Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

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planksg they also raise the three barriers athwartship half way up the flight deck. The fireffighting crew is on the job, one man dons an asbestos suit should it be necessary to rescueapilotfrom a burning plane. The planes are now breaking formation and approach the ship in thc landing circle. The Yokel Sounds and the white flag appears on the bridge. The first plane nears the stern of the ship, responding to the L.S.0.'s red paddles as if by remote control. It is in the groove and just above the ramp, the L.S.O. gives the cut, and the plane makes a three point landing on the deck as the tail hook catches a wire. Im, mediately an arresting gear man in green helmet springs up from the catwalk and dashes out to the plane which, after a short roll, is jerked to a stop. The man in green releases the hook, and the plane taxies forward past the barriers, which are depressed for his passage, and creeps ahead to be spotted near the bow. Seconds later the second plane hits the deck and follows the Hrstg then the third, and so on until the last plane has landed. The iivefman firefighting crew is conspicuous in red helmets. It is to their credit that the fireffighting equipment has never failed in the many fires that the BELLEAU WOUD has ex' perienced on her flight deck. The plane directors are the quarterbacks of the flight deck team. It is their cool judgment in directing the pilots during taxiing operations that prevents serious damage to the planes or injury to personnel on a crowded flight deck. Many times they are subjected to a personal risk when it is necessary to stand within reach of a deadly whirling prop and at the same time strain to brace their feet against the slip stream from planes forward. They direct planes through tight spots and past stationary aircraft or other gear with only inches to spare. They are also responsible for'the operation of the tractors, Kerry Krane, airplane crane, and other moving equipment O11 the flight deck. They supervise the cleaning and maintenance of the flight deck and adjacent spaces. The plane handlers are the line of the flight deck team. Wings have to be spread and folded, chocks must be pulled, planes often have to be moved manually-pushed, pulled, lifted -these are the jobs of the plane handlers. Between flight Op' erations they scrub the deck, chip and paint catwalks and other metal surfaces, and in general perform the manual labor nec' cessary for the proper maintenance of the flight deck. After each day's final landing they lash down the planes, securing them for the night with lines or cables to the flight deck Hfingerplatesf' The flight deck team would not be complete without the few men who man the phones and assist the L.S.O. They are the communications of flight operations. One is on the bridge near the Air Officer, another at the base of the island structure, Spotting forward CMI Hoolqman releases the tail lzoolq Hellcat spreads its wings 124

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-n - DIVISIU The plane directors and the plane handlers working together follow the same procedure with each of the other planes until as many as possible are strung out behind the first one in single file with wings spread, ready for the takeoff. The planes have been brought forward and the first two stand ready on the catapults. The bridles and tail retainers are hooked on the planes by the catapult crews. The ship is now heading into the wind. The Yokel sounds, and the white flag replaces the red one at Fly Control, giving the signal to start launching. The catapult ofhcer raises his arm, hesitates briefly as the plane revs upn then suddenly throws his arm forward. A second later the plane on the starboard catapult is shot off into space. The same procedure is repeated for the plane on the port catapult, and in quick succession other planes take their places on the slingshots and follow suit until all are on their way for a strike or patrol. The BELLEAU XVOOD launches most of her planes by cataf pult. Only occasionally does she deck run them. For such a launch the planes move out of their parked positions one at a time and unfold their wingsg but instead of taxiing up to the catapult, the pilot awaits the uplifted arm signal to Hrev up from the flight deck officer standing nearby. If the engine sounds OK. and he is ready to take off, the pilot cuts his hand across his neck, the flight deck officer sweeps his uplifted arm forward, and the roaring plane starts slowly forward and gradually gathers speed. After a 45Offoot run it slides into space over the leading edge of the flight deck. Qccasionally a plane sags low out over the water in its struggle for flying speed. However, usually they climb steadily and slowly and roar out toward the rendezvous. Hours later the planes return from their mission. Any air' craft remaining on the flight deck are put below or are spotted forward while the after end of the flight deck is made ready for landing operations. The ship again turns into the wind, the planes buzz the ship, and the command comes over the bull horn, Stand by to land a already at their stations along the after catwalks, raise the wires which stretch across the flight deck four inches above the ircraftf' The arresting gear crew, Plane directors spot fighters on the catapults Plane handlers brace against the Hellcats propwasli On the markftail retainer is adjusted A'Let 'er go! 123

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a third aft in the Si.ll'lWtl.ll'Ll catwalk, while two otlir-rg UC ncxt ' go the L.S.O. platform. We :irc one of tht- two largcst divisions on the ship VD being the only division with more incn than Vf1,A. ' lv. X - -1 s . ...ws i A .5 , f ., sk. ,ALJ ' K in 5 0 A , ,W--.s T l' Q' . I-2 , . I .5 5 ,Q iy A 8 K 'l F . , ,ll XY Kg i X ' f if 4 X ' l i E V ' I mf is f f .f Z' Z Tl: 4, 2-1. Q Q 1. -Qi ' f 5 T i- . av ii, ' ' time TOP ROW: I6t.grriilEMf3iMIji'P1'ickett, Lt. P. F. Greenberg, Lt. J. A. Harper, Lt, BOTTOM ROW: Lt. J. O. Birr, Lt. D. Kolb, Lt. W. F. Wujcik. The following members of the Division were detached before the group picture was taken. When these members were aboard there was a single V-l Divisiong V-1-A and V-1-B had not been separated. For this reason the list of men is divided alphabetically between V-1-A and V-1-B. OFFICERS: Ens. R. VV. Alexander, Lt. figl V. M. Burkman, Lt. ljgl W. A. Byerley, L. ljgl F. R. Childs, Lt. tjgl D. A. Innis, Lt. B. C. Kinney, Cmdr. R. F. Mahchek, Lt. G. F. Markham, Lt. F. J. Miller, Lt. G. P. Svendsen. MEN: Avery W. Abram, Calvin E. Adams, Clyde F. Adams, Berthold J. Ah- Mann, Cecil E. Alexander, Philip S. Anderson, Carl F. Anglin, Joseph D. An- tonelli, Carmine Antoniello, Eugene Arthur Ash, Joseph Austie, Frank S. Ayers. Billy M. Babin, Michael Bader, Roy Bailey, Robert B. Baker, Wilson A. Baker, Stanley S. Barcichouski, Paul R. Barker, Robert L. Barnes, Michael J. Barrows, Richard F. Bates, Harold W. Baugher, Oscar J. Beauregard, James N. Beck, Harold S. Berg, William F. Bcvin, Louis H. Biondine, Albert A. Biron, Lilliard Bishop, Grant V. Bjerke, Willie D. Blair, Alonzo J. Boulanger, Jr., Robert F. Bourque, Eugene W. Boyer. Ebbie O. Badham, Darwin W. Brainard, Elmer C. Brake, Richard Gordon Bremmer, Ernest E. Brakeman, Charles V. Breslin. Theodore A. Bryan, Louie Bucco, Preston L. Bunch, Benjamin F. Butler, Sam- uel Cardone, Albert E. Cartwright, Joseph E. Castro, James Earl Carr, Anthony J. Cetrone, Arthur E. Chapman, Robert B. Childs, Boyce H. Chunn, Paul W. Ch l J hn R. Coakle , Ralph E. Coffin, Charles L. Goggins, Gordon G. Cooke. u ow, o y Jr., Joseph P. Cropin, Frank E. Crecden, Joseph P. Curtis, John H. Dahms, Peter P. Damato, John VV. Davie. Cecil F. Davis, Walter F. Derrah, William W. ' l d C J. Evans. Douglas, Joseph William Duflield, III, James F. Edwards, Gay or . Bob F. Feryruson, William R. Fields, Anaclito G. Fernandez, Joseph T. Fournier, Joseph R. Franko, Thomas B. Finucane, Isadore C. Flaherty, Joseph T. Forman. Bill T. Foster, Raymond B. Franklin, Gerald B. Frost. Roland S. Gagne, Richard H. Gause, Charles F. George, William L. Gerhardt, Robert L. Gnau, Philip Golino, Robert K. Gordy, Alexander S. Gorski, Henry Graham. Leo B. Grass, Edgar S. Graveline, William H. Green, Jr., Dale Kennedy Greenlaw, Thomas Grum- bllflg, Jr., Eugene A. Guzy. James E. Hamby, James W. Harrington, Edward W. Ha ' L th G. Hartmon, John F. Hayes, Jr., Merrall T. Hildreth. Roy F. ITIS, U QI' H.iT1k, Ray C. Hoeiier. Floyd W. Hoffman, Carl Hughes Holden, Leroy W. Holl, Timothy C. Holland, Peter Homiak, Lawrence N. Huff, Neil A. Hunt, Phillip D. Jernigan, Harold Jochem, Hamilton L. Johnson, Paul E. Jolhnson, Cllailrk P. ' J as Jones, John S. Kalmar, Bruno Kapinos, Eugene J. Karwacins 1, osep - DQR Jr., Charles A. Kedy, Michael Keegan, Roderick O. Kimball, Warren E. Kimball, Glennon E. King, Edward R. Koehl, John A. Kopera, Nicholas Kopsky, Louis M. Kral, Jerome M. Krim, William J. Kunz, Joseph J. Labodzinski. Fred J. Lackey, Lester D. LaFont, Laurier H. Lemay, William Lenhart. Jr., Francis J- Leon, John L. Leopard, Walter H. Lockard, Edward J. Loftus, Floyd K. Lysne, Walter H. MacLean, Richard W. Maddock, Walter J. Malone, Charles E. March Bernard S. MarcinKiewicz, Charles F. Marquis, George Marres, Kenneth E. Marsland, Henry C. Martensen, Francis B. Martin, Leon Rudolph Martin, Leopold P. Marszalski, James D. Mason, Marcus W. Maxwell, Rayburn H. May. tContinued with V-1-B Divisionl Bos'n Panter Co. hold field day Amos, Hansen, Walter- VflfA's work is not always on aircraft-replen' ishments are hauled over from the supply ship Arresting gear maintenance 125 1-u.