Maury (AGS 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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Clliiiton |. Healli.floinniaiulci, USN; Commaiider Hyflrographic Siiivey Group One and Command- ing Ollrcci. ll.S.S. Maury, AGS16. U.S.S. MAURV, AGS 16 Displacement: light, 4,203 Ions; loaded, 7,000 tons. Length, laG ft.; il,a. imimi heam, 5H ft. Ma.vimum draft 161 , ft. Built in 1915 as U.S..S. Renate, AKA 36. Converted anc rcnametl in 1916.

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FOREWORD ' And for this I thought to sTite down upon this oyage in great detail from day to day all that I should do and see, and encounter, as hereinafter shall be seen. In addition. Lord Princes, to noting down each night vhat that day had brought forth, and each day -vvhat was sailed by night, I ha e the intention to make a ne v chart of navi- gation upon which I shall place the vhole sea and lands of the Ocean Sea in their proper positions imder their bearings, and further to compose a book, and set do vn exerything as in a real picture, by latittide nbrth of the equator and longitude west; and above all it is very important that I forget sleep and labor much at navigation because it is necessary. All of which ill be great labor. From preamble to Columbus ' Book of tlie First Xoingation and Discoiiery of the Indies. Yes, times ha e changed. For example, our navigation did not hinge upon the genius of one man; it depended upon many. To XV in success we had to have our Lorac stations in the isolation of the desert. Who xvas the more necessary to oiu na igation— the Captain, or the man xvho kept the Lorac r mining? And hox x -otUd Lorac Red ha e managed without stipplies? It was neither safe nor easy to drive the trucks by day and by night over fifty thousand miles of track- less and treacherotis desert. There is need to belabor this fact— each of us xvas directly responsible for success. We all forgot sleep and labored much because it xvas necessarv. Vhile ships and machines do improve, this btisiness of exploration doesn ' t really change. The perils of the sea are the same. The penalties for lack of skill or wariness are identical. Ships must venture xvhere they cannot safely go, and Lady Luck must be wooed as of old. The days are more fidl of isolation and great labor than they are of grand adventure. And while our discov- eries will be recorded only by lines and numbers upon a chart, we feel the pride of pioneering. The xvheel of history will turn upon the oil of the Persian Gulf. Our charts ill be an honest guide. We are rejoicing that we are noxv to re- join oiu- families xvho gi e so much and ask so little. We hope the pictures ve have gathered Avill help us answer the questions they w ask of how we worked and li ed. It was with them in mind that we thought to Tite do vn upon this oyage all that ' e shoidd see and encounter. For ourselves, this book will be biu a symbol. Our tiny world was one of unity and peace amongst oursehes. Together we gained in skill and strength until our ship became as an athlete who thinks neither of the working of his organs nor of the sure- ness of his limbs. The memories of such things are oirr ery o sn and cannot be put into a book. For some of us our duty here is nearly done. We wish you who are remaining the best of luck and ever better seasons. Take good care of oin- ship. God bless us all, and mav ve meet again. C. J. HEATH

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DECK DEPARTMENT