Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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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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'. - . J. . k i -, L, C, E -1, R, J, R f' -h, R. C. I fl 1. O. E. Bruno -n, J. O. Vkfilson, R. HV. Gentry, I.. Smith, P. E.Lagerstedt, TOP ROW' iii iii.lciici1i.ssc0ck, fi.lJ.Mi11e.-,o.il.L5.ParriS0nfdAiE. Regan, .1.i1.E11is, D. ww-sl 15. R. Hay.-k, M. sclark, F.J.s.-ma, K.R. Bolen, J. E. Carr. L. F. Holden. - 1 ' . . M : .l , G. R ', M. R. K kj l' ll. H. VV. Sh - 'ill, K. W. Sult, I-I. Kaplan, M. D. Stanton. J. D. Stephany, J. W. Don- THIRD Rowaldgdhigiiibiifsffiitxli. Hfislciiywatsorifxg. E. Lee, JLiyL.UCi'dw, E. R. Kodlil, W. C. Parks, C. I.. Tyler. J. E. Bc.-acom, H. A.I-lansen, D. D. Stem- bach. SECOND ROW: K. J. T ' 'k, R. W. Wh'tt' g'h'll, R. H. Cole, J. E. Ochsenhirt. J. A. Flack, .l. E. Hamliy. VV.tH. Lockhard, C. E. Bloir, R. Zettler, R. J. SDe?1setim'TI.vA. Murphy, Lip. R.lStevens, Gun. R. L. Garrison, Mach. K. R. Rickard. A. E. Curtis, E. L. barter, F. A. Jowers, .G. L. Munstedt, P. Golino, L. M.Kral, A. G. Fernandez, B. Mamuzich, O. D. Burns, E. H. Tommo. BOTTOM ROW: H. A. Murphy, H. A. Sheely, W. M. Eckhart, D. Boone, R. H. Hissam, O. A. Culp, J. M. Egan, A. F. Giorla, R. C. Wendzicki, L. R. Gauvin, R. P. Bryant, T. R. Craig, J. Cummings, J. D. Ramey, F. E. DeDonato. J. E. Stillman, H. G. Johnson. R. L. Dixon, W. G. Allen, O. E. McNally, E. Norris. A strike is due to go off just before dawn. Reveille for the Air Department will sound in a quarter of an hour, but already there is activity on the flight deck. Lookouts and gun watches on duty see men hauling big bluntfnosed objects from the elevator back to the planes spotted aft. They smell highfoctane gasoline and hear the swishing of thepumps which bring it up from below. It is the beginning of a long day, and it will be late in the evening before these men hit the rack again. Bombs of all sizes are loaded on the planes, and rockets are slung under the wings. Both are checked and ref checked to be sure that there are no duds. The first strike goes off-then a patrol. There's a few minutes' rest before' loading the next group of planes. Another flight goes off and the first returns. More rockets, more bombs, more fuel. The bombs and rockets have to be hauled up from below and rigged and loaded for the next hop. It is already noon, hardly time for chow, for there's more ammunition for the guns. They decide to use bigger bombs on the next hop, since there is an enemy ship in the harbor. Unload those on the planes and bring Gassing operations com' Baird up the big ones. Bomb drill! The gasoline gang are busy all this time fueling planes on the flight and hangar deck. After the Hrst flight leaves, duds are brought below, the second group of plaI16SiS fueled, and the pumps are reversed to defgas those re' maining on the hangar deck. An enemy hit would be dis' astrous if fuel were left in those planes. Far below the flight deck the pump men work steadily to keep things going. Fueling is complete for a short while until the first flight returns. The planes return and land, refueling begins again, and as it is completed, degassing follows OH those planes sent to the hangar deck for checks and re' pair. In the pump room below it seems like a continuOUS operation. J Thus the days go by and the two sections of the serv' icing division work along with the rest of ship'S COIUPHHY carrying out their highly important job of loading and fueling the real guns of the modern Carrier Task Force. Navy fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes, in order YO deliver death blows to the enemy, require skilled, hard' working men to handle their bombs, rockets, torpedo6S, I e ammo requires hours' Ordnance Officer CPLCCSS 'mence as a launch zmpends loading for seconds' shooting thc B,XV.'s Calling Car S