Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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x4uuu..f.., 4... .. ... .X ...- COMMUNICATIONS DEPART The mental pictures of a sun-browned signalman perched aloft signaling with red and white sema- phore flags, a harried radioman tapping out a high- priority message in Morse code as he fortifies him- self with strong Navy coffee, and a speedy yeoman typing an Operating Plan classified Top Secret are trite but they tell in graphic terms the story of Naval Communications. They don't tell the whole story: the hot, rainy nights spent on the signal bridge when life becomes a sticky, sweating ordeal, or the endless hours copying code in the Radio Shack while your eyelids seem like lead weights and you wish you had time to crawl into a corner and die, or the furious, all-night sessions in the office with the mimeograph clattering a steady 'xtime for bed, time for bed and all the typewriters beating their brains out while the yeoman striker sticks his head up from a mountain of papers and says a quick silent prayer before the First Class yells, Stop dreamin' and get to work. The whole story is still untold because between the extremes there is a whole pattern of dramatic and drab living, fun and work, all mixed together to make up the life of the communicator. The books define Communications as an aid to command. Putting the definition into practice means that communicators must provide a way ot talking to other ships and shore stations, keep a record of these conversations, handle mail and see that the word gets around to the people con- cerned. A large variety of complicated equipment is used to accomplish this purpose. For talking tc nearby ships and stations we use flashing light, semaphore, flag hoists, and a very high frequency radio. To send messages to distant places high- power transmitters are used which have antenna towers over fifty feet high. intricate and highly secret pieces of equipment are used to decipher the codes in which messages are sent. Two vast offices, the Captains Office and the Executive Officers Office, handle all ships correspondence and per- sonnel. ln short, communications provides not only the link with the outside world, but is necessary to the proper functioning of administration on board. Without it Command could not operate on a large scale. A group of highly trained, quick-thinking officers and men must apply its principles with dexterity and skill or else the complicated mech- anism will collapse. The Communications Department of the Lexing- ton has won an enviable reputation. Carrying the burden of communications for large tactical organi- - K-1 Division 'F' ZAW4 M 70KYi. . 1 ..Y '

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Y l DEP RT E ,-xl vi men who have played with the best, some day will play with, and perhaps will be, the tops-symphony men, theater men, dance men, col- lege men, men who have learned trades such gg building locomotives, machinists, teachers, lawyers, grocers, and business managers. We, too, stood practically all the watches on the bridge. For a long time it seemed that in order to make lvlus2c we must know the r.p.m. table back- ward and forward, be qualified helmsmen, be able to plot accurately bogies and surface gadgets, and be able to pick up pips on the radar scope be-fgre C.l,C. or the operator spotted them. Since the end of the war, when we were relieved by the gunnery department, we have been able to devote all our time to rehearsing, and to playing for the crew and the officers. To those who have been our shipmates we wish to say, lt's been swell knowing you, and sailing with you. We've done our share of griping, but all in all weve enjoyed our association with the Lex and the men of the Lex. We only hope that our efforts have helped to make your stay aboard a little brighter and a little more pleasant than it would have been otherwise. If we've done that, then our efforts have been rewarded. We've en- ioyed playing for you and working with you all. men who x 9 . me w

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Il'-' up C 3 Q. zations, including Task Force 58 when Vice-Admiral lvfitscher was aboard, the reputation for dependa- bility and enterprise of the Lex's Communications Organization has consistently been of the highest Under the excellent leadership of Commander K, O. Ekelund, Lieutenant Commander Ellis Schiller, Lieu- tenant Commander L. D. Coss and Lieutenant Com- mander Cf. F, Carney, the Lexs roster of Communi- cation Cfficers, the department functioned as a single team. The signalmen work close to the bridge and under the eagle eye of the Captain and Gfficer of the Deck. They keep a constant lookout for signaling vessels and with instant accuracy report flag hoists to conn. Tactical signals are transmitted largely by flags and the speed and accuracy of interpretation by the signalmen determines the smartness with which the ship maneuvers. Our signal gang has won high praise from all of the Lex's Captains. They man the flag bags, signal lights and other signal apparatus in all weathers for 24 hours in every day--a tough Job which has been consistently well done. The Radio gang works around the clock keeping guard on important radio circuits, checking trans- mitters for proper frequencies, drinking at least ten gallons of coffee each day, and sacking out every 2 Dxvxsxon K. 3' . 4-f 1, J .f:r ' ' -.1 ft' x Q L .f Y' K .T-' ' V ' ri' 'T 1 yd ' X Qui, ,-'lv-H' R f s- ,xiii ,W :Qin F ., is Q , i , W. . K. :bg if . '5- :-ff if 4 if' ms, 3 ,as