Robert H McCard (DD 822) - Naval Cruise Book

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AA and ESS CUUKS To the tin-can sailor the mess deck is his dining room, gymnasium, library, television lounge, movie theatre and pay window. And since the mess deck is all these things, it's essen- tial that Chief Hardy's MAA's and mess cooks keep it clean and keep the mess line running as fast and as smoothly as possible. Nobody can deny that they do the job. And nobody can deny that down on the mess deck we're ankle deep in authentic charac- ters. The McCard has probably got the only singing mess line in De-sLant-when Louie Armstrong and his Steamtable Five strike up HFf3Hk'S Diner-Where the elite the first note the people up on deck know meet YO Cat-H that chow's on the firing line. Another fea- ture of Franks Diner is the way his men in white seem to know exactly where you want your potatoes, gravy and butter. The Exec. claims that this is because our well trained mess cooks can establish a psy- chological communication between themselves and the men they serve - maybe so. Besides running the mess deck it's the MAA's job to remind people who forget about uniform regulations. Everyone admires their shipmate spirit in this matter and appreciates the friendly manner in which they hand out extra duty to help us remember that white socks are not to be worn with undress blues. All hands on the McCard realize the importance of a clean mess deck and a sharp looking crew. YVe especially value the comment of the Commodore who was in charge of our last Administrative In- pection, the cleanest mess deck I've ever seen. It's the MAA's and hardworking mess cooks who keep it that way. W X3 3 - A Qwhf Q W TY 9.6 9 9 Q 1 ' 1 5 X f x 3 'I - I Q x , G Q ' x Qu Gt 9,3 4 s 6 ...- . 0 .X fl v f I --5 N-.I

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clothes of 300 men every week and, besides their regular work, they almost always find time to wash and press inspection blues or whites on Thursday night-a service that's always appreciated by the crew. Down in the forward engineers compartment we have Reggi's and Prisco's Napoli Barber shop. Besides giving a Hne haircut both of our barbers are master conversationalists and never tire of explaining to everyone why the McCard needs a fully equipped barber shop where they could cut hair in style. The first place everyone heads for after payday is the Ship's Store. There are limits as to what and how much a destroyer store can carry but anyone who's talked to men from another ship has to admit that our store is tops. Besides the everyday necessities like soap, razor blades, and toothpaste, Launder carries such foreign items as 400 day clocks, Italian gloves, and silver cigarette cases. The Supply Department works long and hard at its various jobs and more than deserves our appreciation and a hearty M7ell Done. AP .-tffiili?-T' 15 1252: C ' 'f 4, .,.b' Z X I ., Oh L X l 'QT V Cf ' is 5 i Z .' ,J , ..,. : f - x lf 1322 X f JN , I ' h . 1 Q aw' .M gig-,... IGH . ' I Q .--5 l ills - '

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FLA G 1'-uri' 13 The personnel of the Staff of Com- DesFlot SIX came aboard the McCard on the sixth of january and quickly settled themselves down to perform the administrative duties of the Staff as well as assist the ship to carry out its tactical functions as the Screen Commander's Flagship. The,after deckhouse maga- zine was Fitted out with desks, type- writers, and mimeograph machines and it was from there that Chief Coupon directed the Flag yeomen in their paper- work chores. RADM Ralph Earle The Flag assumed responsibility for all intership communications and brought aboard radiomen and signalmen to fill out the McCard's own force which otherwise would have been swamped with trailic. Cruising aboard various destroyers is a routine experience for the members of this Staff. During the last few years they have logged considerable sea time on various operations and definitely possess the necessary know-how for Flagship duties. Although having a staff aboard made living conditions a little more crowded, it is a tribute to the Staff members that they speedily became shipmates with the men of the McCard. Officers and men Of DCS Flot Six Capt, H, I-I, Henderson takes command U in ' 'sf AX' ' -J ' - Tm 'st -' , id I F x 1' N ' 1' f l 1 P450- vi' wily R- - er ,a' - ivsuik , ,-ii'-if 1 -- 3 .,.s 'lf .. tl.. f 5. i 34 it . Q . if-L Q