American Notes THE NAVY , At Ease, Mr. Truitt

In the wake of the gun-turret explosion on the U.S.S. Iowa that in April killed 47 sailors, the Naval Investigative Service considered a bizarre theory: that Navy petty officer Kendall Truitt may have set off the explosion to collect on a $100,000 insurance policy taken out by a sailor killed in the blast. The story was guaranteed a full airing when Pentagon sources privately confirmed the investigation to the press.

Truitt angrily denied the allegation, suggesting that the fault could lie with an inexperienced crew. Last week a Navy statement seemed to clear Truitt. Investigators are now focusing on the equally bizarre theory that Clayton Hartwig, the insured sailor, committed suicide by causing the explosion with a $15 timing device. The Navy blandly insisted that no apology was due Truitt because it had not "discussed publicly" the murder-suicide theories.