Robert H McCard (DD 822) - Naval Cruise Book

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ATI NS The Operations Department headed by Lt. XYilliain Hess, can truthfully be called the nerve center of the McCard. The Operators main job is underway watch standing during which they are essential to the tactical operation of the ship. IVhen things happen fast the men of the Operations Department must be highly trained, alert, and cool under pressure-and they are responsible for the use and care of more than a million dollars worth of highly complicated electronic equipment. On our Med cruise the Combat Informa- tion Center was probably the busiest space on the ship. Besides the CIC IfVatch Officer, the XVatch Supervisor, and the radarmen and yeo- men there was a Staff WVatch Officer who had to be assisted by the McCard's CIC personnel. All hands in CIC had to be alert to listen for messages on Eve voice radio circuits as well as supplying tactical and radar information to the OOD. DuIl'y, Gower, and Peters did a hne job in breaking in all the new strikers and very shortly each watch section was a team which could handle even the most complicated situa- tion in a topnotch manner. N, : O Division g mcfwaf 5 'i 'l- if-W 1 AW F 'ffl f figs, , i K 1 ' 2 Q An ideal Radarman 99 Course. Speed,

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The E Gang with Pastva as The Man an eye on all electrical motors lighting and interior communications also it s men from the E Gang who run the nightly movie The R Gang, working under Piggott is the Ship litters and Damage Controlmcn who do everything from spot welding to boat repairing One of the biggest jobs for Pigott known lo cally as The Pride of Quincy Mass -is re- patrmg various pieces of gear after a tender has fixed them. One of the features of the Engineering De- partment is its training program. During a man s fireman stage of training he is rotated to each of the spaces for an indoctrination period so that he may learn a little about each job before he is allowed to strike for a specific rating. The reason behind this is that before switches are thrown valves are operated, or pipe connec- tions broken a man must have a complete knowledge of the effects of his actions. A mis- take on his part can very easily injure personnel or destroy valuable equipment and effect the ship's maneuverability. Among their distinctions the Engineers are proud of having two of the ship's remaining Plank Owners in their number. Lonnie XV. Phillips, BTI and John E. Ylfagner, MMI hrst came aboard as fireman apprentices when the McCard was commissioned in 1946. When underway with two boilers on the line the Engineering Department stands one watch in three. It's hard, hot work with very few people topside knowing much about what's going on in the Spaces below. But whether you call them Snipes, the Black Gang, or Bilge Rats you can't help but admire the AFX GO rtb . .A-Eff' Snipe if After Engine Room spirit and the work of the Engineers of the 1-A McCard. 3 Q I Q , N 'T 4 f' A , .,... ' - I i '!'h if H ':f 1 if SrE ErE:5:3:i:E11111 rlfirfifiifffiilffilffii if f : '2 LL, -I Looking for the lost load!

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TWO Block C Division ss. if Q fx The Electronics Technicians are responsible 5 for the repair of all electronics equipment. is a tremendously complicated- and very diiculti job. It's so complicated and difficult that no one else has the slightest idea what they' re doing. Radio Central functions as the ears of the McCard with the operators copying broad- casts in plain language and code and routing the dispatches to all officers concerned. From the first day the cruise started the Radio Shack was almost snowed under with traffic for both the ship and the Flag and every operator who could copy the Navy Fox broadcasts was listening in on one of the circuits. Up on the Bridge the Quartermasters keep a sharp watch out for light and Hag signals. The signalmen keep a sharp eye on every ship in the formation and must be alert to hoist or blinker an answer. iveaver, Oglesbee, and Barnes are responsible for training their sections as well as maintaining the charts on which the Navigator and Chief Dunderdale fix the ship's position at all times. The Sonarmen of the McCard are the ship's underwater eyes and without them the ship would be useless. They can pick up a submerged submarine a mile away and direct the ship on a depth charge run over the contact. The Ping jockiesn must also be able to tell the difference between a submarine and a school of fish or a whale which return just about the same sort of sonar echo. The words Navy and paperwork are synonymous to at least one group on the ship -our yeomen and pelsonnelmen in the Ship's Oliice. At any hour of the day or night they can be seen typing forms and letters, filing instruc- tions. or answering questions on anything from schools to leave chits. No one can understand just how seven people manage to work in one tiny office but with Patton cracking the whip they're able to keep everything running smooth- ly. -A .