Everett Larson (DDR 830) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Walrus and the Carpenter . ' haleboat Fueling, at se

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Offloading the jeep GUNNERY The primary mission of a destroyer, as the name itself implies, is to inflict damage. In the early types the em- phasis was on torpedoes. Later this was shared with surface gunnery. A modern destroyer must have three kinds of firepower to undertake the many tasks which have been heaped upon it; anti-aircraft, surface, and anti- submarine. Although a DDR carries no torpedoes, she can amply meet this re- quirement. The three twin five inch gun mounts are equally effective against air or surface targets. The forty millimeter battery, — three quad and two twin mounts, — is primarily for use against aircraft at close range, such as strafing and rocket attacks. The underwater battery is composed of anti-submarine rockets and depth charges. The combination of all these is formidable. The amount of training and maintenance required to keep them operating at wartime efficiency is great. Add to this the responsibility of the Deck Divisions for the topside ap- pearance of the ship and you have most of the function of the Gunnery Department. So long as destroyers are judged by how smart they look and how well they shoot, it will be the sin- gle most important one. 40 mm guns

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Cleaning (?) the side Ruddy makes a long heave 1st Division heaves around on 1 Dreams of glory