On December 28, 1944, the USS John Burke was struck by a Japanese kamikaze near Mindoro in the Philippines. The impact ignited the ammunition ship’s massive cargo of explosives, triggering a catastrophic blast that destroyed the vessel almost instantly.
The explosion could reportedly be seen more than 35 miles away, and all 100 men aboard were killed. The devastating moment was captured on film and remains one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions ever recorded.