USO Canteen FReeper Style....Gunnery Mates....Thank You....June 26,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

USS Bulkeley

The primary job of the Gunnery Division is to maintain and operate all shipboard weapons systems.

Normal day to day tasks include ensuring all weapons systems are functioning properly and prepared for such evolutions as surface and air combat and exercises, as well as ensuring that the weapons are available for any law enforcement need. Gunnery Division is also responsible for providing small arms training to all Boarding Team Members.

Within Gunnery Division there are two different rates...Gunner's Mates (GM) and Fire Control Technicians (FT). Gunner's Mates primarily deal with the actual firing weapons and their associated ordnance while FT's primarily work with radar systems specifically designed for targeting and firing long range weapons.

Chief Gunner's Mate (SW) Virgil Kilpatrick, an instructor at Fleet Combat Training Center (FCTCLANT) Atlantic, has spent the last three years providing Sailors with skills he hoped they would never truly need -- operating and maintaining shipboard weapons systems in war.

Gunner's mates work in almost every kind of Navy environment: ship, shore, in the United States or overseas. Their work and specialties may involve indoor or outdoor situations, clean or dirty work, deck or shop, and any kind of climate or temperature. They work alone or with others, independently or closely supervised. Their work can be both mental and physical.

River Boat Gunnery Mate.......Vietnam

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the campaign against terrorism, training commands like FCTCLANT are at the ground floor of the battle.

Veteran Sailors like Kilpatrick are in classrooms, laboratories and simulators, arming their students with the tools to fight terror.

According to GM1(SW) George Cumings, careless safety procedure can be a gunner's mate's deadliest enemy.

"It is important to take your time and go through all your steps, whether you're operating the gun or performing maintenance," Cumings said. "If you don't, you can get yourself -- and your shipmates -- killed."

Technology has changed the face of naval training during the past two decades. For gunner's mates, computer literacy has become nearly as important as skill with a weapon.

"Gunner's mates do a lot more than just fire guns," said Kilpatrick, a 17-year Navy veteran. "It may not seem like a technical rating, but it is."

Battleship Iowa firing its guns on the starboard side. You can see it shoving the ship sideways thru the water. What power unleashed! For those who don't know about these guns (the 16 inchers) they can fire a shell weighing as much as a VW Beetle 30 miles thru the air with some accuracy. That is awesome! Of course, we no longer have these ships in our naval service. They have all been decommissioned and mothballed or disposed of in some other manner.

What They Do:

The duties performed by GMs include:
operating and maintaining guided missile launching systems, rocket launchers, gun mounts and other ordnance systems and equipment;

training and supervising crews in the use of all types of ordnance equipment, from large caliber guns and missile systems to small arms;

stowing, securing, requisitioning and reclassifying explosives:
operating and maintaining magazine flooding and sprinkling systems;

making mechanical, electrical and electronic casualty analysis using technical publications, circuit diagrams and blueprints;

repairing, maintaining, testing and calibrating ordnance equipment;
servicing hydraulic and pneumatic systems;

repairing, maintaining, testing and calibrating microprocessing equipment;
repairing damaged hydraulic sealing surfaces, mating areas and threads;

performing mechanical wire connections including soldering; operating and maintaining night optical devices;

operating optical scanning and marking devices to label, identify and report explosives' utilization/expenditure.

This 5"/62 caliber gun can be used to defend against ships or planes.

And this big ship has all the latest in weapons technology: Using the MK 41 Vertical Launching System, the ship's crew can launch up to 96 missiles, including Standard surface-to-air missiles, Tomahawk surface-to-surface missiles and VLA antisubmarine missiles--64 from the back of the ship or 32 from the front. USS Bulkeley is also equipped with two MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons Systems and a 5"/62 caliber deck-mounted gun, which uses Extended Range Guided Munitions projectiles and looks like a machine gun on steroids. According to one crewman, the 5"/62 is so powerful that once when it was fired from the front of the ship, he could feel his pant legs shaking, even though he was standing at the stern.

USS Bulkeley's MK 41 Vertical Launching System fires a combination of Standard surface-to-air and Tomahawk surface-to-surface missiles.

There's a story about John Paul Jones' chief gunners mate. It was during the gore and thunder of that most historic battle. He was loading and firing cannon and carrying the wounded to the medical officer, cutting away the tangled rigging. And apparently in the midst of that first fight, John Paul Jones went below momentarily and changed into a new uniform. And as he emerged on deck a voice rang out through the smoke and fire -- it was the British captain asking, ``Have you struck your colors?'' And the gunners mate, sweat and blood dripping from his body, turned and saw Jones now in his fresh uniform reply: ``I have not yet begun to fight.'' And the gunners mate said, ``There's always somebody who didn't get the word.''

The challenge is great. Our Navy is meeting a heavier responsibility than we had in the sixties and meeting it with fewer ships. And that means the officers and crew of every vessel must work harder, carry a heavier load, and endure longer, more strenuous cruises.

Men and women on these and other ships are under great stress, handling advanced weapons systems and sophisticated equipment. And that's all the more reason to salute them after setting a new record for aircraft safety last year. Many who served could easily have better paying civilian jobs. Sailors on the carriers are away from their families 70 percent of the time; yet 60 percent of these fine young people reenlist.

In today's Navy, as with the other services, the Reserves are playing an increasingly important role. Who are they? Citizens concerned about the future of this country and determined to do their part. They share their time, energy, and talent to keep America strong, safe, and free.

[MistyCA]

Good quote! Thanks for what you add here, Linda! :)

[MistyCA]

You guys are posting some fine eagles!!!

[Light Speed]

Did you start any mornings off with a Napalm Tan courtesy USMC Phantoms?.
Was watching some film footage of Khe Sanh....boy could they lay it down close when it counted.

[SpookBrat]

Oh babe...LOL...If you only knew. I wake up, make coffee and walk straight to the office. I'm ashamed. I see what's going on, then get to work. But I only work for 15 minutes, then take a 15 minute break, work again, break again...it's pitiful. LOL

The canteen is my life. I've got my husband, my two kids and the canteen. Pitiful I tell ya! Just pitiful!

[lodwick]

[MistyCA]

Thanks, Jen! That hit the spot! :)

[SAMWolf]

Never saw it close up, Thank God. But did get to see it from a distance.

Saw one B-52 strike, now that's impressive, even from a distance.

[MistyCA]

LOL! Morning, Race!

[Pippin]

I'm just kidding, Spook, I know he's not afraid of anything.

[Pippin]

Hi agian, Sam, I was only kidding! I know I didn't scare you.

[SpookBrat]

I know. LOL I was trying to play along.

[Jen]

Hi gang, check your freepmail.

[Pippin]

Ouch! Quit poking me with that stick! LOL

[Pippin]

I didn't get no Freepmail. Did you mean me? Or someone else?

[sleavelessinseattle]

Yo MORALE! Yeah, I got too much Starbucks Jungle juice in me and inadvertantly channeled some of Libertina's VOICE powers...I asked for eagles and...well...We got EAGLES, Mun! Have a good JUAN!

[Eastbound]

"I always thought Chicago was a good place to be FROM. "

Heh heh! Too bad you weren't there during the good old days. Many fond memories, in spite of hard times. There was a time when our chests would swell with pride when we were able to say, "I'm from Chicago!" No kidding. We would announce it as if we were royalty -- and invincible. Haha. Kids!

"Chicago, Chicago, Chicago is my home
My heart is in Chicago, whereever I may roam."

In memory of 3547 S. Wells Street -- and the 'hood.

[Pippin]

Tom, someone said they saw Beamer pull something out and buried it. It looked like a burka.

[Light Speed]

Ya...I should create a profile.
Do not have a scanner yet..might go to a grafic's firm and cut a photo of myself.
Am a Military historian/Genealogical researcher...
Its an exciting ride...I enjoy helping others connect with their families military histories..and honoring the legacy of many .
Presently am connecting with the men of 3rd Marine 3rd Battalion,Mike Co. Vietnam era..
Family member was a Gunny with Mike Co...stationed in Quang tri Prov 1965-67.

Ass Belongs to the Corp

[Jen]

Ruck Row. Check now.

[MistyCA]

Morning, Clara! :)