OI DIVISION
The following photos and text were taken from the 1966-68 Cruise book. Thanks to shipmate Lowell Didas for sending me the book.
OI Division is comprised of the ship's Radarmen and Electronics Technicians. Working together these men insure the ship's capability to collect and distribute information essential to assure the accomplishment of any assigned task.
While conducting Naval Gunfire Support and Sea Dragon Strikes MANSFIELD's RD's labored many hours assisting in the accurate delivery of 5 inch projectiles on to the enemy.
MANSFIELD's ET's have been kept busy maintaining all of the ship's electronics equipment at a peak of operational performance.
OC Division is composed of six ratings, the radiomen, signalmen, yeomen, personnelmen, postal clerk and hospital corpsmen.
The radiomen (RM) are responsible for all messages sent and received by electrical means such as radio, teletype and radio telephone. The RM's stand radio guard in all non-military ports such as Hong Kong B.C.C. and Hualein, Taiwan.
The signalmen (SM's) communicate by what may be called manual methods, i.e., flashing light and signal flags. On MANSFIELD they have adopted as their motto "Spray on the Signal Bridge, Green Water on the Conn, but the signal flags Keep Flying and the Lights Keep Flashing On". There is one thing you can say about the signalmen, when they are on watch everyone looks up to them.
The yeomen (YN's) are responsible for the maintenance of officer's records, publications, notices and instructions and the incoming and outgoing official mail. In this category they are responsible directly to the Executive Officer. The YN's are divided into several different offices, the Ship's Office, which is the central office, the Weapons Office, which handles all the official correspondence of the Weapons Department, the log room, which does the same for the Engineering Department and the operations yeoman, who handles the official correspondence for both the Operations Department and the Navigation Department.
The personnelmen handle enlisted records, personnel testing, enlisted orders.
The postal clerk is one of the best liked persons on the ship. The reason for this is rather simple, he is the man who brings on the mail. Stamps, as he is otherwise known, handles all the incoming and outgoing mail, sells stamps and postal money orders.
The hospital corpsmen are also important members of the crew of MANSFIELD. They are responsible for the good health of the crew, the cleanliness of the living spaces and mess decks.
First Division personnel (better know as "DeckApes") have the responsibility of the upkeep and maintenance of all deck machinery, ground tackle, riggings and the ship's motor whale boat. They also put in many long hours on the cleanliness and preservation of the top side spaces.
During MANSFIELD's two year deployment First Division has handled over 180 underway replenishments including taking on stores, refueling and rearming. Each of these replenishments has been a competition between the forward and after stations for the "rig--unrig" time. Each station has created impressive records.
During deployments to Vietnam, First Division personnel stand watches on the bridge as lookouts, helmsman, leehelmsman, and of course Boatswains Mate of the Watch. They also supply men for the gun mount crews.
Second Division is composed of two ratings on the MANSFIELD. These are the Gunners Mates and the Fire Control Technicians. It has been partly through the combined efforts of these two ratings that MANSFIELD has acquired the title of Top Gun in the West. They have compiled as enviable record as a fighting team.
The GM's are responsible for the upkeep and repair of MANSFIELD's three 5"/38 gun mounts, the operation of the VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) and the small arms locker.
The FT's take care of MANSFIELD's 5"/38 gun director, the gun computer, plotting room spaces and the TDS in Combat Information Center (CIC).
MANSFIELD's Third Division has the responsibility of maintaining and operation the ship's sonar and ASW weapons system. While MANSFIELD operated in Vietnam, the men of Third Division assumed the additional responsibility of manning the ship's 50 caliber machine guns and General Quarters lookouts on the bridge. On several Sea Dragon missions, when the ship was taken under fire from North Vietnamese coastal defense sites, the alert sonar watch detected under water explosions of detonating enemy projectiles. This detection enabled the ship to conduct prompt evasive maneuvering.
R Division comprises the ratings of Electrician's Mates (EM), I.C. Electrician (IC), Shipfitters (SF), Damage Controlman (DC), Machinist's Mates (MM), and Engineman (EN).
The Electrician's Mates maintain and repair power and lighting circuits, distribution switchboards, generators, and motors aboard ship.
The I.C. Electrician's Mates maintain and repair shipboard interior communications systems.
The Shipfitters use hand and machine tools for steel metalwork. they bend, repair and fit pipes for shipboard use.
The Damage Controlmen serve as technical assistants, instructors, and inspectors for fire prevention, fire fighting, damage control and atomic, biological, and chemical warfare. They also perform carpentry duties aboard ship.
Machinist's Mates are responsible for installing, operation, maintaining and repairing ship's steam propulsion and auxiliary equipment, outside machinery, and refridgeration and air conditioning equipment.
Last, but not least, the Enginemen operate, maintain, and repair internal combustion engines and auxiliaries.
Return to Photo Locker
Return to Mansfield Page