US Naval Reserve Midshipmens School - Capstan Yearbook (Notre Dame, IN)

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ALVOES .... directors .... dip strips . . pointer fire . . . . matching zero readers . . increasing twist .... Such was Ordnance, as we were exposed to its mysteries. A long, mind-racking struggle with such incomprehensible tat Hrstj terms as the above. The instructors had a sense of humor, They would smile in sly fashion and say: HI know the operation of this instrument seems diflicult but you can readily grasp the principle if you look at Plate V opposite Page 147,73 Pages would flutter as we turned to that plate which would solve the situation. Once there we discovered the reason for the instructor's smile. There would be a drawing of a Rube Goldbergian invention, replete with dozens of valves, cams, wheels and cogs. Understand it? XVell, perhaps not at hrst but the general idea would begin to sink in after diligent application. VVe discovered, to our surprise, that hitting the target entails more than merely peeking through the sights and pulling the trigger. W7e learned that in many Naval battles the target is never seen with the naked eye, yet the target is usually strad- dled with the first salvo and thoroughly perforated with the second. Wle learned what happened when the German battleship Bismarck sunk the mighty Hood, pride of Britain's Navy, with a single well-directed salvo. To landlubbcrs, it has always been mystifying just how Naval vessels, subject to constant pitch and roll, ever manage to hit the targets at all. Wie found out it was all a matter of correcting various angles, then, Lgittin' thar fustest with the mostest shells. 50

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A director, we always thought, was a Hollywood personage who put glamour gals and guys through their paces before the Camera, wore leather puttees and spoke with the voiee of onmipotenee. Very true, bt1t we also learned there's an infinitely more aeeomplished Director in Naval Ordnance, an almost-human and vastly complicated machine that makes hits possible before you ean say Marbitrary ballistic. Nor was it all theory that was doled out to us. YVe spent eonsiderable time at the loading machines and rangefinders. From this time on, whenever the words Hloading maehinew are spoken, we will all shiver as with the ague. YVho can ever forget those drill sessions beneath the Notre Dame Stadium, with the temperature crowding zero and the wind whipping through the passageways and P-coats? Sure. lt was eold. But it was fun, too. There we had our first glimpse at the man- ner in whieh guns are loaded and Hred The lessons learned on those nippy days may pay oil some day when we're helping' to lire real guns and real shells at the enemy. Salt-ty, safety, safety. lt was drummed into us with a relent- less determination, At drill they in- dicated how one little mistake Could wipe out the whole gun erew. Re- sponsibility was being plaeed on our shoulders and we were feeling its weight. Few things made more fascinating discussion than 'lhangfiresf' and we'd sit completely entraneed while some sea veteran would tell us how treacher- ous they eould be. Opening the breeeh during a hanghre might blow your gun erew to Kingdom Come so the proper procedure was to call the Captain and ask him what you should do. And il' the gun's services were required, he might say open it , and it was the Gunnery Ollie:-r's duty to earry out the order. t'Are there any questionsQ l the in- struetor would ask eonsiderately belore dismissing the section. Ssssir, are we going to be the lt was all quite apparent. XYe were! l51l