Baltimore (CA 68) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT The Engineering Department, consisting of eight officers and 201 enlisted men, is divided into four divisions, A , B , E , and These divisions are charged with the running and up- keep of the main engines, boilers, auxiliary machinery, distri- bution of fuel and furnishing the ship with lights, electric power and fresh water. A Division, the auxiliary gang, is comprised mainly of those machinists who understand machine shop work, the run- ning of lathes, milling machines, shapers, etc., and the upkeep of the small boat engines, steering machinery, diesel engines for auxiliary light and power, crane and elevator machinery, air conditioning and ice machine units. B Division, the division formerly known as The Black Gang in the old coal burning days, are the men who fire the huge oil burning superheated boilers and maintain and operate the various fireroom auxiliaries, such -asgfeed pumps, forced- draft blowers, fuel-oil heaters, and see that steam pressure is constant at all times. A modern Navy fireman is a far cry from the old days when all a man needed to be a fireman was A strong back and a weak mind. M Division is composed of the men who operate and keep our main turbine driven engines in operating condition. These engines are capable of developing 30,000 shaft horse- power per unit and force the ship through the water at a speed exceeding 32 knots. Machinists mates repair and maintain the various pumps and the condensers which turn the steam, used to drive the turbines, back into water so that it may be used again, for water is a precious item aboard a man-of-war. The evaporating plant, which distills fresh potable water from sea water, foruse in the- boilers and for the use of personnel on board for drinking, laundry, showers and cooking purposes, is also operated by the M Division. Last but not least the E Division ist made of electricians who maintain and operate the four main turbo-generators which furnish us with electrical power, which would be adequate to meet the needs of a city of 10,000 population. But this is a small part of their work, for there is an automatic dial telephone ex- change, search-lights powerful enough to illuminate an object , 0 I many miles away, hundreds of electrical motors for driving pumps, vent fans and all types of power machinery to provide fire power for our guns. Although most people, unfamiliar with the Navy, picture the engineers as men who work in hot, dirty spaces and clad in oily dungarees, this is certainly not the case. Engine rooms and firerooms in this modern Navy are as clean as any particular housewife's kitchen and are far better ventilated. Although the men do stand their watches and perform their duties in dun- garees they are clean and neat as pins and when ready for liberty, leave or inspection, are generally the outstanding men in appearance. Most of the men in the Engineering Department are picked men with former experience in their trade in civilian life or who before reporting aboard ship, have completed a course in in- struction in one of the various trade schools maintained and operated by the Navy to train new men. Advancement is usually rapid and no better place could be found to learn a trade and work with the most modern equipment in the world than in the Engineering Department. - THE NAVIGATION DEPARTMENT The Navigation Department is a small outfit consisting of two officers and 30 men. Of course, its main function is to nav- igate the ship safely on all its voyage. Its other functions are: Supervision of education on board ship, care of the ship's li- brary, public relations, upkeep of charts, and supervision of the watch on deck. In order to accomplish the above functions the department is made up of quartermasters, aerographers, pho- tographers, yeomen and seamen. The department is responsible for the upkeep of the Pilot House, from where the ship is conned , the navigation bridge, the chart house Cwhere the navigator lays out his track and figures out his positionb, the aerology laboratory, the photog- raphy laboratory, and the steering gear compartment. Because the department was fortunate enough to obtain excellent reserve enlisted men of good character and education, C9070 of its men are reserveD, it operates smoothly and efficiently.

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Q tr ..,t.1,g.qfsz' - -Us l. , , -,,, ., -.- Q. .. -+wwv-H+--'-fe-i--1 -+------j------ ve- --M -- - -- 2- -ts .4 -4 .Lt V- , -.-. ': -'.fswff'f.- -. . . fb-Al ' .. 1-hifi-iTvf?'3t'ff-'S:3?'-1-,r-it-itrkrv?-S'l -' - - SUPPLY DEPARTMENT The Supply Department aboard this vessel is responsible for the procurement, receipt, custody, care- and issue -of all stores and materials required by the ship of the line to carry out her duties as one of Uncle Sam's frontline defenders. Re- gardless of where you wander on your visit, you will find this job being carried out in a manner that bespeaks coordination and efficiency. ,Lay aft on the fantail and observe the store- keepers with their working parties busily engaged checking and rechecking stores as they are struck fbelow, each in its proper place for ready issue when the need arises, or go below to the second deck and find barbers dealing out the Regulation hair- cuts, the tailor plying his trusty needle: cooks, bakers, butchers preparing a meal that will be served hours later, laundrymen cleaning, washing, pressing dungarees and liberty whites or blues, the ship's 'store storekeeper hawking his attractive wares, the ice cream and.coke dispenser. Now to officer's country up forward where the steward's mates under the watchful eye of the stewards are preparing the officers' meals or readying offi- cers' staterooms: that is also the workings of the Supply De- partment. Don't fail to observe they paper work that transpires in the little Supply Office. The endless task ofgkeeping the books that tell ALL what the requirements are, what expenditures have been made, who has what, and principally how much money is needed for payday. i ' This, then, briefly is the Supply Department of the Balti- more, four officers and 129 men, who do their thousand and one jobs with a courtesy and a manner of Know How that has earned more than one Well Done from Captain and crew members alike. . GUNNERY DEPARTMENT The Gunnery Department lconsisted, during the war, of about 950 men- and 50 officers., This complement was necessary to fully man all the batteries of the ship. There are twelve divi- sions in this department, each having its-own function. Divisions l, 2, and 3, each, man one of the 8 turrets. Divisionsf4 and 5 each man the 5 dual-purpose mounts. The 6th and 7th Divisions each have stations on the 40mm machine wguns, while the 8th Division man the 20mm machine guns. The 9th Division is the Marine Detachment on the ship., The l0th Division has the care and operation of all radar equipment. The F Division men operate the equipment for controlling the fire of the guns. The V Division is the aviation unit. ' The men assigned to each unit of ordnance equipment comprise a highly organized and trained crew. Many of the men have a high degree of technical skill. Modern warfare at sea is no longer a problem ofindividuals' but of thegroup as a whole. Teamwork is the watchword of gunners, and many hours have been spent in drills to-produce a smooth running, efficient organization. ' p We have never been fortunate enough to engage' surface vessel, although several times -we have been stations expecting action. There were never more men than the main battery crews when no action However, the main battery was able tolshoot. seven' bombardments against the enemy. The anti-aircraft units have had their share of action in every operation from the Gilbert IS- lands to Okinawa. They have twelve enemyyplanes to their credit as definite kills, and many more were driven off. The fact that we have never been hit speaks for itself. . ' Our Naval aviators have made numerousrescue missions, at sea. We weredistinguished when one of our aviators landed in Truk lagoon to fish out a downed fighter pilot. He was the first man of the war to land voluntarily at that Iap base. ' - COMMUNICATIONS ,DEPAn'rMEN'r' The Communications Department consists of all radio, signal and clerical personnel and is under the direct supervision of the Communications Officer. ' . 1 T ' - ' The department is charged with the responsibility of pro- viding ian adequate means of communications at all times, and the dissemination of information to those who need to know. All ship communications, including official letters, radio and visual dispatches, and personal correspondence are handled by this department. y 2 I For ,purposes of efficient administration the department is organized in three divisions. These include: the CR Division, consisting of all radio personnel: the CS Division, or signalmen: and the CY-Division, composed of yeomen, printers, and mail- men. L . Q - HULL DEPARTMENT Q . The Hull Department is headed by the First Lieutenant. Under his cognizance comes the maintenance of the ship, polic- ing of the ship, and supervision of damage and damage con-- trol. It is perhaps an unexciting parallel to draw, but the First Lieutenant is somewhat akin to the head janitor of a large' hotel. His welders, carpenters, plumbers, etc., are forever busy atfthe little endless jobs whichf plague the head janitor. There is no' rest for the First Lieutenant: something always comes up.. His department is not composed of flashy colorful gunners, grimy engineers, tanned signalmen or aloof radar men. Instead his myrmidons must go along with the menial, tryingtask so es- sential to keep an organization at its material peak. - . When the ship comes into port, its sides sparkling with freshipaint, its -bright work agleam, you can rest- assuredfthat the First Lieutenant has spent a harrowing week plagueing the