THE WORLD’S FIRST TACTICAL CHAIR

FIRE KILLS WARSHIPS. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF World War II, the USS Vincennes was set ablaze when Japanese shells shattered the heavy cruiser’s hangar space. The damage itself was not fatal, but the boat’s own paint and inventory – spare aeroplane parts, life jackets, and machine oil – fed the fire, lighting up the night sky to attract more heavy-calibre gunfire. In the early morning hours of 9 August 1942, the Vincennes rolled over and sank near Savo Island in the South Pacific.

As similar losses mounted, the US Navy embarked on a campaign to rid its combat ships of almost everything that would ignite. A new ban prohibited cork insulation, linoleum flooring, rugs, and curtains, along with items from sailors’ personal belongings, such as