Benner (DD 807) - Naval Cruise Book

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Q Sonarmen: Hamilton, Thomas, Cregger, David, Raney, Murphy, Steffy. Missed: Albrecht. The Sonarman, QPINGUS DETECTUSD is a rare breed of detective. I-le is sometimes referred to as the festoon fetusi' of the ship. His job is to detect and identify all underwater objects that come within his grasp, Along with the natural characteristics of his rate, Cover-developed ears and the tendency to jump at any unusual soundj, the first and most startling thing you notice about him are his eyes, blood-shot at their best, they tend to enlarge and contract with an almost hypnotic rhythm that matches the sweep of his scope. After extended periods at sea you will notice the veteran Sonarman stumbling blindly around the main deck, consuming oxygen in great shuddering gasps, unable to see in the dazzling sunlight after weeks of hibernation and lack of fresh air in the depths of Sonar Control. He may tend to go off the deep end after making his way to the surface, but one good concentrated liberty usually re- stores him to a normal state. In more extreme cases where the environmental stress causes emotional instability, stronger methods are applied for the safety of the ship. But the Sonarman carries out his job throughout all the trade hazards, safe- guarding the ship no matter how sleepy he gets. BENNER's torpedo gang is small, consisting of The Sheriffn, alias Peanuts , and his trusty, Hot fy Skinny Wallis Their job consists of the mainte- 'V ,lyk i nance and operation of the ship's torpedoes and If V .Sim depth charges, as well as furnishing advice in Anti- If , ..- 7' 19 6 Submarine Warfare. Their weapons are not used 2 I, f' s, ' DJ.. often, since they are quite expensive to fire for practice, 1 4, ' and right now there is not anyone to fire them at for Nm' U51 real. But they keep in shape, occassionally practice I ogg torpedoes are fired, and grenades dropped for simula- J . Of- A ted depth charges. Usually works line, except for the ' f 0 , time when the ship swung into a sharp turn and ran M ' over a couple grenades. The ram-room was evacuated , Q in a hurry that day. No damage. f 1 i ' f r QR ' - J ' j ' uw stun., Mmm Torpedomen : Wallis and Grover

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FOX DIVISIO dl . The duty fox Fire Control Technicians: Connor, Wright, Judd, Domenigoni, Hotchkiss, Buchanan, Walker, Chief Hudson How do you identify a Fire Control Technician? He can usually be recognized by the sine Waves in his eyes, and the rivet marks on his back from the last time he was thrown against the bulkhead by 440 volts. His movements are nervous and jerky: after each shoot he shuffles to the Gunnery Office muttering, lt's a clog's world What is his job? Amid a maze of directors, radars, computers, and stable elements, he is responsible for aiming the guns in the general direction of the target. What is the phrase that strikes terror into his heart? The Gremlins are loose again V' This is the prelude to a period of sleepless nights, shattered nerves, and hours spent hiding from the Gun-boss. The FT's only reward is to occassionally see a sleeve come Huttering down, or the , , . target sled disappear from the scope as it sinks. POSIUVG leadefshlp Can't seem to get the operator .D Li... . lt's right over There :ff-'L f-', i A at M V F blk T nl in Aw. ,,., . --2' , r A 5, ,

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CDI DIVISIO ' ' M A radarman's rather limited view of the outside world. Radarmen: Front: Smith, Lindsey, Reimers, Jones, Strys, Earhart, 4 Lg, Beaudo, Schroeder, Kreps, Jones. Back: Kepley, McCoubrey, Courter, JK Reason, Heck, Mace, Johnson, Mitchell, Lentz. mv A4 F X401 R + A1 r X I uw c L Q L e,'a , 'I HAVE A soggy -' Must be Christmas cards Ballads by Silver King A radarman's job might seem simple to the uninfor d' all h me , e has to do is watch a little screen, reporting whenever something comes into view. But considerably more is involved. A t ' ' nennas high above the main decks are searching electronically over hundreds of square miles of ocean and cubic miles of k u S y. The results are converted electronically to the little screen. It is then the radarman's ' b t h ' jo o mat ematically calculate, compute, and report on those tiny blips that crawl slowly across his scope Relative and true motion course d ' i i S1399 , altitude and closest-point-of-approach must be determined. In the BENNER's many anti-air-warfare exercises the Bo e t h ' a I , g y-sna c ers have consistently shown their skill, utilizing their equipments to the very limits of their design, and often seem' l b 1 Q - mgy Gyond. Aircraft were picked up in quantitieS and ranges comparable with cruisers and larger ships with much more so hist' d ' D lcate equipment and far more personnel- The BENNER s box scores on bogies scratched is an 1m Q DFCSSWC feC0fd- tOf Course, thc tigurcs were bolstered now mid then by a few passenger liners, but at least CIC found them out there i H ' ' , Gnd We didnt actually shoot thcni ClOXYl1-5