English: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Halligan (DD-584) aground on Tokashiki island. Halligan had been assigned to a fire support unit off the southwestern part of Okinawa on 25 March 1945 and began patrolling between Okinawa and Kerama Retto. In addition she covered minesweepers during sweep operations through waters which had been heavily mined with irregular patterns. Halligan continued her offshore patrols 26 March. At about 1835 a tremendous explosion rocked the ship, sending smoke and debris 60 m in the air. The destroyer had hit a moored mine head on, exploding the forward magazines and blowing off the forward section of the ship, including the bridge, back to the forward stack. The ship was abandoned, having lost one-half her crew of 300; only 2 of her 21 officers survived. The abandoned destroyer drifted aground on Tokashiki, a small island west of Okinawa, the following day. There the hulk was further battered by pounding surf and enemy shore batteries.