attempted a landing and missed the hook. The aircraft went through the crash barrier and the external fuel tank broke loose and skidded across the deck into a group of aircraft. The tank exploded and sprayed burning fuel across the forward part of the flight deck and set several of the planes afire.

The fires were contained in less than ten minutes, but the damage had been done. Fifteen men had jumped overboard to avoid the flames, two of them were never seen again. Another nine men, including the pilot, died or died of injuries later. The crew made the necessary repairs to keep her in fighting order and she was on station to support the landings at Kwajalein and days later at Eniwetok before returning to Pearl for permanent repairs.