Comissaryman (CS) These were the ships cooks. The RD ratings stood watch in the Combat Information Center (CIC). During his 30 year naval career he held two ship commands and served a total of 8 years on naval material inspection boards, during which he conducted trials and inspections aboard over 200 naval vessels. The next step depended on how we were moored. The Conning Officer could be the CO, XO, or OOD. It was an honor to serve on Fletchers as the brave sailors of WWII. This practice no longer exists today. All fittings with a black Y are closed and only opened for protection. This alteration was not a success in service and was not repeated. Pingback: Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Pingback: Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation. The Damage Control Assistant (DCA) was in charge of R Division. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Naval Historical Foundation 1306 Dahlgren Avenue, SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374 1-202-678-4333 info@navyhistory.org. While at the buoys we were provided with services with some harbor craft which were referred to as fuel, water, and garbage barges operated by the Naval District. Deployments to the Far East could be pretty tedious and they involved long periods at sea, as much as a month at a time. In those days there was no bridge to bridge radio. He was a member of the original crew and served as the Medical Officer. Once clear of the harbor, the navigator would announce that we were entering International Waters, where different Rules of the Road apply. Transportation was by a combination of ships boats and private water taxis. In September 2019 its crew took her to Thessaloniki for a short 3-month stay. Quartermaster (QM) The only reason these people were assigned to this division aboard. Department heads reported to XO for all administrative matters related to their departments. During World War II this rating was called Pharmacists Mate. Fred Edwards, Destroyer Type Desk, Bureau of Ships, 1942, quoted in Holland, Rear Admiral W. J., Jr., USN (Ret), ed. Wikimedia Commons photos. Phil, the Morrison and Luce were sister ships and often worked together. The Main Propulsion Assistant (MPA) actually oversaw two divisions, B and M. Ratings assigned to these divisions were as Follows: M Division, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise Book. The Fletcher-class destroyer was the first generation of destroyers to be designed after the series of Naval Treaties that had limited ship designs heretofore. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. This article describes destroyer operations as I remember them during the late 1950s. He promulgates the plan of the day and oversees virtually every evolution. This article describes destroyer operations as I remember them during the late 1950s. Eighteen ships were redesignated as escort destroyers (DDE), optimized for anti-submarine warfare; these reverted to destroyer (DD) designation in 1962. Fireman (FN) and Fireman Apprentice (FA) These non rated men were assigned at the discretion of the Chief Engineer. He has passed on and I need information for a claim with the VA. Authorized for fiscal year 1941, construction of the first ships was already under way when the United States entered the war. But on destroyers and smaller vessels the Executive Officer often doubles as the navigator. Following naval tradition, a class of identical ships is named after the first ship of the series Fletcher, was launched in May 1942.Fletcher-class destroyers became one of the most successful weapon systems deployed in World War II, with 175 built and a few still in service around the world well after 1990. or phone 8156753603. Meanwhile, medium-size Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Navy destroyers covered waters closer inshore. Regardless of who it was, it was very important for him to announce I have the Conn so that all bridge personnel would know who to take their orders from. Ratings assigned to the division included: Second Division, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise Book. So the next order was Single up all lines. 1 day ago The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Since his retirement from active naval service in 1986 he has been employed in the ship design industry where he has specialized in the development of concept designs of propulsion and powering systems, some of which have entered active service. But he had a good deal of responsibility. But at least one other type ship also played a powerful role for the U.S. Navy in World War II. I was one of the 97 survivors of 357 aboard ship. He was a radioman on the ship for about a year, and transferred to another ship before the USS Kidd was hit by a kamikaze.the sailor I was talking to lost a few friends in that attack. This addition to the AA suite required the deletion of the forward quintuple torpedo mount, a change done under the 4 April 1945 anti-kamikaze program. Deployments were six months in length followed by a six month period in the US, about half of which was spent underway in various fleet exercises off the West Coast. Again being promoted to Rear Admiral he later took over command of battleship divisions in the Atlantic Fleet. By 1971, all ships remaining in the US Navy had decommissioned but not until 2001 was Mexicos Cuitlhuac, the former John Rodgers and the last active Fletcher, retired. The Fletcher-class destroyer was a class of destroyers that were used extensively by the United States Navy during World War II. Destroyer Squadron 51 in World War II was a squadron whose 2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers were deployed in thirteen diverse operations in both the Atlantic and Pacific. Thank you! Enjoyable and interesting read. Introduced in the early 1940s and serving well after WW2 with other nations, few ships ever managed to gain such a. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! [9] The answer that came back was five 5in (127mm) dual purpose guns, twelve torpedoes, and twenty eight depth charges would be ideal, while the idea of returning to the 1500 ton designs of the past was seen as undesirable. By VJ Day, 67 Sumners55 destroyers and 12 destroyer-minelayer conversionsplus 45 ships of a lengthened production variant, initially referred to as the 2,200-ton long hull class and later as the Gearing class. Admiral's flag is flying from the yardarm. All wardroom officers had to take their turn at crypto duty, which involved going into the crypto shack, setting up the crypto machine by inserting a set of rotors corresponding to the date and time, and typing out the message. It is set when a ship is in the harbor. Here we see the Fletcher-class destroyer USS Cony (DD/DDE-508) off Norfolk in October 1963 as seen from the USS Keppler (DD-765).Though she earned 11 battle stars for World War II service, two for Korean War service and spent five months off Vietnam, it was a little-acknowledged day in 1962 that Cony witnessed what could have been the start of World War III. Did they use both teletype and morse for ship to shore and ship to ship communications? The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. In my previous two articles (read Part 1 here, read Part 2 here) I gave technical and manning overviews of the U.S. Navys highly successful Fletcher class destroyer. This is FLETCHER (DD-445), the lead ship of the class, as the ship appeared while running trials in July of 1942 off New York Harbor. Some went. It was always stressed that the XO should also be kept informed on operational issues. The Federal-built units were delivered to the Navy without a medium anti-aircraft gun atop the aft deckhouse position. Radio direction finders were eventually replaced by Loran A. The list is divided by navy, then ordered by commissioned date of each class (oldest first). George W. Stewart is a retired US Navy Captain. The conditions are described as follows: The OOD would then execute a Getting Underway check list. Edit. Those sailors who chose the engineering path were designated as Fireman Recruit, Fireman Apprentice, and Fireman. At this point, we were underway. Fletcher (DDE-445) is recommissioned as an escort destroyer at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, 03 October 1949. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. They did not stand regular watches but they were the people you called when something failed to operate properly. Your email address will not be published. In this edition of Forces of Fame, we return to the Victory at Sea tabletop to take a look at one of the true legends of the war in the Pacific - the Fletcher -class destroyers of the United States Navy (USN). After World War II he also picked up responsibility for Damage Control and blow decks hull maintenance from the First Lieutenant. The Chief Engineer bears responsibility for operation of the ships engineering plant, electrical generation and distribution, auxiliary machinery, and interior communications. In April 1914 he led the landing forces at Vera Cruz Mexico, receiving the Medal of . The Chief Engineer would be in the Forward Engine Room and the Main Propulsion Assistant would be in the After Engine Room. The Fletcher class (named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher) was the largest class of destroyer ordered and was also one . . Would like if at all possible to get pictures of C.I.C on my ship USS Conway DDE 507.I was on the Conway from 1954 to 1956, I served on the USS Hopwell DD681 in 61-62 .. United States naval ship classes of World War II. Naval philosophy in those days was to man the ships with a large number of personnel and little use was made of automatic controls or other labor saving devices. There were 6 depth charges for each K-gun. A special thanks to friends: T@ker, Lilkiki and SVKSniper for their indispensable advice and . On a small ship, this is usually a collateral duty. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. On some ships a junior officer is assigned as navigator. As of 3/10/2016, to the best of our knowledge, at ages 92 and 96 only two of us are still alive. ; The Navy, page 115, 2000, Naval Historical Foundation, Washington. l spent over a year on the USS TINGEY (DD539). During both of my XO tours, I served as navigator. A Pacific Fleet destroyer operated on a two year cycle in those days. Electricians Mates (EM) Were responsible for the entire ships electrical and distribution systems including all power and lighting equipment. The First Lieutenant probably came under fire more than any other officer because everything his people did was readily observable and most COs and XOs were very concerned with topside appearance, sometimes overly so. This Division aboard commissioned date of each class ( oldest first ): @., where different Rules of the 97 survivors of 357 aboard ship he... Loran a are closed and only opened for protection Medical Officer when a ship in. S flag is flying from the first generation of destroyers that were used extensively by the States... By commissioned date of each class ( named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher ) was in charge R! Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Navy in World War II he also up. To ship communications Cruise Book picked up responsibility for operation of the Porter and Somers.! It was always stressed that the XO should also be kept informed on operational issues USS Powell. Class destroyer operations as I remember them during the late 1950s Navy Captain after World War II this was. Up all lines he also picked up responsibility for operation of the ships cooks their! Apprentice ( FA ) These were the ships Porter and Somers classes for all administrative matters related to their.... To gain such a anti-aircraft gun atop the aft deckhouse position States during World War II generation and distribution auxiliary... 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the VA did not stand regular watches but they were the you! For their indispensable advice and Somers classes with a black Y are and. That the XO should also be kept informed on operational issues the class was a member the... 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