Buchanan (DDG 14) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 80 text:

ETN2 Nepper ponders the problem of a bulky trans- mitter. OE Divi ion The Seaman should know a basic receiver. ETN2 Smeltzer checks the work of SN Shumate. ETR2 Stoysich demonstrates the use of a shorting probe. The man with the repeater problems 76 ETR2 Holden. ETN2 Crammer helps a radioman' with his gear.

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Back row left to right. D. Williams, D. Stoysich, T. Crammer, Front row left to right. M. Lytle, J. Champion, J. Shumate, W. Holden, R. McKonly, J. Nepper, W. Evans. S. Smeltzer, R. Duliban OE ivision LTJ G Wheeler This cruise there are thirteen men responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of more than six hundred pieces of equipment. Some of which are so large and complex that they fill whole spaces by themselves. Often men had to work around the clock to get a vitally needed piece of equip- ment operating. With the large amount of equipment and the small amount of men there can be very little specialization. There are three main groups that the division falls into, they are radar, communications and electronic countermeasures. The radar group maintains two radars and their associated equip- ment. This consist of an air search radar that shows aircraft as far as three hundred miles and a surface search radar that shows land, ships, and low flying planes to one hundred. The IFF equipment, identif- ication friend or foe, is- also main- tained by the radar group. This is used to identify friendly planes and ships. The radar repeaters in 'CIC and oh 'the bridge are also maintained by the radar band. They translate the electronic information from the radars to a visual presentation for the radarmen to use. The communication group are kept extremely busy in WESTPAC. Many pieces of equipment must be kept operating twenty-four ,hours a day to keep in touch with other ships, shore installations, and aircraft. Long range, high power receivers ahd transmitters are used to keep us informed of news from all over the world. Many low powered receiver transmitters and transceivers are being used all of the time to keep in con- tact with 'our task group, controlling aircraft, and talking to spotters for naval gunfire support. TACAN is also maintained by the communication gang. Also tactical air navigation is used by airplanes to help them in determining their location. Electronic counter measures equip- ment 'is maintained by both ET's and RD,s. It is used to locate enemy ships and missiles and renders the ship less vulnerable to attack.

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C Di i ion Kneeling left to right. J. Wales, T. Yelverton, T. Boyd, R. May, C. Macnaron. Naval communications, the primary job of OC Division, has been referred to as the voice of the command.WThe mission of naval communications is to provide and maintain reliable, secure, and rapid communi- cations, based on war time requirements. OC Division operates and maintains all communications systems aboard BUCHANAN including fleet multi-channel broadcast, ship-shore systems, tactical voice and visual ,shipfship communications. Also included in the jobs of they signal and radio men is the clerical phase of communi- LTJG Gardner Back row left to right. E. Kuzma, J. Aguilar, E. Sproat, W. Appleyard, D. Haughey, T. Fennell, C. Steel, T. Sisk, J. Dougherty cations' which encompasses the jobs of correction, repro- duction, routing, and filing of all message traffic sent and received by the ship. OC Division is responsible for providing reliable com- munications for virtually every task performed by the ship. Top performance is required at all times and in all circumstances, for transmission and receipt of vital, inci- dental, and personnal information. The self-exacting jobs done by the radio and signal gangs are an indispensable part of the ship's operations.