Chapter VI: Part III: Reports of Officers and Department Chiefs (1)

Notes on Handling the U. S. S. “Leviathan”

By CAPTAIN WILLIAM W. PHELPS, U. S. NAVY

The power to drive the Leviathan is distributed into turbines driving the four propellers. In the open sea the steam is distributed in what we call the high pressure cruising combination, whereby the turbines operate at their highest economy. But in this combination the engines cannot be thrown back instantly, so that in the open ocean in considering her safety and manœuvering, the rudder effect only can be relied upon. She must be considered as having no backing effect. For leaving port, entering port and manœuvering about the dock or about the anchorage, there is thrown in what is called the manœuvering combination. In this combination the highest speed the ship is capable of is sixteen knots ahead, and the combination permits steam to be thrown into the backing turbines. When there is little or no wind the ship steers very well. When it blows strong on the beam or on the quarter, the enormous area of the ship’s freeboard makes her act like a catboat, she wants to fly up into the wind. She requires a weather helm or to put it in modern language, a lee rudder. She will turn very quickly into the wind, but she will turn away from the wind only slowly and reluctantly. Consequently we always dislike going into New York or out of New York in a gale of wind, where the restricted channel requires prompt and accurate turning of the ship. Under normal conditions the manœuvering of the ship with her propellers, in spite of her great length of 954 feet, is all that can be desired.

NEW YORK HARBOR

Ambrose Channel is dredged to forty feet at low water. On the spring tides the low water may fall another foot, leaving but thirty-nine feet in the Ambrose Channel at low water. As the ship draws between thirty-nine and forty feet on arrival at New York, it is not safe to try to enter at any other stage of the tide than at high water. Owing to her great bulk it is improbable that any amount of tugs could dock the ship at Hoboken when the current is running in the North River, so for docking at Hoboken, the ship’s arrival must be timed so that she is off Hoboken at the slack water. As the slack water at Hoboken is after the slack water in Ambrose Channel, we enter Ambrose Channel then at high water and carry slackwater all the way up the channel and dock at Hoboken on the high water slack tide. On sailing from Hoboken she is undocking on the low water slack tide, so as to arrive in Ambrose Channel at the next high water. The deep draft of the ship on leaving New York, namely, forty-one feet ten inches, requires that in leaving New York Harbor and as far as the Narrows, the ship must seek what might be called the prehistoric gorge of the Hudson River. There are many places between Hoboken and the Narrows even in what ordinarily would be called the navigable fairway, that are so shallow that the _Leviathan_ would go aground. This prehistoric gorge is accurately known to Captain William S. McLaughlin, Master Pilot of the New York-Sandy Hook Pilots, who always pilots the _Leviathan_ out and in.

DOCKING AND UNDOCKING

In docking the _Leviathan_ there is no particular trick that must be known, but on undocking her it must be so timed that while on the New Jersey side at Hoboken the water is dead slack, the flood on the New York side has just begun to make. This helps the operation in two ways. First, by getting her away from the dock before the flood current begins to press her against the dock, and second when she backs out, the beginning of the flood current on the New York side assists to turn her stern upstream and operates to point her correctly. In leaving New York for sea, the ship must be manœuvered over to the New York side, the deepest water being on the New York side. In midstream and on the New Jersey side, between Hoboken and the Statue of Liberty, there is not enough water to float the _Leviathan_. In docking and undocking we need from fourteen to sixteen tugs. Abnormal conditions can be expected in the winter months. Upstate freshets and northerly gales sometimes operate to kill the flood current off Hoboken and to cause a continuing ebb current. Such a condition has happened, making it impossible to point the ship correctly downstream, and it has been necessary to yield to the elements and to permit her to turn the ship. There is always an apprehension in entering and leaving New York Harbor lest merchant vessels carelessly anchor themselves in the _Leviathan’s_ fairway. Such a condition adds difficulties to the piloting of the ship.

Like most passenger vessels she is designed to have a slow and easy roll, which means that she has not a great margin of stability. In entering New York, bringing troops homeward, it is necessary to keep the troops in control and evenly distributed, because in their excitement and happiness, they tend to rush from one side to another on the passing of every cheering ferryboat, heeling over even this great ship. When this ship heels over, owing to her great beam, and to her box-like dead-flat section, it materially increases her already great draft. Large ballast tanks with suitable pumps are provided for the purpose of counteracting the tendency of the ship to heel over, but in spite of this, at sea she lies over to the breeze, and in entering New York she is very sensitive to the movement of troops about the deck.

In mooring to the buoy in Brest Harbor, it is an advantage to arrive at slack water; she must be brought to the buoy with her momentum entirely gone, for her great weight of sixty-nine thousand tons, if moving when the buoy is correctly placed, would make it impossible for the mooring party to handle the great heavy links of four-inch chain, and to connect the mooring shackle.

_Drydocking the U. S. S. “Leviathan” in Gladstone Dock, Liverpool, England_

By LIEUT. A. W. MINUSE, U. S. N. R. F.

Drydocking a ship in a graving dock means placing the ship in a dock or basin at the entrance of which is a gate or caisson, accurately centering the ship over a system of blocks or beds, previously prepared according to plans and then pumping the water out of the dock.

When a ship is designed the Naval Architect always prepares a docking plan showing in detail just how to prepare these beds so that the ship will rest evenly without straining her in any way. Ordinarily, docking a ship up to 32,000 or 33,000 tons is not much of a problem, nor does it involve much of a risk, but on larger ships with all the necessary data known, those connected with the docking always feel easier when they see the ship setting safely on the blocks.

To give some idea of the size of the _Leviathan_ consider our latest, biggest and most powerful battleship, the _New Mexico_. She weighs 32,000 tons. The _Leviathan_ weighed or displaced at the time of docking more than twice this, or approximately 66,000 tons.

We had no docking plans nor plans of any description showing her form or construction. The Germans had either destroyed or removed all her plans. This was the problem we were confronted with in January, 1918, when it was decided to dock the ship in Liverpool for the necessary cleaning and painting of her body under water, and doing other necessary work, including a clump on her forefoot for towing the paravanes, or mine-sweeping device.

THE LIVERPOOL DRYDOCK

The Gladstone Dock in Liverpool was the only drydock in the world at the time that would take the Leviathan. The entire development of this dock, which included a tidal basin, was not completed when the war broke out, so the tidal basin was abandoned and one of a pair of docks was finished up and a long channel dredged to the River Mersey.

The ship drew so much that we could not enter the dock except at the spring tides, or in other words, only about two days out of a month would permit us to enter the dock, provided the wind did not cut the tide too much.

The next thing was to decide on how to prepare the beds of the drydock to receive the ship. An examination of her bottom was necessary. Divers were sent down and they reported that she had neither docking nor bilge keels, and that her keel plate consisted of a plate of about 2 inches thick by 3 feet wide.

In converting the ship from a passenger to a troop ship, we naturally became familiar with every detail of her construction. With this knowledge of her construction and due consideration being given to the location of the heavy weights, etc., it was decided to place the main bed under the third intercostal, this bed running from frames 220 to 101, or a distance of 358 feet amidships. The spacing of these blocks was 6 feet, or every other frame space. The center of these blocks was 25½ feet from the center line of the ship.

In addition to the center line bed, which is placed underneath the keel, and the two main beds, one port and one starboard, which is placed under the third intercostal, an outer bed, consisting of four sets of five blocks each, space 6 feet centers, was placed under the fore and aft coal bunker bulkhead, at the intersection of the thwartship bulkheads.

The fore and aft center of these blocks came at frame 199, 174, 151 and 126. Blocks of the outer bed were staggered with those of the inner bed. This outer bed was 35 feet from the center of the ship. At the fore and aft ends of the ship where the dead-rise is considerable, an inner bed a few inches from the center of the ship for a distance of 60 feet was prepared, 12 feet 6 inches forward, and 13 feet 9 inches aft.

After deciding the location of these beds, the next step was to get some idea of how to prepare them, so that they would conform to the shape of the ship. Preparing the center line bed was of course easier, as it was known that the keel of the ship was a straight line.

The forward end of the center line bed consisted of a solid line of blocks for a distance of 104 feet, and the after end of a solid line of blocks for 144 feet, where exceptionally heavy weights would be carried. The balance of the blocks was spaced every 15 inch centers, except in the way of water-tight bulkheads. Under these bulkheads the blocks were filled in solid for 7 blocks. On each side of these, two spaces were omitted and then filled in solid for 5 blocks. Reference to the docking plans will show the spacing of these blocks.

BLOCKS AND BEDS

An idea of the blocks used in building the beds can be had by referring to the photograph. They consisted of 3 cast steel wedges, which, when placed upon each other, were about 3 feet high, 15 inches wide at the bottom, and 3 feet 6 inches long. On top of these steel wedges was placed a hardwood block 12 inches square and 4 feet long, and on top of the hardwood blocks was placed a soft wood cap 12 inches wide by 4 inches thick by 4 feet long.

To prepare the main, inner and outer beds, it was necessary to have some idea of the form of the ship. By opening up the water-tight doors in the fireroom we were able to get a base line 300 feet long. Every other double bottom tank was pumped out and offsets taken at the fore and aft ends of these tanks, in way of the main, inner and outer beds. The taking of these offsets was greatly facilitated by the fact that the double bottom was found to be flat in both the fore and aft thwartships direction. Buttocks were run through these offsets. While these buttocks faired up very well, it was realized that the measurements would not be accurate enough for the actual preparation of the beds; therefore they were prepared to within 4 inches of these measurements.

Several hundred wedges of varying thicknesses were made ready in advance, and after the ship was placed on the center line blocks, the space between the main and outer beds and the ship’s bottom was packed with the wedges by divers.

The Gladstone Dock was prepared according to the above description, carefully checked and measured, and then flooded to about 10 feet, so that no one could tamper with it. After the dock was prepared, we had to wait several days for a spring tide, and also to dredge out a shifting shoal at the entrance of the channel leading to the dock.

The first tide that the ship could enter the dock was at 11:50 A. M., January 14, 1918. She was brought to as even a keel as possible, which was 35 feet 9 inches forward and 37 feet 6 inches aft. This was accomplished by filling the forward tanks and emptying the after tanks and placing about 1,400 tons of coal in her reserve and forward bunkers. This was the nearest to an even keel that we had ever had the ship up to this time in the light condition. I might mention here that in this condition the ship is extremely tender, and that Lieut. Watts of the Engineering Department, displayed great diligence and good judgment in keeping her perfectly upright, while setting her on the blocks.

ENTERING THE DOCK

On January 14, 1918, the ship proceeded down the Mersey River to the entrance of the dock, but the wind was too high to attempt making the entrance, and we had to return to Princess Landing. On the 15th conditions were much better but none too favorable. However, as it was the last day of the spring tide we had to make the attempt. The spring tides are about 21 feet, and the current is very swift, so we had less than an hour in which to enter the dock and close the caisson.

The entrance was very narrow, so that tugs were of little assistance and she had to go in under her own power. It was a fine piece of seamanship and was successfully accomplished without damage to either the ship or the dock. The handling of the ship in the long entrance channel to the dock was done by the Senior Captain of the Cunard Line on shore. We were all greatly shocked about two weeks later to learn of his death, due to a channel steamer being torpedoed on its return from France, where he had been called on an important conference. It was the loss of such fine men through the treacherous German submarines that brought home to us more than ever our solemn duty to beat the Germans at all costs.

On the 16th everything was ready for setting her on the center line blocks. The weather conditions were ideal; the wind was on the stern and the ship was on an even keel. The stern touched the blocks and she settled at 3:55 P. M.

Previous to setting the ship on the blocks 12 sighting battons were erected along the level of “B” deck from stem to stem, so that if the ship was strained in any way it could be readily noted. A piano wire was also stretched from side to side at the top of the thwartships coal bunkers amidships and connected to a spring balance, so that any opening up effect, due to the divers not properly packing the main beds, would immediately show.

As soon as the stern touched the blocks the top row of side shores were set up commencing from aft. These shores were spaced every 5 frames, or about 15 feet centers. Altogether there were three rows of these side shores. The water was then lowered to a depth of 32 feet and the water maintained at this depth while the divers packed the main, inner and outer beds. As soon as possible after the water reached 32 feet, the water in all the tanks was pumped out with the exception of the feed tanks and No. 23 and 24 fresh water service tanks. The stem and side anchors were lowered and the pig iron in No. 17 tank, amounting to about 473 tons, was removed.

The water was maintained in the dock at 32 feet, because at this depth the ship was just resting nicely on the center line blocks and would not compress the soft wood caps. We did not want any unnecessary weight on the center line blocks until the divers had finished their work on the main and outer beds, so that when the dock was finally pumped out, the ship would imbed itself in the soft wood capping at a uniform depth. This worked out exceptionally well, and was remarkably uniform on all beds, amounting to about 2 inches at the end of the third day. On the third day the spring balance on the piano wire registered less than an ounce difference. The sighting battons showed that she had settled amidships about 1⅜ inches. After floating she returned to ⅛ inch of the original condition. This I believe to be the natural hog of the ship.

The undocking of the ship was somewhat unusual in that 7,800 tons of coal were placed aboard while she was in dry dock, 1,400 tons while the dock was absolutely dry and the balance of the coal, with from 35 to 37 feet of water in the dock. This was not sufficient to float the ship, and she still rested upon the docking beds. Immediately before letting in the water, all the bilge and hanging shores, and shores under, the stem and stern that would in any way injure the ship should she take a sudden list, or any undue change of trim, were removed. These shores were removed at about 15 minute intervals, so that the ship could adjust itself and any undue settling could be noticed. During this operation men were stationed at the sighting battons and the piano wire. Water was then admitted as quickly as possible to 35 feet and maintained at this level while additional coal was put aboard from barges admitted to the dock at low tide. This was a rather trying ordeal, but was successfully accomplished in 5 days.

Arrangements had been made to leave the dock on February 11th. It was therefore decided to float her on the 10th, and an estimate was made of the coal on board and such tanks as were necessary to bring her to an even trim and even keel, were filled. She floated at 1:20 on the 10th with 38 feet 11 inches draft aft, 39 feet 6 inches draft forward, and less than ½° list to starboard.

I cannot speak too highly of the hearty co-operation received from the ship’s officers and crew, especially Naval Constructor J. H. Jack, U. S. N. This applies not only to the docking of the ship, but to her conversion from a passenger ship to a transport. No duty was too strenuous or hours too long, and during the conversion the living quarters on the ship were not of the best. They were continually shifted from one part of the ship to the other, even the meals were of a makeshift character and at times irregular. Every man seemed to realize what we were up against and that we must make good. Everyone pulling together, accomplishment was made possible.

The conversion of the ship to a transport speaks volumes for the Navy Department organization and more particularly for the New York Navy Yard, under whose direct supervision the work was undertaken.

The ship was so big that she could not be taken to a shipyard, nor transferred to the Navy Yard. The task had to be undertaken where she lay at her piers in Hoboken and the New York Navy Yard organization was elastic enough and active enough to carry on the work outside the Navy Yard.

_The Bridge_

W. J.

General conditions on the bridge were good. Instruments had deteriorated somewhat, owing to the long stay in port and not being used.

All signal flags and navigation instruments, including the three chronometers which comprised part of her equipment were removed. The ship was equipped with two master gyroscopic compasses installed on “G” deck and seven repeaters for use on the bridge in steering and taking bearings; these were all found to be more or less in need of repairs and after days of hard and tedious work on the part of Lieut. W. H. F. Schluter and his well organized staff they were put in fine condition and have been kept in this manner constantly even though he has had to add pieces of lead to each master gyro to maintain a level. Being of German manufacture, no spare parts could be obtained during the war, but whenever they were needed Lieutenant Schluter proved to be the “man of the hour.” The gyros were only one of his many troubles for, being electrical officer, there were numerous other duties about the ship. There were a great many German charts left on board but the ship was equipped by the Bureau of Navigation with American charts before leaving port. The steering gears and all the telegraphs were changed to English speaking. The deep-sea sounding machines are still in commission after a great amount of usage, and the motors attached to them for heaving in the lead are still in good working order. The patent log for measuring distance is the “Forbes,” an English patent. Loudspeaking telephones reached to all the principal parts of the ship, and are very much used. A fire-alarm indicator is placed in the wheelhouse and is set at fifteen-minute intervals. This indicator has pipes leading to all holds through which the smoke from any fire in a hold would be drawn and can be seen in the wheelhouse when the alarm goes off. A steam hose can be connected to the pipe and the fire smothered. There is a control for operating water-tight doors and a diagram showing location of each door; upon this diagram an electric light burns when each door is closed, showing the officer of the deck whether the control works properly.

The big 44-inch searchlight on the foremast is controlled very readily from the bridge by a small lever; the fog bell is rung and all whistles are blown by an electrical attachment. The master electric clock is on the bridge and gives the time to 550 repeaters situated throughout the ship. These clocks required a great amount of painstaking labor to be put into good condition and demand constant care and supervision. During the alterations in which first class staterooms were ripped out to make troop quarters, the wiring system to the clocks was torn out by the workmen as well as everything else which happened to be in their path.

As mentioned previously the ship’s chronometers, three in number, were missing. These were afterwards found by the Secret Service in a nautical school in New York City. The commanding officer had to send them to the Naval Observatory at Washington, D. C. This was done with great reluctance as they were of the finest type and a good chronometer is a very valuable and much used article aboard a ship. Others were sent to replace them. The bridge and signal bridge were altered for transport purposes. The fire control and range finder stations being built on the signal bridge, and the fine bright finish of the wood was changed to the more popular color at that time—the war gray. Otherwise the _Leviathan_ remains the _Vaterland_, as when she was in the merchant service—a German transport in disguise.

_The Deck Force_

F. C. W.

When the _Leviathan_ was taken over by the Navy, the chief difficulty that presented itself was the scarcity of men available for the deck force. Only a few of the crew that had been assigned to the ship had ever been to sea. A few—gun crews, for the most part—had had some experience, but not enough to qualify them as seamen. This was partly due to their short terms of service.

As a result, the brunt of the work fell upon the shoulders of a few experienced petty officers, who fortunately had been assigned to the ship. These men worked day and night in a supreme effort to organize their crews and create a working machine. For the first few days they did everything from scrubbing the decks to exploring the double bottoms. There was no distinction between the rated men and the seamen in this line of work.

The size of the ship added to the confusion. It was impossible to keep a detail together for more than a minute and a half. It was easy for an entire working party to get lost between decks. It was easier for some to get lost than others. Finally, it was decided that the only way to keep a working party together was to hang a bell around the neck of the petty officer in charge. This scheme worked well until two working parties met, when it was necessary to call in a traffic cop to get them separated.

Because of their unfamiliarity with the ship, details were apt to deliver sacks of “spuds” to the Commander’s cabin, and stationery to the blacksmith shop. This situation was relieved by the appointment of guides to conduct the working parties around.

The parts of the ship allotted to the deck division (at that time we could only boast of one), were in rather good shape, considering the time the ship had been laid up. The weather decks were littered up like an old woman’s backyard after a hard day’s washing, but most of the truck was movable. Boats were piled across the hatches and all over the decks, making it impossible to get around. Boxes, stores and cordage were everywhere.

The process of making the ship habitable was accomplished by a mere handful of men, most of the division being assigned to various details for work in other compartments.

After the work of cleaning up had been completed, attention was turned to the rigging. The running rigging was in bad shape and it was found necessary to refit all of the davits that were rigged with manila rope. The booms were also refitted with new whips and guys. Requisitions for wire and manila lines were made right and left and all of the rigging was overhauled.

Of the 72 boats on board, 26 were equipped with friction winches and needed no power for rigging out and loading. The power for hoisting was furnished by electric motors, each one operating two or more winches. These winches were given a thorough overhauling and found to be in excellent condition. The boat falls, which were of special laid wire, were then unrove and tested. Only two of the entire number needed attention. At that time we had no serviceable wire, and it was a case of a few well-made long splices.

The ground tackle on the ship was all that could be desired. Of the three Hall type anchors, the largest, or stem anchor, weighed a little more than twelve tons. The other two, port and starboard, tipped the scales at eleven tons. These little trinkets were the only articles on board considered safe from souvenir hunters. For the information of landsmen, the “anchor watch” has no connection with the anchor itself, but is merely the men on watch as Officer of the Deck’s night messengers while the ship is at anchor.

The stem anchor was fitted with a 4-inch stud link chain, 150 fathoms in length. The port and starboard anchors had chains of 164 and 150 fathoms, respectively. The chains for the latter were three and three-eighths inches in diameter, the size of a chain being measured by the diameter of the material of which the links are formed.

The anchor engines were of corresponding size, and could be connected with the capstans on deck. In addition to them, there were seven more engines for capstans in all parts of the ship. In consequence, mooring the ship to a dock was not the hard task that it usually is.

The stern anchor and chain had apparently been left in Hamburg. The hawse pipe aft, and the stern chain locker were utilized for the handling and stowage of the heavy manila hawsers.

Most of the manila hawsers on board had to be replaced. Natural decay or possibly a small application of acid had so weakened the lines that they had a tendency to break at the most inopportune moments. The wire hawsers, however, were in A-1 condition, and up until the present time, have never been replaced.

But the work of fitting out was not all that had to be done. Men must be fed; and it seemed, from the accumulation of provisions on the dock, that we were being depended upon for the entire job of feeding the A. E. F. Truckload after truckload of stores was piled on the dock, and hoisted aboard, day after day. We soon learned that one trip with 10,000 red blooded men aboard involved the consumption of almost everything we had been piling into the ship’s storerooms and refrigerators. Besides food, there were general stores to be handled, including everything from safety pins to dishwashing machines. Every department was working overtime to get things ship-shape, and the deck force most of all.

At last it was rumored that we were about to make our maiden trip under the American flag. This was followed by a speeding up in all departments. It received final substantiation when military equipment and stores began to arrive. The time had come for a real test.

We had a chance to test our booms when a five-ton truck showed up as a part of the equipment to be loaded. The booms were of three-ton capacity and it was necessary to strengthen the lifts and rig a purchase in lieu of the single whip. It was taken aboard without mishap.

Just before leaving all boat-falls were given a final test. Every boat was rigged out and lowered to within a few feet of the water. A party of sixty-five men then clambered in and the boat was hoisted and lowered ten feet or more. This party was used for all of the boats, which were found to be in satisfactory condition. A few boats not on davits were hoisted overboard and tested for watertightness.

One morning in the fall of 1917 we slipped away. There were many conjectures as to our destination, one opinion being that we were bound for Panama for a last overhauling in dry dock. It developed that we were taking 1,500 marines to Guantanamo.

Upon our arrival in Cuba, we discharged all equipment and turned our attention to the boats once more. The boat officers were given their first lesson in the handling of the boat winches, and some of the men were given their first experience in a boat under oars.

Back again to Hoboken—more handling of stores and provisions. The Marines, although few in number, had managed to put quite a hole in our store of provisions. But the worst was yet to come. Orders sending the ship to France came, and with them 7,500 soldiers.

We had one piece of luck in getting off. While the crews of other transports had been compelled to sit and watch civilian stevedores put their stores aboard, the crew of the _Leviathan_ were allowed to handle everything going aboard the ship themselves. There were no restrictions whatever, permission even being given to work night and day at the job. All of the equipment handled by the civilian stevedores belonging to the army. The crew handled all of the naval equipment aboard, including Liberty motors, aeroplanes and S. P. boats.

Liverpool had the honor of receiving us on our first and second voyages. Here we went into dry dock for final repairs, and here we had our first experience coaling ship in drydock. Coaling was carried on from cars running along the dock and also from small lighters or flats in the dock itself. The lighters were emptied and taken away only at certain stages of the tide. There was always a chance of the ship floating during one of these manœuvers, and the work of bringing loaded lighters into the dock and sending the emptied ones out required quick action and plenty of it. The notorious punctuality of time and tide is especially noticeable in the Liverpool drydock, and we worked at all hours of the day and night to keep in step.

The bottom of the ship was given a new coat of paint, and we left for Hoboken and more troops. On our second voyage to Liverpool our paravanes were installed, adding a little to the work, but contributing a good deal to our sense of security. Once more, for the benefit of the landsman: The paravanes, or PVs, are contrivances fitted to the bow of the ship, as a protection against mines, so constructed that they will automatically pick up the moorings of a mine and cut it adrift.

Beginning with our third trip, we worked on an express train schedule. Everything depended upon speed. Our cargoes increased at the same time. In addition to all kinds of army equipment, we frequently carried aeroplanes, boats for overseas duty, and on one trip a large mooring buoy. In order to load them on board, additional changes had to be made in the rigging, purchases and guys of the booms. Even the weather decks were utilized for the transportation of cargo for the naval forces overseas.

At the present writing the good old ship is still on the job—bringing them back. The machine is running as smoothly as the ship’s engines, and instead of having a few inexperienced men in the deck force, we have an organization, built from almost nothing, that can compete with anything in the navy.

_Embarkation and Debarkation of Troops_

W. S. A.

This is a brief description of how the _Leviathan’s_ human cargo was loaded and unloaded. The plan had been followed from the beginning with slight changes made by experience in carrying troops over before the armistice and carrying them back afterwards.

The ship’s troop capacity began at 6,800 and on the 13th voyage it was approximately 12,000. Throughout the war it averaged about 10,000. In addition, officers’ space has varied between 400 and 600.

Throughout the war, carrying troops east, five gangways were employed on G-deck forward, to fill forward compartments; C-deck and F-decks amidships, to fill amidship compartments; E-deck and G-deck gangways aft to fill after compartments.

On each gangway, the compartment farthest away and lowest was filled and so on to the gangway compartment. In no case did troops crowd through a filled compartment.

It was early realized that loading the ship with troops was a Navy function and was treated as such. The organization at each of the five gangways was: one naval officer in charge and assisted by one chief petty officer and fifteen men. Wherever Army officers were available one was detailed to assist the Naval officer.

Prior to embarkation on each voyage, the ship’s embarkation officer made an assignment of all troops the ship was to carry, so organizations would not be split up but located in the same part of the ship to facilitate work. Often this was a problem on account of the arrival of trains or ferries and the size of organizations carried. Also, troop compartments had an arbitrary number of bunks in them, based on the amount which could be put in and not upon the number in military organizations. By planning we were able to get a complete regiment amidships, one aft, and a battalion forward, then filling in smaller units up to capacity.

Generally a battalion, or approximately 1,000 men, came to the ship a day in advance of embarkation for the guard and mess details. The next day the balance of the troops arrived. When the guard was not posted before embarkation, the troops were all over decks, superstructure, and masts, resulting in much unnecessary confusion.

Embarkation usually began about 8 o’clock or 9 o’clock in the morning, although on one occasion it began as early as 5:30 A. M. Organizations marched on the dock, both upper and lower levels, the Army checkers checked the individual soldier’s names upon the passenger lists and the soldier would receive a billet ticket which showed his compartment, bunk number, deck space, abandon ship station, safety rules, etc. Then the column would move over the gangway and the prescribed routes to the compartment. Each of the five columns were led by a Naval guide, and other Naval guides were posted along the route and seven or eight Navy men in the compartment, to direct the columns to the proper bunks and put the soldiers in the bunks called for by the billet tickets. The numbering in compartments generally began in the forward starboard corner and ended in the after port corner. Later on, the bunks in the amidship compartments were renumbered so that a column of troops could be directed up a passageway and men could get into the bunks on both sides of it.

RULES OBSERVED

A company officer would go into the compartment being filled and assist the Navy detail; troops got into their bunks as soon as found, and stayed there until embarkation over that gangway was completed. No smoking was allowed in compartments. Without strict adherence to these rules, embarkation was hindered. Generally it was possible to take troops aboard nearly as fast as they arrived on the dock and many times the dock would be emptied before the next organizations would arrive. The troop mess hall on F-deck was used as a reservoir to hold over 1,000 troops marching in a serpentine line which proceeded into the compartments being filled. The Naval officer in charge of the gangway circulated from the gangway over the route into the compartment and saw that all went smoothly. The embarkation officer moved around all gangways into compartments being filled and upon the deck, generally overseeing and directing embarkation.

The Navy men for the forward gangway were from the first division, midship gangways from the third division and the other gangways from the fourth division. With the inborn aptitude of the American youth, they soon became experts in embarking and made short work of filling compartments. There was little change in the details during the entire war period. The men took real pride in their work. Embarkation of 10,000 troops, each soldier into his own numbered bunk, could not have been effected in a period of six to eight hours, if it had not been for the zeal and ardor and intelligence which the men put into their work.

Whenever a bunk was found which could not be used and compartments were checked over before embarkation, the ticket was taken up from the soldier and another secured at the gangway so the man could occupy a bunk in the vicinity of his company.

Relations between the ship’s officers concerned with embarking and the army officers of the port of embarkation staff were harmonious and co-operation grew as trips increased. On some occasions the ship’s officers went to the army camps, gave talks and distributed ship’s pamphlets in advance of embarkation which were of assistance in embarking and getting the army settled on board.

On these war time embarkations, one noted the eagerness with which the troops came aboard to get to the scene of war. On one occasion a number of colored troops went up E-deck gangway, which had an angle of nearly forty-five degrees, upon their hands and knees for safety’s sake. This caused great laughter.

Only on one or two embarkations were there any substantial delays, as trains and ferries generally arrived on schedule. Once an entire regiment was fitted up with two pairs of trench shoes upon the upper level of the dock. During the influenza epidemic in the fall of 1918 taking the temperatures of all troops slowed up embarkation.

DEBARKATIONS

During the war, debarkation on the first two trips to Liverpool was simply to march the troops over the G-deck forward, F-deck amidships, and G-deck after gangways on the landing stage in reverse order of embarkation, where they mustered by organizations and entrained. On the third trip to Liverpool, in November, 1918, the _Leviathan_ ran her nose into the Mersey mud off the Gladstone dock in a heavy fog. The tide ebbed and the ship began to list. All the Mersey ferry boats were commandeered and the 8,000 troops were debarked on them from F-deck gangway amidships and G-deck gangway aft, in three hours. Gangways to the ferries in several cases were at an angle of sixty degrees. Debarkation was rushed to lighten the ship, and she was backed off on the rising tide that evening under her own power.

At Brest, during the war, a different plan was followed. Coaling began soon after the ship was moored. G-deck gangways aft, port and starboard sides, were the only gangways available to debark troops onto lighters. B-deck and the troop mess hall were used as debarking mustering stations. Organizations moved to them from their compartments, according to prearranged plan, as it was essential to send the troops ashore by organizations. B-deck held about 1,800 men with their packs and the mess hall about 1,200. When assembled, they moved to lighters lying at the after gangway. These held at first according to size, from 600 to 2,200 men and they were packed tight. Their capacity was reduced on later voyages.

The troops cheered the old _Leviathan_ as their lighters drew away, and our men responded. The _Leviathan_ carried many organizations which later paid heavy toll of casualties in battles.

When the armistice was signed and the westbound tide set in, it required considerable work to reverse the procedure of embarking at Brest and debarking at Hoboken. The entire embarkation was over G-deck gangway for all compartments up to the thirteenth voyage, as it proceeded during coaling.

The procedure of filling compartments was the same, but it was necessary to unload lighters quickly and get them away so the line of troops to compartments was extended to fill A-deck, B-deck, D-deck forward and aft, from whence the line of troops fed down into the compartments.

From 1,100 to 2,200 sick and wounded were embarked at the same time as the other troops, this was done under supervision of the medical officer, assisted by the hospital corps. The casuals were taken to sick bay or E-deck compartments especially set aside for them.

Debarkation at Hoboken was the quick and happy event following the reception the ship received coming up the harbor. G-deck forward, C and F-decks amidships, and G-deck after gangways are used. The troops march out on them in reverse order of embarking. Units muster on the dock according to their organizations. Briefly, the procedure resembles pouring liquid out of three different pitchers, just the reverse of filling the compartments upon embarkation. The debarkation of troops was completed in about three hours.

The dock was always a lively place with throngs of reporters and welfare workers present with refreshments and smokes for the boys. The canine mascots generally got aboard unobserved, but in debarkation they proceed with their proud masters down the gangways and are admired as returning heroes by those upon the dock. Many of the dogs were “prisoners of war,” having come over to the American trenches from the enemy.

Such, briefly, is the story of the loading and unloading of the _Leviathan’s_ human cargo. The doughboys have bravely done their part in winning the war. We of the _Leviathan_ have had the happy and important duty of getting them over safely and bringing them back home.

_Abandon Ship Drill_

E. E.

Abandon ship drill is the most important drill on board ship as the saving of the lives of all would depend upon the degree of perfection, organization, and speed of execution. It is easily seen that a ship the size of the _Leviathan_ by reason of her water-tight doors would not sink for several hours after a torpedo attack or after striking a mine; thus the great danger to be avoided is the panic attendant upon such a contingency. The end to be attained is the conducting of all the troops in an orderly and expeditious manner to the weather decks where, equipped with life jackets and canteens, they can climb over the side on sea ladders rigged for the purpose and reach the rafts and boats already lowered into the water.

The abandon ship organization requires the second in army command to be in charge of the troop movement. He has as his assistants thirty-five captains as troop compartment officers—they are the senior officers in each troop compartment—and seventy lieutenants, the junior compartment officers. As a special abandon ship detail there are twelve majors acting as abandon ship mustering station officers and twenty-four captains and lieutenants acting as assistants to these officers.

The abandon ship mustering stations are distributed over the ship and include all available space on the weather decks except such space as is necessary to the lowering of boats or to the actual navigation of the ship. The routing of the troops to these stations is worked out on the principle that all watertight doors will be closed as soon as abandon ship signal sounds. The capacity of these stations is limited to a minimum of three cubic feet of deck space per man, giving also due consideration to the disposition of the ship’s boats.

During the war the first abandon ship drill was held prior to the sailing of the ship. All men aboard were obliged to keep their life jackets within reach at all times. For the first three drills the troops were sent below to their compartments at the call “assembly” on the bugles so they would become familiar with their abandon ship route. After the first three drills, troops already up on deck proceeded directly to their mustering stations.

Troops were not required to wear their life jackets when hostilities ceased, but when abandon ship drill was held they were sent below to assemble in their compartments, put on their life jackets, and then at the abandon ship call proceed over the abandon ship route to their mustering stations to stand by for further orders or until “secure” is sounded.

The plan followed throughout the ship called for the emptying of the lowest compartment first. Other compartments using the same abandon ship route stand fast until the troops in the lowest compartment have filed past.

It was found that by this drill all compartments could be emptied and all troops assembled at their abandon ship mustering stations within fifteen minutes of the sounding of the abandon ship signal, or within one half hour of the blowing of the “assembly” which sends the troops to their compartments.

_The Gunnery Department_

GUNNERY OFFICERS

Creed H. Boucher, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, August 3, 1917; detached,
April 20, 1918.
Arnold H. Bateman, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, April 20, 1918; detached,
October 27, 1918.
Charles K. Osborne, Lieut. Comdr., U.S.N.; assigned, October 27, 1918;
detached, April 3, 1919.

ASSISTANT GUNNERY OFFICERS

William E. Malloy, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, October 8, 1917.

(Lieut. Malloy was detached as assistant Gunnery Officer in order to take over the duties of First Lieutenant of the ship.)

SHIP’S GUNNERS

Arthur B. Dorsey, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, July 30, 1917; detached,
January 22, 1919.
John T. Swift, Lieut., U.S.N.; assigned, January 22, 1919; detached,
March 6, 1919.
James F. Williams, Gunner, U.S.N.; assigned, January 20, 1919.

(Gunner Williams served on board as a Chief Gunner’s Mate from August, 1917, until he was made Gunner in January, 1919.)

Lieut. Boucher, Lieut. Malloy and Lieut. Dorsey, were the officers in charge of the installation of the battery, fire control system, etc., the training of gun crews and lookouts, and in fact all the numerous details required to have the ship in readiness for sea and action when she cleared the net in New York Harbor. Great credit is due these officers and the men of their department for the excellent manner in which this work was carried out. Much credit is also due the officers and men who succeeded them for the excellent manner in which they maintained the high standard of efficiency that had been set for them.

There were also six Chief Gunner’s Mates and seven gunner’s mates of lower ratings attached to the ship during her voyages across the Atlantic.

No technical discussion of ordnance and gunnery will be attempted in these pages, just a general description of guns, fire control systems, etc., and their method of operation.

ARMAMENT AND EQUIPMENT

The armament and equipment of the _Leviathan_ consisted of the following:

8—6-inch 50-Cal. guns Mk. VIII.
2—1-Pdr. guns, Mk. VIII.
2—“Y”-Guns for throwing depth charges.
2—Colt Machine Guns.
1—Lewis Machine Gun.
150—.30-Cal. Springfield Rifles.
75—.45-Cal. Colt Automatic Pistols.
1—Large Bausch and Lomb 12-Ft. Range Finder.
2—Small Barr and Stroud 1-meter Range Finders.
1—Ford Range Keeper.

The six-inch guns were installed on October 5, 1917—four aft and four forward. The distance between the forward and after guns was about seven hundred feet, which is a greater distance than the entire length of any battleship we have in commission.

The work of installation was carried on by ordnance men from the New York Navy Yard, assisted by the ship’s gunnery department.

Splendid co-ordination existed at all times between the Navy Yard people and the ship’s force which helped materially to expedite the work. Considerable effort and labor were required to get the ship in readiness to receive the guns, mounts, etc. Gun foundations and gun platforms had to be built; blast bulkheads erected in proper places so as to protect one gun from the fire of the other; certain portions of the deck were extended in order to give the after guns a greater arc of train. Lines of communication, voice tubes and telephones, had to be run from all guns to fire control and spotting stations; and salvo bells and buzzers installed. All of this work was completed in record time and gave excellent results throughout the war.

Foundation and mount tests were held on November 20, 1917, on our trial trip to Guantanamo, when three shots were fired from each six-inch gun. These tests proved satisfactory in every respect.

The 1-pdr. guns were not installed until September 28, 1918. These guns were mounted on the port and starboard sides of C-deck amidships. They also proved satisfactory when fired for tests on September 30, 1918. Lieutenant Boucher originally made a request for four 1-pdr. guns and also two anti-aircraft guns, but only the two 1-pdr. guns were allowed this ship.

DEPTH CHARGES

The original depth charge outfit of this vessel consisted of the earlier type of depth charges, containing only fifty-two pounds of TNT as an explosive. We were allowed ten of the charges and a chute was rigged over the stern for launching them.

On July 27, 1918, two “Y” guns were installed which throw a charge of TNT weighing 300 pounds. These were tested out by filling four large paint drums with wet sand, to bring them up to the required weight, and firing them from the “Y” guns. The cans landed approximately 200 feet from the ship, our extra high freeboard causing them to travel farther than if fired from the deck of a torpedo boat.

We never had the opportunity of trying our depth charges on a real submarine. A ship of this size would have to be extremely lucky to manœuvre so as to be in a position to drop a depth charge on a submarine.

The “Y”-guns were removed December 30, 1918, after the armistice had been signed.

MACHINE GUNS

The two Colt machine guns were mounted forward on C-deck gallery, abaft No. 3 and No. 4 guns, and the Lewis machine gun aft by the depth charge station. The primary object of the machine guns was for sinking floating mines. The crews were kept in practice by firing at driftwood, floating boxes, fish, etc. The 1-pdr. crews also engaged in this kind of practice.

RANGE FINDERS

The range finders were mounted on the forward superstructure just abaft and above the signal bridge. The large range finder being mounted on a specially constructed stand amidships between the port and starboard fire control stations, and at a height of 124 feet above the water-line. Both control stations were always within easy means of communication with this range finder by means of voice tubes. The two small range-finders were mounted on platforms—one on the outside of each fire control station.