Consolation (AH 15) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 Y HO SPITAL SH N 5 OLATIC r I

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DECK OUR SEAMAN SPEAK The winter days were long and cold in Inchon, Korea. They were different from those in Subic Bay, Philippine Islands; Tour- rane Bay, French Indo China; and the various Japanese ports. Then, too, the day in the Deck Department varies, depending upon our ship ' s location. Since many of our men have been aboard for three or four years, we have become accustomed to duties as demanded under the various circumstances. It isn ' t always easy, but in the Deck Department our men live up to the pride, devotion, and tradition of the naval service. The deck seaman is the one who can point to his ship and say, That is my ship and I have done my part to make her a ship that we can claim wjth pride. It is my duty to keep her white, to keep her ship shape, to make her a proud ship and to fight for her name, if necessary. I run her boats, man her wheel, and stand a vigilant underway and in port watch. I man her lines, man her ground tackle and aid her Officer of the Deck in maintaining a taut secure watch on her bridge and quarter deck. I man her booms, secure her stores, and bring aboard her sick and wounded. I am her heart, her eyes, her arms and her legs. Through me she lives so that she may complete her mission and successfully maintain the out- standing reputation which she has so deservedly earned throughout her years of commissioned service. This is the Deck Department. As a component I have done my part in aiding her to complete another successful mission. 12

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ENGINEERING WE SALUTE THE ENGINEERS! The completion of a thirty thousand mile cruise without an engineering breakdown speaks for itself. The successful completion of the recent assignment in the Far East reflects the hard work of all hands. The Engineering Department deserves a well done for their part in fulfilling this mission. In addition to the more obvious task of propelling the ship, the Engineering Department must administer the damage control organization, maintain all auxiliary equipment, provide vital utilities, and act as the repair department for the ship. Many times the Engineering Department has been called upon to provide services not normally within their capacity; such as in Tourane Bay, where the shortage of fresh water necessitated the ship ' s evaporators working overtime to provide other ships in the harbor with fresh water. To accomplish this, all hands were requested to co-operate by conserving water. This feat could not have been accomplished without conservation methods adopted by crew and patients alike. Again in Inchon, the call for fresh water was received and at all times the ship was prepared to share this precious commodity. The Engineering Department of the Consolation consists of approximately 100 men and five officers. The department is broken down into five divisions as follows: M Division is responsible for the generation of steam necessary for driving the main engines, electric generators and various auxiliaries. E Division is responsible for the maintenance of all the electrical equipment. A Division maintains the various auxiliary equipment, such as fresh water systems, heating systems, refrigeration, air conditioning, and the numerous other machinery located outside the main engineering spaces. R Division consists of metal smiths, carpenters and pipe fitters who form the repair division for the ship. The engineers ' responsibility in preparing the ship for any extensive operation begins long before the ship ever leaves its home port. Every piece of machinery must be checked to insure its satisfactory operation for a long period of time and preventative maintenance must be carried on continually whether underway or in port. The Consolation is fortunate in having a highly trained group of men whose technical knowledge, devotion to duty and sense of responsibility has made them a credit to the Navy. Well Done! 14