Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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-X Q ? fx 1' ,X t ts-.L 'i Q 'QQ , ygji K - . ' ff--nur . JM 1 , v-V '41 , I . . ff ' ., ..--2 I , f 5 ,, K XE THE PPLY hoving one of the few complete clegning plgnt: ir. ct ship of its kind. Even with oll of the free services, pdrt of The money thot goes into Ships Store comes bgck to the crew in the Ships Store Profits Fund. Over o thou sond dollors of profits monthly hove gone into beer for recregtion pdrties on the Pocificfs legendgry otolls, g couple of super-shindigs ot Bremerton, condy ond cigorettes for our Mfgrine londing force in fgporn, othletic geor, ond mgny other things. About twice g month everybody notices more jingling thon rustling in his wgllet, ond remembers the Pgy Office, This office hos slipped money out of the tctxpgyers pockets for supplies ond pgy to the tune of over seven million dollors since the ship wgs commissioned, hgnding out two million dollgrs in pgy glone while the Lex wgs Stgteside in l945. To keep the crew hoppy, the pdy office sgfe contoins enough bills to be spregd edge to edge into o cgrpet 0000 feet sguore, ond the office uses enough odding mcrchine tgpe to tie up the Lex gs g gift pgckgge. But if you wont to know whot the Ess- KgyDees gre reglly trgined in, just gsk why youfve got ten dollgrs less on the books this poly doy thon lost, ond wcttch them spin red tope like g spider mgkes o web. But they hope youll olso remember thot the Lex wos one of the edrliest ships to let the crew drgw pgy by check ond one of the few thot stuck to poydgys twice g month throughout the wgr. Keep 'em flying, is the specigl duty of the Avig- S-3 Division 'N e Ct KW

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has been able to sell such wartime rareties as wrist watches, alarm clocks, fountain pens and cigarette lighters. The canteen storekeeper can tell you that the Lex men ought to be clean, lor in a month he has sold tour bars ot soap for every man aboard. ln December of '44 the Ships Store absorbed Ships Service, so that laundry, tailoring and shoe repair could be done tree ol charge. The biggest attraction in the enlarged Ships' Store is the loun- tain, for candy, cokes, cigarettes and ice cream. ln one month the Lex men stowed away thirty bars ot candy per man, and Ships Store made a gallon and a halt of gedunks for every man. Everybody tries to make lriends with the barbers, for their specialty is making a man look like either a salt or a boot. Some of them even know how to give a haircut, and they've all been up late nights lowering ears tor Captains inspection. The laundrymen specialize in delicate shades ot grey. All they have to do is try to get stacks ol clothes clean in salt water, using equipment that loves to break down, working in a tepid compart- ment, and then keep all the clothing straight by divisions. The tailor shop has done an amazing job of keep- ing everyone satisfied, even with the tlood ot post- war Alnavs. And the Lex is especially proud oi S-2 Division ,,, f was 4, xi S . y , A-ppb-..,44 .. 'Q' in ,,....4 . ..., M4 wg ggi

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ll DEPARTME T tion Supply storekeepers, who procure, Store gnd issue thousands ot parts necessary lor the constantly changina models ot ships aircralti Wlsogisticsf' they call their job, but what the EssKayVees have tg know the best is what some Airdale wants when he asks lor 'la gidget like this that tits on a gadget thgi goes in the planes wing assembly. ln gdditign they have all the paper-work worries and the same scrapeeandepaint blues as their brothers in GSK. Aviation supply became so important in this war that a special petty otlicer rating was established, just to try to keep up with the changing instructions. And theres no job like moving a two-ton engine about when the ship is in motion, or like storing and handling delicate parts so that they will weather the typhoon season undamaged. The S-2 Division men have the great task ot keep- ing the otticers ot the ship happy. lt's up to them to prepare and serve the otticers' meals, and to keep the wardroom clean and in order. They are sup- posed to tigure out what an otticer means when he asks tor a steak thats well done, but a little on the rare side. They care tor the otticers' staterooms and are expected to be able to make up a bunk and change the sheets without waking the otticer. Holi- days attord no letup in their work. ln battle they help man the guns. Even for their privilege ot eat- ing wardroom chow, and lots ol it, few ot the boys trorri other divisions would want their job. --ly'-1 I 8 --an f' ,