Those are disturbing for the mere fact that there is nothing apparent to explain the cause.
Is it just me, or does that “hole” look more like a cutout - like it had been scored or stitched in - especially the top half? That doesn’t look like what I’d imagine to happen in an “explosive decompression” in the center of a single panel. I was thinking more of a uneven tear and less of cutting (with straight edges) look would be the result. Any time I’ve ever had a can burst in the freezer, it doesn’t come out looking like that. I’m a little surprised…
The metallurgical test results should be quite telling…
No, it’s not just you. I could duplicate that scoring with a bit of detcord or by scoring the metal with a sharp and over-pressurizing the container, but I can’t think of any other reasonable causes.
I wonder if they trim them fancy “Shamu” decals, especially around access panels, with an X-acto Knife after they’re already on the airframe? 
I would think the initial report would mention it, but the first thing I thought was that it was a bad patch.
Nope…not a patch.
http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2009/SW-737-exterior.jpg
You can see the initial failure point at the 6th rivet from the front, bottom row. The crack was probably in place for some time, the entire panel was compromised, and the continuous buffeting from the slipstream probably flexed the metal beyond all hope until differential pressure won the game. The result looks like a normal piece of sheet Al torn back by a 500 mph slipstream.
I believe the aircraft are painted in Shamu and other colors. No decals used.
Sorry, that post was kind of tongue-in-cheek. I don’t particularly like those silly liveries to begin with. 
See my more recent post above -----^
Or tape masking prior to painting?
“torn back”? You mean, torn forward, then almost completely vertical, then rearward - completely parallel with the rivets, and then (all with near perfectly rounded corners) downward again? And I’m also surprised that at least part of the panel/rivets were strong enough for the panel to still stay attached for the remainder of the flight. I would have thought that panel would have blown away, never to be seen again.
Is not Yeager airport (CRW) a small community airport with short runways that would accommodate a emergency landing 737 ? I understand its located on a mountain top in West Virginia. Has no major airline passenger service at this airport .
Yeager has several regional air carriers that service Charleston, and it’s terminal has at least seven jetbridges. It’s longest runway is 6300’. The airport is at about a 1000’ elevation on a plateau. Terrain of any significance is well east. The airport is perfectly suitable for a 737.
It’s also an ANG base with C-130s and a military fire station on field I believe.
That would be correct. 