Brinkley Bass (DD 887) - Naval Cruise Book

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235. r i say?- -1 K-6. xNKLl-P MCE -QM 4-F -A-HM f

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HHSI IIIVISIII el.. Y? WX 0 v- o X The first Division is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the Gunnery Department spaces in the forward part of the ship. The Deck Force of the First Division has the responsiblity of an- choring and mooring the ship, plus the numerous other jobs of the Boat- swain's Mates which, to describe thoroughly, would demand several pages. Perhaps the most famous or, as you wish infamous, character- istic of the Boatswain's Mate is his job of passing the word , with his musical little boatswain's pipe. The second largest group in the First Division is the Gun Gang , who as the name implies, is responsible for the main and AA batteries forward. There is more to a gun than what's on deck, as l'm sure any Gunners Mate can tell you .......... there's magazines, handling rooms and ammunition hoists. The necessity of leaving the guns exposed to weather to permit quick manning, demands constant preventive mainte- nance on the intricate movable parts of the guns. The Firecontrolmen and technicians are usually found in some di- rector or power room, with several wires or tools in each hand, for it is their job to man and maintain the complicated firecontrol system of the ship. The newest addition to the First Division is the Sonar Gang , who must keep a twenty-four hour-a-day watch for underwater attack. f 4' 5' O' ,, 7, , , ' -Ere.,-I ll

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SECO IIIIIVISIU S' gv, The Second Division has the task of keeping up the Gunnery Depart- ment spaces in the after part of the ship. Many endless hours are put into this task. The deck force also see's to it that the motor whaleboat is kept ready for instant use, regardless of the weather and sea condi- tions. The gun gang of the Second Division is responsible for the after main and AA batteries, and their handling rooms and magazines. Everyday, magazines must be examined for excessive temperatures and other dan- gerous conditionsg while the torpedo gang handles the maintenance of the torpedo tubes and the anti-submarine weapons. The effectiveness of any department on a ship is, the final analysis, largely dependent on the personnel of that department and their ability to get along with their shipmates. The cooperation between the divisions and the gangs within the divisions, has been very commendable, and has added materially to the operational effectiveness of this cruise. L 1 0 9 EEL, ,Q 13 h f