Roanoke (CL 145) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 132 text:

N - , -1+ -?-.-,...., ..-.-W -

Page 131 text:

- l

Page 133 text:

C-UNNERY ROANOKE is, above all, a combat unit of the U.S. Navy, which means that her primary mission in wartime would be the destruction of enemy sea, air and land targets. In peacetime, our primary mission is to train for those wartime missions. The Gunnery Department bears the maior responsibility for manning the armament of our ship, and training to obtain the fine edge of excellence that has been the mark of ROANOKE in both Atlantic and Pacific Battle Efficiency com- petitions. The six E's displayed in the main Bat- tery, the striking of target triggered bursts seen when the Secondary Battery fires at a small drone, the 'locked on' reports from the directors-all of this is concrete evidence of the state of readiness and performance of the gunners and fire-controlmen of this light cruiser. ff ? ,g l la x ll EE P A it QM ' r' sl , 'I Z .. X o 9 I :Q- , , Jll'lI ings - 1 i ' 'U --onmawn 1 .,-Q.. Q1 fini D, -Q .J Q' fl of lf : J . -'Q zz. H1511 . , 2 ,P . il er ' E' 4 'J' PL 4: N ,, C .1 .,,k .I Aa,- 'l Gunnery Officer LCDR Scott When you step aboard and look down at the freshly holystoned decks or look up to see the gleaming and immaculate superstructure, then you see the results of the work of the boatswains and deck force-the other major subdivision of the Gunnery Department. When you hear us fire a 21 gun salute at precise five second intervals, watch our helicopter rise from the fantail, see a drone catapulted into the air, ride in one of our boats as you go on liberty-then you are obser- ving the Gunnery Department in action as much as when the guns are firing, radars acquiring targets or the main deck being scrubbed to its usual state of cleanliness. All of these tasks and the men necessary to perform them comprise the Gunnery Department as we prepare in peace- time to carry this 'floating gun platform into action in time of war.--LT R. P. Hilton.