Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 131 text:

. GH .Nl Qaiixiiii' fa . ,f . . we, g .. - L 'fr J' vbyliyll. 5 ,,a' I 'f 4 ,L-fili' LA' L ffiilc' ., i- ,yffrfl , V 1 ' J,- ' W' f ,. . i capabilities, and the methods and equipment used in controllingthem. Of 1200 men on the ship,700 are in the Gunnery Department. But even these are not enough to man all the G.Q. battle stations, Gunnery must train oflicers and men of other departments soithat they can assist in manning the guns. The department has many other responsibilities outside the guns themselves and theirf ammunition. Among these are fire control, radar, aviation, lookouts, photog- raphy, and athletics. While these activities seem some- what unrelated, they all contribute to the primary func- tion of getting the guns into action to destroy the Jap. VVhen not behind their guns, the personnel ofthe Gun- nery department perform many other important tasks in the administration ofthe ship. The officers and men stand security watches, bridge watches underway, and quarterdeck watches in port. The ship's boats are manned by coxswains and seamen from the gunnery divisions. The Gunnery Department handles the lines and hoses for the all important tasks of fueling and ammunitioning at sea, fills key stations during anchoring or mooring the ship, loads stores as well as ammunition, and bears the brunt of keeping the ship a clean and live- able home. With the end of the war comes the silencing ofthe guns and the scattering of the crack teams that made the Gunnery Department and the ship the best in the whole Navy. Peace brings the responsibility of continued train- ing so that if the need for a fighting ship again arises there will be a nucleus crew of experienced men. The Jeorehoard shows SANTA FE record: sunk'-I CVL, I CL, I DD, 4 luggersg .vhol down'-7 planes, hlastedee-IZ Yap beaches. These are the ojfcer: Qf lhe Gunnery Department, the men in charge of afghling ,fhip'.f gun and eontrol stations at General Quarters.

Page 130 text:

TlzeSANTAFE ' ll iz E' k ie: 5 ong enoug at nzweto lo take aaoard,from an ammunition barge afongside, powder ana' .flzelfsfor her ravenouJ gum. Lieutenant Commander George M. Hawes, USN, the Gunnefy Offer, eombinex gunf and men into an ejjfeienljighting unit. 126 ITS GUNS SPELL DEATH AND DESTRUCTION F OR THE ENEMY ,i 4 N HE largest and most important department on the ship is the Gunnery Department-for obvious reasons. The SANTA FE, like any other major warship, exists only because of her guns, so her effective- ness as a fighting unit must be gauged by her ability to damage and destroy the enemy wherever and whenever she meets him. Her success depends on the Gunnery Department-on its ofiicers and men, and on its equip- ment. 'The Gunner's Mates and their strikers have H Herculean task in the upkeep and maintenance ofthe various batteries-the booming six inch, the slamming five inch, the pounding forty millimeters, and the stutter- ing twenties. This work is second in importance only tO selecting and training personnel for all positions in the Gunnery Department's battle organization-for the men must have a thorough understanding of the guns, their .r,-, .

Page 132 text:

1 , Ai , , ft-, ,,,1 ,HE First Division's proud domain is the forecastle tl with its two six inch turrets, its anchor gear, and itg at broad expanse of deck. Here the men skillfully handle the heavy chain and 14,000 pound anchors, and with equal facility put mooring lines to a dock when required. They rig the big towline sometimes used when fueling at sea and also one of two paravanes that keep mines from the ship. In gunnery they are equally ver- satile. The two turrets they man have spoken valiantly from Attu to Iwo Jima, and five inch and 40 mm mounts have had them as competent crews during tedious con- dition watches when air attacks threatened and often became a reality. These men, who must also keep squared away the forecastle with its recreation space , for officers and men, are indeed an essential part of the i - SANTA FE's crew. ig l With shined shoes, trimmed hair, andfresh-laundered whites, the men present a neat and smart appearance at skipper's inspection. 1 i l ' ' When there is no liberty, skylarking on the foreeastle when work is done Handling the heavy lines necessary to safely maar the SANTA FE 1 means a workontfor some and relaxationfor all the men. to a dock requires plenty mf manpower on the foreeastle. i 'i if E! li 'I il il S ll .1 ,. li qi l 1 ll 1 I 4 I 1 l L4 YY-W it -H-M -V-- ----. Y .... ,,,, ,, ,fe-gr, -. 4 --1.ff.ff:ff-J..:e--.f-me .,. .,. W A- - - '- ' ' ' ' A ' ' - -- ' ' - ,,