Missouri (BB 63) - Naval Cruise Book

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Weapons FCCM Boelema, LT Carman and the XO discuss the on- going gunnery exercise. GMGC LaForty and LT McDermott talk about Turret 3 ' s results during the final gunnery exercise of the cruise. LT Watt waits in Sky- I for the target shoot to begin. GMGC Evans teaches GMG2 James procedures for loading powder in the magazine as GMGSN Brown looks on. CDR David Carlson Weapons LCDR Richard Campbell Assistant Weapons LCDR Ronald Routh Missiles LT Alan Carman Gunnery LT David Foster Administrative Assistant LT Roger Higgins Fire Control LT Kirk Thomas F Division LT Michael McDermott Turret 3 LT Charles P. O ' Toole Secondary Battery LT Julius Pry or Turret 2 LT Jack D. Watt Ordnance Gunnery ENS Don Tunnissen F3 Division ENS Troy Mellon GM Division

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The Weapons Department maintains and operates the delivery system which is the very reason for MISSOURI ' S re- call to active duty after nearly thirty years of retirement. With a wealth of assets ranging from the modern multi- faceted Tomahawk Weapons Systems, capable of striking hundreds of miles away, to the fabled 16 50 guns, which represent the culmination of a century of evolution of the breech loading, large caliber naval guns, MISSOURI ' S Weap- ons Department can and will deliver. With twelve Officers and 270 enlisted men, the Weapons Department is the same size as the crew of a modern frig- ate. This concentration of manpower and talent is vital to keeping the various weapons systems operating. Literally thousands of manhours per week are required to perform the required Weapons Department planned and corrective maintenance. At general quarters, as many as seventy or more men are required to man a sin- gle turret. Much support is required from other departments, primarily Deck, to accomplish this. The Weapons Department is a blend of old and new. The gunnery fire con- trol systems are examples of the earliest radar cont rolled fire control systems ever developed. The basic design of the 16 50 gun and its associated turret was essentially developed at the end of World War I. Yet, they retain much usefulness in today ' s world, especially in their ability to deliver a large and accurate volume of sustained fire against both land and sea targets. The 5 38 dual purpose guns of the secon- dary battery were invented during the 1930 ' s to counter the growing threat posed by both naval and land-based air power. Even in today ' s world of cruise missiles, the secondary battery can do much to defend the ship against the air and surface threat. The modern radar aimed automatic gunnery of the Close in Weapons Sys- tem well represents the new. Replacing the numerous 40mm and 20mm anti- aircraft guns of an earlier age, just four CIWS installations do a much more ef- fective job with a mere fraction of the firepower. The capability of Tomahawk and Harpoon make MISSOURI a feared op- ponent. She has the ability to strike against targets at sea or on land at great distances. The Weapons Department of USS MISSOURI is prepared to deliver more conventional weapons to their appoint- ed targets at any one time than any other warship in the world.

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FCC Moose can still sling a mean paint brush. LCDR Routh has a friend in Perth. GMGC Kestenbaum points out target re- sults to BM3 Starks at .45 qualification test at Seal Beach. FCCM Mervin Clark FCCM Gary Boelema FCCM John Capazzi FCCS Kenneth Haley FCCS Samuel Henley FCCS Calvin Magee GMGCS Harrv Spencer GMGC Michael Berry GMGC Frederick Crandall FCC Richard Criswell GMGC Wayne Evans FCC Carlton Ewbank GMGC Donald Guattari FCC Gary Kemerling GMGC William Kestenbaum GMGC Charles LaForty FCC Bobbv Miller FCC Robert Moose GMGC Robert Moran GMGC Edward Pease GMGC John R. Riley Jr. GMGC Rafael Rodriguez GMGC James Tonahill GMGC Dewaine Varnell