Downes (FF 1070) - Naval Cruise Book

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Pouring off the Thach R ' ' ■ i VImHu i i .« iSfc w L. MZ 51 ..-.-- aiSS.lg :r:-. - ' ' HH The All-Enlisted watch team coming inport, San Diego The Brow comes over Wmt Cold, blustery weather could not dampen spirits CDR and Mrs. Pine u ttJk 1 V ' LlM ' J .- The traffic jam up our brow

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Tale Of The Tngate From Hell 99 by V. E. Rice, RMl,USSDOWNES Come gather ye closely, all wayward thrillseekers What ever ye age may be To hear ye the tale of the Frigate from Hell And of her voyages upon the sea. The Downes, as she ' s christened, is difrent from most Turned nineteen afore the eyes of Fall, Of Knox class design, commanded by Pine She sets sail when she hears the call. Now, ye may call it Luck, or ye may call it duty Yet, the grey lass heard the call to set sail; So, the Capt ' n and Crew, just to see how she ' d do. Steered the vessel through torture and hell. Aye, but she faced the inspectors of ev ' ry sea trial And proved her value, unnerved; So the Frigate from Hell was scheduled to sail On a voyage she truly deserved. As we prepped for the journey to far away places, Like Japan, Korea and such, A trusting shipmate, dated a bitch we name Fate : She claimed the sailor we call Dutch. The word of his death was a shock to us all; Evermore as in sea lanes we ride This Capt ' n and crew, in his name we all knew Dedicate our voyage with pride. Then broke the dawn when we ' d cast off our lines To depart the homeport we hold dear. With family ashore, we set sail once more For the journey of which ye now hear. Her footage from starboard to port is four eight; O ' er four hun ' red from the stern to the bow. Her logo, colored bright, shows an eagle in flight. Bearing the banner which boasts Ready Now! He may be called skipper, or perhaps the old man Some may even call him Charlie O Whatever the term be, on this we agree: The Captain is unlike others we know. For he expects from his officers and enlisted alike To have their ducks lined up one by one. In the time that we serve, he ' ll casually observe, And proudly reward these jobs well done. About the main decks, Bos ' ns busily rove, To hose off the Pacific ' s salt spray. Soon, they ' ll lay out the line that ' s used in due time, For refueling the ship underway. The Gunn ' ry crews have fixed deadly aim On the target bearing three eighteen In time they will know if the target is foe, And fire, when the lights turn green. The CIWS barrel swivels starboard and up To lock in on an inbound surprise The crew, with nerves steady, yell out when ready: If it flies, then by God, it dies! While down in their dome, the Sonarmen listen For contacts beneath the waves Should they hear a ping, our torpedoes will sting. And subs will rest in watery graves. The OS ' s and EW ' s, in near-pitch environs Plot contacts on scopes, screens and charts; When the action grows tense, they plan our defense. And, mate, that ' s when the fun starts. The RM ' s have their mitter ' s and receivers tuned in. To remotes, voice circuits will go; While the broadcast spits out another message to route. To those with the need to know. But, when the word ' s passed: Set EMCON ALFA throughout ' Our Comms have not totally been lost. For the SM ' s, with their light, speak to ships in the night. And convey our words to the Boss And the ET ' s stand by with their tools and test gear Should electronic equipment e ' er fail. ' Tis a comfort to know, in a heartbeat they ' ll show To fix up our toys as we sail. In the main spaces the temperatures soar. And the engines pound a synchronous beat. But, the hole snipes refrain to bitch and complain. They seem at home in the noise and the heat. The Electrician Mates study a print And translate in terms of Ohm ' s law. While abiding these rules, they snatch up their tools, And repair any electrical flaw. In the Machine Shop, a torch is lit off The Hull Tech ' s cut on sheets made of steel. Though it looks queer, they ' ve manufactured a gear Patterned by an MR ' s precise skill. The IC ' man tests the various alarms. And sound powered lines ton the conn Should any of these fail on the Frigate from Hell Interior Communications are gone. But the Gang in DC Central standby To execute their alternate plans. Should a fire break out, it ' s certain beyond doubt A messenger will warn all hands. In the Chart House, QM ' s will scribe The events of our nautical trek: Our course and our speed, and the orders indeed As given by the Officer on Deck. The Ship ' s Office staff stays busy all day Making entries in records galore. It ' s an endless routine yet, the admin machine Handles these jobs and a whole lot more. The Postal Clerk sorts through large nylon bags,