Menifee (APA 202) - Naval Cruise Book

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II I O DIVISION Gunner's mates, fire controlmen and the strikers for these rates comprise the O Division. They're the guys the civilian usually thinks of when he thinks of the Navy-aiming and 'firing l6 inch guns, or standing at the breech of a gun, stripped to the waist, bulging with muscles and throwing a huge shell into the gun. The civilian, of course, is pretty much wrong. Very few gunner's mates ever work on a l6 inch gun and seamen usually do the shell throwing. The Menifee, even though she doesn't carry 16 inchers, still demands considerable skill from her ll O Division men. These men are responsible for the maintenance, repair and operation of all ordnance and fire control equipment, the stowage of all ammunition and the upkeep of all ready service rooms and magazines. Guns under O Division's eye include the Navy's ever-present 20 millimeter, the beautifully accurate quadruple and dual-mounted 40 mm, the versatile dual-purpose Csurface and anti-aircraftl 5 inch, landing craft 30's and 50's, and small arms. Then they have those fantastic, brain-like mechanisms, the gun direc- tors and the range finder. Rnd, of course, ammunition in quantity and variety amazing to the casual duck hunter. McCoy is the CGM CChief Gunner's Mate? but he has his hands full of the Chief Master at Hrrns duties, leaving George Costa, GMlc, in charge. Costa is a regular Navy man from Fall River, Mass., who put 23 months on the PC492 and 4 months on the Lafayette before coming aboard the Menifee. He's known about the ship as a rugged man on the Hcey-Deucey board and a chow hound of the first water. Vernon Musser, GM3c, comes from Doylestown, Ohio, and has sweated out 2 years with Uncle Sam. Musser handles his twin 40 with the skill of a Chink using chopsticks and has charge of the forward magazines. Earl Minson, GM3c, is another regular, hailing from Coffeyville, Kansas, plenty proud of it and wear- ing cowboy boots to prove it. He's machine gun doctor for the boat group and a 40 mm man in addition. Raymond Padoleski, GM3c, hopes to be on his way back to Medina, New York, soon. Meanwhile, Patty has a 40 mm to play with, while he keeps check on the aft magazine, for which he is responsible. G. S. Hamilton, FCOSC, is a Crocker, Missouri, farmer and plenty eager to get back to plowing the land instead of the sea. Ham has been a father several times. Maybe that's what has given him that delicate touch with the precision-jeweled fire control mechanism in- his care. R. M. Pandolfi, l:'CO3c, calls Chi home and no one can tell there's any place better. Pandolfi also plays with the intricate fire control equipment. The boys claim he could use a personal chaplain on a full-time basis. Monte Shuff, GM3c, says this sunshine is a welcome change from the coal country of Iohnstown, Pa. Monte nurses a flock of 20 mm's and, from here, looks like a 20-year Navy man. He may be just fooling, though. T. R. Harris, Slc, handles a 40 mm but is currently sweating out his messcook duty and absorbing chow in an effort to gain some meat. Harris is an ex-V-12 man. Take me back to Texas Trager, S2c, is the old man of the division. Houston is the place he wants to be taken back to. Pls for being the old man of the division, Trager says, I-lge don't mean a thing. H. F. Hall, Slc, is from Weymore, Nebraska, and that's where he wants to be. No ocean in the middle of the good old U.S.Q. The 5 inch is Ha1l's baby. Big gun, little boy. 54