Bunker Hill (CV 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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qfslmzyeaeeezaeev 4 5. 'i a :IJ , -JS-M, Atl-6A,A!x..K5-A,,4,q,,,,a15., A . ,,m-A..-.....-V -iw . . . , 't MEDICAL it 'T ' , ,.,, for ,ljjt g t-41, e-W-Q.-1-ef 'l l .. it . ,. , I rj., ,i 1 a , 1 f 1 ,,1. 1, ll, ., X, Std Y' x N X ln the background, to keep the ships men in fighting trim Ejjfeient, -well-equipped and ready for emergency or routine duties, the Medical Department gave all hands the assurance Qf health. ' A' ' W'-' -' 1-:-- f ' -?7--f- - v--ness.-f -1e- -ef-uq.1..-we-e-13-.ann-F-1-..-,.g. f...a..a- mas. -.1 t goes without saying that a ship is better off when business at Sick Bay is dull. Yet it takes an efiicient Sick Bay to keep its business dull, or, in effect, to keep in number one Hghting condition the crew of a warship. Health, ranging from care of superficial wounds to complex surgery, is un- doubtedly the primary weapon a military force must utilize, it is so primary that the average fighting man takes it for granted, and usually it's not until he suffers from a serious wound or a sudden illness that he realizes the invaluable role played by medicine in wa-,r. Aboard the Bunker Hill the Medical De- partment's job doesn't begin and end in the confines of spaces designated as Sick Bay. Its work entails the inspection of all living spaces for cleanliness and comfort, the doctor's approval on food served at every meal, and fyou probably won't believe thislj such un- thought-of jobs as encouraging below decks personnel to sunbathe or come out and take part in routine athletics. Every time an air- plane takes off or lands, there's a doctor and mn.:-.f.:.c.::mr-.m4c.-.r , 1-...L 1-ag:'--1-4'--f-e-afar, , ,f, -Q, aides standing by to take care of any possible accidentsg and in time of battle, there are Medical Department men scattered over every part of the ship where personnel are stationed. ,A - Y- ,, ,,.,.- , .s,..,.. .., V I Id,- , re 1- 317-1.-1' - , ,e .V V X I xx X li 1, 11,1 Hg ,MU . , I -, A v l fs. . it l l -V p ,yg slimy, A5 tfiiiwam p - --MIX i in 1, uf I in Y A ' ' XL ,W , ,,,, , i ,f il r N The scope of Medical Department work runs from Commanding Oflicer to lowliest appren- tice seamang its practice reaches every one of a crew of nearly 3,000, if in no more than routine semi-annual check-ups. When the first watch was set on board the Bunker Hill, May 25, 1943, the Medical De- partment was ready for business. The dressing room, operating room, dispensary, clerical ofhce, dental office and laboratory and the

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transfer in late July, 1944, to a sister ship of the U.S.S. Bunker Hill. He had served on the ship from the very start, having been hull inspector assigned to the Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Yard prior to g01nS to sea. . Before, during, and after commissioning Lieutenant Mario C. Galassi, of Boston, served as R-1 division officer. In May of 1944 he was ordered back to the States to duty aboard another carrier, and he was succeeded by Lieutenant R. L. Boswell, who at the time was Assistant Materiel Gfficer and Records Oliicer. A native of New Orleans, Lieutenant Boswell attended Tulane University and was a member of the R.O.T.C. unit there. Later, however, he graduated from V-7 school and served sixteen months aboard the N avyls first converted carrier, the U.S.S. Long Island, then commanded by Captain J. Ballentine. Bos- well was the first R-2 division ofiicer aboard this ship, being relieved of that post by Lieu- tenant I. H. Millington who was also Ship's Service Officer. Millington later was relieved by Lieutenant George Weber, who was in turn relieved by Lieutenant R. S. F inkbine. The efficient operation of the Ship's Service Activities was due in no small way to such men in charge of various posts as John Zarr, SSB1c of the barber shop, Roland Grady, SSC3c, M. N. Foley, S1c in the geedunk stand, Ernest Tarullo, SST3c, head tailor before his transfer in October, 1944, and Dickey, Har- grove and Price SSL3c's in the laundry. Included in the R-3 Division were the Ship's Masters-at-Arms and the Mess Cooks. Al- though the Ship's MA's were tallied in the R-3 division for administrative purposes, they functioned under the Executive Officer. The division functioned under the leadership of such Chiefs as R. H. Buchner, CWTg F. P. Wheeler, CBM, and D. A. Ruby, CBM. Lieutenant Bodell, Jr., a native of Providence, Rhode Island, and Wasp Sur- vivor, was the R-3 division oHicer. The Ship's Fire Marshal and R-1 junior officer was Lieutenant R. C. Santee, blonde Californian who reported to the ship from the old U.S.S. Nevada. Constant training of all hands in fire prevention and ways to fight blazes, as well as the upkeep of the vast array of fire fighting equipment aboard, was his responsibility, shared by C. A. Diehl, CM1c and L. Schott, SF2c. December 7, 1941, is a date of two-fold im- portance in the life of the Bunker Hill's Chief Boatswain J. M. Curley, for it was on that day twenty-one years before that he began his Naval career, a nineteen-year-old boot. Born and reared in the shadow of the famed battle site for which the ship was named, Curley enlisted at Newport, Rhode Island, and went to the U.S.S. Maryland. Stationed aboard that ship for eighteen years, Curley was the spark of her famed football team and was acknowledged All-Fleet end for his play. He was transferred to the U.S.S. Nitro and later to Brooklyn Navy Yard before report- ing aboard ship in the pre-commissioning period. His aides were Bos'n Phaneuf, and J. O. Messick, Chief Boatswain's Mate who succeeded C. B. Stevens, CBM who reported aboard as BM1c and left as Warrant Bos'n. Efficiency of the shops was due largly to their direction by Chief Carpenter M. Begel- man, a quarter-century veteran of duty on all types of the United States' warships. Car- penter R. F. Chambers was his assistant. The Hull Department's shops, many times on a twenty-four hour schedule in order to meet the demands of the entire ship, were manned by highly competent crews, for which credit was due such men as E. H. Randall, A. R. Rangus, G. R. Hewson and H. A. Whipple, Chief Shipfitters, and P. F. Smith and H. G. Staege, SF1c in the shipfitter's shop? N. A. Morris, CSF, A. F.. Tucholke, SFIC, A. E. Zimmerman, and L. G. Schindler, SFZC, in the Plumbing Shop, C. A. Diehl, CM1c, and L. S. Schott, SF2c in the CO-2 Transfer Shop? R- S. Ayala, CMM, H. G. Rudisaii, and P. A. LQTYO, CM1c's in the Carpenters' Shop and Fllght Deck Repair, D. A. Ruby, Sail Locker CBM before becoming Chief Master-at-Arms, and F. Petrucelli, CM3c, and R. Leblanc, Ptr3c, in the Paint Locker. .4 L.. fi. -3' 'qty

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it t is S examining room were fully manned and ready for use. It might even be said that these people were actually anxious to try out some of their new equipment, which was as modern as any ever installed on a warship. But the health of the ship was relatively gOOCl f1'01T1 the start, for Bunker Hill medical personnel had supervised the ship's crew for several months before the commissioning ceremonies took place. During the period of pre-commissioning, Medical Department personnel were stationed at the Receiving Station, Fargo Building, Boston, Massachusetts, and at the Braintree Barracks, adjacent to Bethlehem Steel Com- pany's shipyard, to look after the health of the ship's company quartered at these two places. In Boston, where 1,000 of our men were stationed, the medical detail was headed by Lieutenant Commander M. E. Conti, CMCD, USN, and genial Lieutenant Sam Zurik. In addition to regular medical duties, the doctors spent morning and afternoon periods giving first aid and general health care lectures to members of the crew. Tak- ing care of the dental work at Fargo were Lieutenant Commander A. M. Rochester, QDCQ, USNR, and Lieutenant F.. C. Lytle, QDCJ, USN. At the Braintree Barracks the Medical Oliicer himself, CommanderfW. Dana, QMCD, USN, had general supervision, assisted by Lieutenant T. W. Steege, CMCD, USN. Pre-commissioning months served as a train- ing period for hospital corps personnel. Along with their regular studies, entailing lectures by the medical staff, eleven of the lower rat- ings were temporarily assigned duty at the U. S. Naval Hospital, Chelsea, Massachusetts where they underwent further instruction and familiarization with operating room, labora- tory and X-ray technique, and ward manage- ment. Shakedown cruise proved an eventful trip for the Medical Department: Commander Dana was promoted to Captain, and trans- ferred to the Sanford, Florida, Naval Air Station. He was relieved by Commander W. S. Rizk, CMCD, USN, whose stay was Cut 3 short due to a serious illnessg Commanm- Rizk was transferred to the U. S. Navgj Hospital, Trinidad, H-WJ-s havlflg been re- lieved temporarily by Lieutenant Commander A. P. Rhamy, QMCJ, USNR, senior flight surgeon aboard at the time. The ship rg. turned from shakedown, and in early August Commander O. VV. Chenault, CMCJ, USN, 9, veteran of the China Station, reported aboard as Senior Medical Ofiicer. Commander Chenault brought about new changes in his departmental setup, adding new dressing stations to his battle bill and, in general, polishing a department that was already well organized. His staff increased and changes were made: Lieutenant Com- mander Shortridge, CDCJ, U SN, replaced Lieu- tenant Commander Rochester, Lieutenant R. C. Bew QMCJ, USNR, replaced Lieuten- ant Commander Conti as ship's surgeon. Simultaneously two leading pharmacists mates, T. D. Merchant and D. T. Sims, were ordered to shore billets. The ship reached the war zone in Autumn, and it wasn't long until the Medical Depart- ment had had several opportunities to prove its mettle. Wounds usually came in small numbers, but on one occasion, during an enemy attack on the ship, a total of eighty- four wounded men were treated as a result of a near bomb miss. PM its . 1 ,f I ,J '- ' ., Other. officers included on the Medical staff were: Lieutenants W. F. Bill Nickel, JI'-i J- Pease and Lieutenant R. L. Cox, CHCJ. Chlef Pharmacist H. M. Niblack and Phar- macist H. P. DeAngelo. Lieutenant Com- Inander M. W. Etzenhouser, former Air Gr0Ul9 Hlghf Surgeon, became Senior Medical 05503- , ,Ay , .ig ZQ .1 P 1 '- . : fx