Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 164 text:

158 Remember: We all, Good Sailors, that is, had to start someplace like this. We all were on the parade grounds and stood many of a bag inspection, throughout. l i i , i All ships are basically constructed . . . To cut this burner in properly . Anderson says, I told you it was easy Let go the Starboard anchor. l f rw X'S..,F Sr A . s -Q 5 myf- Q J X ' ' xx yi? 1 X 6 rA! xr l T4 A sf if i .r all e,. ,f 91:1-4-' X4 in is-'1s,sSl:.i?fX i 1 , . W ' f -X J . - - . f - K, A . A K N. .vp W .. 2 'L 'rigiapsgrg so Q .lou as - .N ,V ',.-ww Sgr xii? l 2 Ng- g X X X f 'R X of f f- o s f 'fx X X . M- - N X s.qs:.iQsg:5iQ1:r its K Q nnnt ' , K 'Mg sw ' '. S .fl-'H ,, ,k KW as is Q 'si -as sgigsfyjis gig , so ' i 1 to ' ffl A t s 3 R 5 at s , K: , .X x -K gffswir - s Q ,X-so- XT Xxjj Q 5 ' sg - if . 5- -s 5 K ASC N ,. - V vs X A - K XM akst L its 5 Q M. L .53 Q X l -X J

Page 163 text:

sv -i- - l l Eugene R. ZWEIGLE, CM 2c, USN was born 7f23!20 in South Boston, Mass. Enlisted in the Navy in September 1942, and received his Boot Training at Great Lakes Ill. He reported for duty in BROOKLYN at pier 51 on 1f3!43 and was assigned the R Division for duty. He advanced through the rates to Carpentersmate 2c. He was discharged from the Navy for home on 10!15!45. He received a letter of Commendation for securing valves and electrical switches in the Fresh water pump room after the ship had hit the mines off Sicily in July 1943. Since Discharge he has worked for 33 years for Hershey Products Inc., Dedham, Mass. They make water meters. He is a pattern maker for this company. He has a Daughter Marlene, born 4!11!45, and she is a housewife. A Son Eugene, born 11l28f43 who spent 6 years in the Navy, and now is a Radio Officer in the Merchant Marine. MINES AND THE FRESH WA TER PUMP ROOM AS TOLD BY EUGENE R. ,ZWEIGLE I reported for duty in the USS BROOKLYN early in January 1943 I wasn't on board long before I inherited the duty of Fresh Water King . For those shipmates who never visited the Fresh Water Pump Room, it is located foreward at frame 1112, and is about 35 feet straight down from the Anchor Windless Room, just over the keel. I couldn't believe so many valves and pipes and pumps could be crammed into such a small space. Aside from being the distribution center for all the fresh water, it was also the pumping station for all secondary drainage in the foreward part of the ship. Little did I know that this tiny space would become by General Quarters, battle station. fRepair I, Unit IJ. After spending several General Quarters down there sitting of the cold steel deck, my shipmate, John Tierney, SF 3c, and I decided to do a little improving. We smuggled an old Navy hammock down there and hid it under a cabinet. Then during the Invasion of Sicily we lashed that hammock between the fore and aft bulkheads, and one man could rest awhile, and the other, man the phones. Early that morning, in July 1943, we all remember we hit mine number 1. It seems the first mine exploded back aft someplace. The ship began to plunge, then rise rapidly, but did finally settle down and just sort of bounce. The strange thing was, the absence of an explosion sound. My thought was we had run aground. Before we could get any dope over the Damage Control Circuit, we hit mine number 2, and it exploded directly beneath us. All hell seemed to break loose. It was a big bang, all the diamond deck plates were torn loose, flipped up and fell into the bilges, followed by Tierney and I and the hammock. Our only lights now was a battle lantern, and to add to the confusion, a klaxon mounted on the bulkhead, William F. SEYBOLT, CWT, USN, fretl enlisted in the Navy on 2f4f30. He received his Boot Training at Newport, R.I. and reported for duty in BROOKLYN on 9f30f3f7 as a part of the commissioning crew, from the Asiatic Squadron. He was assigned to the B Division and advanced to Watertender lc. Was then transferred on 4f4f41 to the USS Republic QAP 333 for duty. Decorations: Good Conduct Medal C6 awardsj, Victory Medal WW II and various other ribbons and medals during a Navy Career. 9.1 Q ,.. ws. Eugene P.. ZWEIGLER, 1979, at Nubble Light, York, Maine. ! standing, l to rg R. Adkins, SF 2c, Barton, SF striker kneeling, Wright, SF Striker, E. ZWEIGLER, CM 2c 1943, Palermo, Sicily 1 for use as an alarm, started to blare. Water was coming from somewhere, and had already covered the keel. We recovered the soundpowered phones, and yelled for help i to Repair I, reported flooding, and a lot else. We couldn't start the electric pump, so we switched to the Firemain eductor system and started umping the bilges over the side, through the overboard discharge valve. Suddenly the escape scuttle over us opened and there was Carpenter Showen, and Chief Diamond. They yelled at the two most frightened Swabbys in the whole US Navy, get the hell out of here, the place outside is just loaded with mines . The funny, but happy, ending to the story is this. The klaxon was an old telephone signal, supposedly disconnect- ed, but the concussion proved that to be wrong. The water, which we did believe to be salt, was fresh water leaking from one of our own ruptured lines, and would have only gotten 1 about a foot deep at the most. The hammock, no, it didn't survive,.but perhaps it saved us an injury, because'we would most likely woul have been - I sitting on the deck plates when they were torn loose and 5 fell back into the bilge. After clearing the mine field, we returned to the pump room , to assess the damage, and repair as necessary. Some of our l fresh water was contaminated with saltwater, but generally the damage was superficial. I was then convinced the USS BROOKLYN was well l named, The Mighty B , to stand all that punishment and I still be ready for the fight. Incidentally I remained Fresh 1 V Water King until decommissioning, couldn't find any U takers for my job. fs! Eugene R. ZWEIGLE, CM ze. ll William F. SEYBOLT, . ' CWT, USN, about 1941 I . iv- ,, 9 if 1 l 2 I l l 159

Page 165 text:

Engine room instructions . .. s. Q. l fa! Wu.- The Radioman keep up with changes '- ' 1 ,' ' ri' Q, , 4 i f 4,..:4,, Q in' I- - . e ' tm ' lb ' ' ' ' ' 5 5? 7 ' 1li..1,Q,Q4! . Ax ' V 1, 37 -,1 ' x 1 aL if t g y fflx in - ' as-am ii What DeLander has forgotten is more than most know Swinging out the Motor Whale Boat. You Getting ready for the Liberty Party must know where your Abandon Ship station is. .3 zo., 4