Kenneth Whiting (AV 14) - Naval Cruise Book

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ENGINEERING f fy k K S f { LT. A. D. WHILDEN, JR. Damage Control Officer Wheeling, West Virginia LCDR. GEORGE R. BECKER Engineering Officer Louisville, Kentucky •o- UnmL a0 w M Anyone curious about the heat in Dante ' s Inferno could easily find out by asking some of the boys in this department, especially during our stop-overs in and near the Pescadores. There, the fireroom temperature hung close to the 140 mark, on a cool night, that is. One of the most important groups aboard any ship, their responsibility is wide and never ending. The department is charged primarily with operation and main- tenance of all propulsion and auxiliary machinery, repair of hull an d appendages, the control of damage, maintenance of boat machinery. To get the job done the Engineering Officer, Lieutenant Commander George R. Becker, has a staff of five officers and 120-odd enlisted men, divided into 5 divisions. Made up of electricians, ship-fitters, damage control techni- cians, metalsmiths, machinists, and boilermen, this depart- ment ' s influence spreads from stem to stern. And on our ship, like all the others, these men are called many names (in friendly barbs) by other rates: Snipes, Blackshoes, Moles, etc. But most of the engineers will tell you: It matters little what they call us ... so long as they call us for chow. They ' ve but little time for gabbin ' , they have a job to do. . . o AA 24

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LCDR. RAYMOND G. NEAL Navigation Officer Los Angeles, California t ' - ' i ' N A Y I G A T I .N LCDR. KENNETH L. BASS : {L Former Navigation Officer 1 March 1954 to August 1955 J ' ( A5 p . g- If ever you decide to take a ship through the island speckeled waters of the Formosa Straits, or negotiate the inland sea of Japan, sound senses would dictate that you have a navigator and a few quartermasters aboard that know what they ' re do- ing. Even if you don ' t wish to attempt these hazard- ous waters, and just head out across some 20,000 square miles of open seas, best you have a man shooting the stars that knows the difference be- tween the North Star and the Moon, else instead of ending up where you set out to go, perhaps Hong Kong, you ' ll probably be towed into some port in Australia. But on the Kenneth Whiting we worry little about such a mishap. We all go to bed every night certain that our Navigator, Lieutenant Commander Raymond G. Neal, and his crew of sailors at the helm know to the gnat ' s eye-lash where we will be at breakfast time. And Ihey won ' t take us over the top of It ' sei-Bitshi Shima getting us there, either. Made up of the Navigator and 8 enlisted men, this department ' s responsibilities are tremendous and around the clock. In their hands is the safety of the complete crew. But we feel quite comfortable in the knowledge that they will get us anywhere the Captain chooses for the ship to go. Frank G. Steinat, Woshinqtcn. D.C. Jack R. Driscoll, Cedar Rarids, Iowa Kevin E. Brcdehl. Oakland. California, Jerry F. Vctaw, Pcniand, Indiana Harold W. Gann, Blylheville. Arkansas Eilif F. K, Andersen, Sania Barbara, Califirni Darcl D, Walker, Altany, Missouri Thomas O. Harv. ' ccd. Glendale, California 23

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Edwaid E. Mai tin Leo L. Dckey MEC DCC Los Angeles Kalamazco California Michigan R DIVISION METALSMITHS SHIPFITTERS CARPENTERS CHCARP. Q , - 1 JAMES C, THOMAS V R Division Ollicer I , Son Diego. Caliiornia [ h George L. Oliver, Newlon, Iowa John L. French, La Grande. Oregon Auslin S. Willis, BelmcnI. North Carolina James W. Ransom. Atlanta. Georgia William A. Townsend. Caseyville, Illinc Tommy E. Miller, Butler. Missouri Ronald K. Weller. Fort Wayne, India: X Men ol the R Division | manning anchor wind- lass. John R. Smith, Johnstown, Pennsylvania Max L. Buland. Tulsa. Oklahoma Bobby H. Huntley, Bishopville, South Caro Hurcel N. McCutchen, Tulsa, Oklahoma Ronald G. Wojan, Charlevoix, Michigan Jules B. Kaplan, Chicago, Illinois Richard E. Gillis. Phoenix. Arizona Delbert L. Kilpalrick, Chandler, Oklahoma Blanlcn H. Hill. Jr.. Seminole. Oklahoma Ronald K. Jewkes, Price, Utah Rcbert E. McCray, Pendelton. Oregon John L. Sinanno. Falconer, New York Oliver repairs a broken steam line. Worthwhile endeavor . . . Tow send and Kaplin study shi] diagrams in damage control I 25