Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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now and then. lt is a tough iob which requires great skill and accuracy. Often they receive code messages at twenty-five to thirty words per minute and our press man copies at more than forty-five words per minute Our radio men have copied messages without a single mistake while ships guns were repelling enemy attacks, and even when the ship was hit by a suicide plane and the radio shack filled with smoke. When the torpedo struck on 5 December l943 Radioman Banks was thrown from his seat. I-le calmly stood up and continued typing his message without missing a single character. Messages which have marked the highlights oi the Pacific War have been copied in the l.ex's radio room. During the second Battle of the Philips pine Sea, when our early morning search had finally contacted the fapanese Fleet, the Radiomen recorded the famous message, Carrier burning. lt was confirmation that the attack was on and the cue for Admiral Mitscher to launch a full-scale at- tack. The drama in the radio shack is the same as the drama of a big league baseball game watched from a box seat. Our communications yeomen who handle moun- tains ot paper each day in the Comm. Office, the Captains Office, and the Execs Office deserve loud praise for the magnificent job they have done to keep the flood of administration details in accurate files. They make order out of what seems limitless chaos. They work until the early hours of the morn- ing on personnel and operational details and when General Ouarters sounds they man the dune Oni yeomen have struggled, and been killed side cf side with the aunners. Then, when secure trf CLO. sounded, they went below to catch uri on :lf work which was interrupted by the incoming attack Their work has been a splendid example of skill intelligence and infinite courage Our yeomen sgtana high on the list for acts of individual heroism ana sacrifice. The Communications Department boasts cf two other, smaller branches which have made their influence felt more strongly than any other groups The Mailmen, who work like ants around their stacked bundles of mail and somehow straighten the mass of letters and packages out, and the printers who in addition to their regular chores print the newspaper, the Sunrise Press, menus and sous venir bulletins. They have helped make the long months away from home seem more bearable With out them wed be a pretty unhappy lot of sailors, We pay special tribute to our deceased comrades, Lieutenant Commander Lane D. Coss, our boss, was killed in action when the Kamikaze crashed into the signal bridge. With him a number of our closest friends perished. We revere their memory and are proud to have been close to such grand people, A vital link in the life of our carrier, Communica- tions has fulfilled its duties with efficiency and hero- ism. When the deeds of the Lex are summedvup, a notable contribution will be credited to the com- municators. K-3 Division 0'l.Qf I 5 3 fl il -