The General Quarters Drill

[rangerrebew]

The General Quarters Drill
October 21, 2020 Guest Author   Leave a comment

 

By David Poyer

The bonging went on and on, echoing the length of the ship. The boatswain leaned to the 1MC. “Now general quarters, general quarters, all hands man your battle stations. General quarters traffic route, up and forward to starboard; aft and down to port. Set material condition Zebra throughout the ship. Now general quarters!”

            The pilothouse burst into a frenzied bustle. Watchstanders grabbed for GQ gear, bowing to tuck and tape the cuffs of coveralls into socks. They pulled heavy padded flash gear, hoods and gloves—standard issue since USS Horn’s nuclear destruction not far from these waters—on over the coveralls, leaving only eyes peering out. They strapped gas masks rigged for quick donning on their thighs. Petty officers broke out sound-powered phones, in case comms went down. They passed out the same heavy steel helmets the Navy had issued in World War II, and banged open lockers of flotation devices and emergency breathing gea

http://cimsec.org/the-general-quarters-drill/46300

[AL]

As a rated Bosun I learned everything I knew from an E-9 Chief Bosun.  He taught me how to pipe and pass the word.  I was taught to never start out with "Now".  According to him that came from the knee deep navy (Coast Guard) and he didn't want to ever hear that from any of his bridge watch bosuns.

Mess Gear.  Mess Gear.  Early dinner for cooks, mess cooks, and steward's.  Mess Gear.
Sweepers. Sweepers.  Start your brooms.  Give this a ship a sweep down fore and aft.  Dump all trash clear of the stern.
General Quarters.  General Quarter.  Set Condition 1ASW.  General Quarters.
Side Boy's assemble on the Quarterdeck...    Admiral Soandso Arriving.
Reveille.  Reveille.  All hands heave to and trice up.  Smoking lamp lit in all berthing spaces.  Reveille.

Loved standing bridge watch at sea.