Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 6, 1943                      August 7, 1943                      

 0500 - General Quarters. 3 & 4 inch 0500 - General Quarters. 3 & 4 inch 
 guns firing circuits checked, guns  guns firing circuit checked. Guns & 
 and sights trained through their    sights moved through their full arc.
 full arc. All working properly.     Working properly. Range set at 2000 
 Secured at range of 2000 yards.     yards.                              
 0600 - Secured from General Qtrs.   0600 - Secured from General Quarters
 0700 - Reveille.                    0700 - Reveille.                    
 0720 - Breakfast.                   0720 - Breakfast.                   
 0830 - Muster. Daily inspection of  0900 - Muster. Daily inspection of  
 magazines. Temperatures, small arms magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms 
 63-67, 4 inch 65-68, 3 inch 60-64.  63-65, 4 inch 65-68, 3 inch 60-63.  
 1120 - Dinner.                      0910 - Section two drilled at four  
 1300 - Fire and boat drill all      inch gun.                           
 hands.                              1000 - Section one drilled at four  
 1315 - Battle station drill. 20MM   inch gun.                           
 loaders and tension men drilled.    1120 - Dinner.                      
 1345 - Drill with 3 inch gun crew   1700 - Supper.                      
 and antiaircraft fire control.      2130 - General Quarters. 3 & 4 inch 
 1415 - Secured from drill.          guns lighting and firing circuits   
 1700 - Supper.                      checked. Lights working properly.   
 2015 - General Quarters. 3 & 4 inch Ground wire disconnected on 3 inch  
 guns lighting and firing circuits   gun. 4 inch working properly. Guns &
 checked, guns & sights moved        sights moved through entire arc.    
 through their full arc. All working Range of 800 yards set for night.   
 properly. Secured at a range of 800 2210 - Secured from General Qtrs.   
 yards. Blackout checked and         Condition three watch maintained    
 reported complete.                  throughout the 24 hours. Number 8   
 2115 - Secured from General Qtrs.   20 MM taken down and cleaned. Number
 2400 - Clocks advanced one hour.    6 20 MM taken down and cleaned.     
 Condition three watch maintained                                        
 throughout 24 hours.                                                    
                                                                         

 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 8, 1943                      August 9, 1943                      

 0515 - General Quarters. Guns were  0530 - General Quarters. 3 & 4 inch 
 trained and elevated through full   guns firing circuits checked, guns &
 arc. Sights moved through full arc. sights trained & elevated through   
 Firing circuits checked. Working    their full arcs. Reported working   
 properly. Range of 2000 yards set   properly. Range of 2000 yards set   
 on 3 and 4 inch guns.               for day.                            
 0615 - Secured General Quarters.    0700 - Reveille.                    
 0700 - Reveille.                    0720 - Breakfast.                   
 0720 Breakfast.                     0900 - Muster. Section two drill on 
 0900 - Muster. Daily inspection of  4 inch gun.                         
 magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms 0930 - Section three drill on 4 inch
 65-70, 4 inch 62-67, 3 inch 55-60.  gun.                                
 1000 - Two illuminating rockets     1100 - Daily inspection of magazines
 fired. Numbers 7 & 8 20MM's fired   Temperatures, Small Arms 67-67, 4   
 with barrels from 20 MM guns        inch 64-68, 3 inch 56-60.           
 numbers 2,3,4, and 5.               1120 - Dinner.                      
 1045 - Guns secured, taken down and 1700 - Supper.                      
 cleaned.                            2100 - Enemy submarines reported in 
 1120 - Dinner.                      vicinity. General Quarters. Guns    
 1700 - Supper.                      firing and lighting circuits        
 1730 - Fuzes set on anti-aircraft   checked, guns & sights trained and  
 projectiles, labels placed on each. elevated through full arcs. Reported
 Merchant Marines fuze setter drill. working properly.                   
 2130 - General Quarters. 3 & 4 inch 2300 - General Quarters secured.    
 guns firing circuits & lights       Condition two watch set.            
 checked. Guns and sights trained &  2400 - Clocks advanced one hour.    
 elevated through their full arcs.                                       
 Reported working properly. Range of                                     
 800 yards set for night.                                                
 2400 - Clocks advanced one hour.                                        
 Condition three watch maintained                                        
 throughout the 24 hours.                                                
                                                                         


 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 10, 1943                     August 11, 1943                     

 0530 - General Quarters. Guns       0500 - General Quarters. Guns       
 firing circuits checked, guns and   firing circuits checked, guns and   
 sights trained & elevated through   sights trained and elevated through 
 their full arcs. Range of 2000      their full arcs. Reported working   
 yards set for the day.              properly. Range of 2000 yards set   
 0630 - General Quarters secured,    for day.                            
 condition three watch set.          0600 - General Quarters secured.    
 0700 - Reveille.                    0700 - Reveille.                    
 0720 - Breakfast.                   0720 - Breakfast.                   
 1120 - Dinner.                      1120 - Dinner.                      
 1300 - Fire and boat alarm. All     1300 - Muster.                      
 hands to their respective stations. 1330 - Daily inspection of magazines
 Battle station alarm. All hands to  Temperatures, Small arms 63-65, 4   
 battle station. Merchant Marine     inch 68-72, 3 inch 63-65. 4 inch and
 crew drilled in their duties. Two   Small Arms magazines opened for     
 cases of 20 MM ammunition brought   airing.                             
 from magazine. Merchant Marine      1430 - Magazines closed and locked. 
 party greased and loaded empty      3 inch magazine opened for airing.  
 magazines. All hands secured as     1500 - 3 inch magazine secured.     
 drill completed.                    1700 - Supper.                      
 1400 - All hands secured.           2200 - General Quarters. Guns firing
 1430 - Daily inspection of          circuits and lights checked, guns & 
 magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms sights trained and elevated through 
 65-68, 4 inch 66-70, 3 inch 56-62.  their full arcs. Range of 800 yards 
 1700 - Supper.                      set. Reported working properly.     
 2200 - General Quarters. Guns       2245 - General Quarters secured.    
 firing & lighting circuits checked, 2400 - Clocks advanced 1 hour. Land 
 guns & sights trained & elevated    at 1400. Running lights during hours
 through their full arcs. Reported   of darkness. Condition three watch  
 working properly. Range of 800      maintained throughout the day.      
 yards set.                                                              
 2300 - General Quarters secured.                                        
 Condition three watch maintained                                        
 from 0630 to 2400.                                                      
                                                                         


 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 12, 1943                     August 13, 1943                     

 0700 - Reveille.                    0700 - Reveille.                    
 0720 - Breakfast.                   0730 - Breakfast.                   
 0900 - Muster.                      0900 - Muster. Port instructions    
 0915 - Section 2 & Section 4 class  stressed. Liberty to be granted from
 in Morse code.                      0930 until 2400 alternate days for  
 0930 - Section 3 class in Morse     each watch section.                 
 code.                               0915 - Daily inspection of magazines
 1000 - Daily inspection of          Temperatures, Small arms 65-68, 4   
 magazines. Small arms 64-70, 4 inch inch 66-68, 3 inch 60-68.           
 68-73, 3 inch 58-70. Litmus test    0930 - Inspection of quarters and   
 satisfactory.                       security of gear, found to be       
 1120 - Dinner.                      satisfactory. Morse code exam all   
 1300 - 20 MM guns cleaned and       seaman 1/C.                         
 secured for port.                   1130 - Dinner.                      
 1700 - Supper.                      1300 - Crew paid.                   
 1800 - Pilot aboard. Condition 3    1630 - Dinner.                      
 secured, gun watch posted.          Gangway and roving watch maintained 
 1900 - U.S. Naval Liaison Officer   throughout the day.                 
 representative aboard. Port orders                                      
 received. Instruction for Armed                                         
 Guard Crew published. Gangway and                                       
 roving watch constructed.                                               
 2230 - Docked. Gangway and roving                                       
 watch posted. Gear secured and                                          
 locked. Ready boxes and flood                                           
 valves locked.                                                          
                                                                         

 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 14, 1943                     August 15, 1943                     

 0700 - Reveille.                    0700 - Reveille.                    
 0730 - Breakfast.                   0900 - Muster.                      
 0900 - Muster. Bowerman, GM 3/C not 0915 - Inspection of quarters and   
 present.                            daily inspection of magazines.      
 1200 - Thomas R. Bowerman 604 79 36 Temperatures, small arms 67-70, 4   
 GM 3/C USNR. Restricted one (1) day inch 68-72, 3 inch 68-68. T.Bowerman
 of shore liberty as penalty for     assigned to shore patrol duty.      
 absence from muster.                K. Stockwell S1/C bruised right foot
 2400 - Clocks retarded one hour.    while on deck.                      
 Daily inspection of magazines.                                          
 Temperatures, small arms 67-70, 4                                       
 inch 60-70, 3 inch 58-68. G. Hazuka                                     
 GM 3/C assigned to shore patrol                                         
 duty.                                                                   
                                                                         

 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 16, 1943                     August 17, 1943                     

 0700 - Reveille.                    0715 - Reveille.                    
 0900 - Muster.                      0900 - Muster.                      
 0915 - Daily inspection of quarters 0930 - Daily inspection of quarters 
 and magazines. Temperatures, small  and magazines. Temperatures, small  
 arms 66-70, 4 inch 67-70, 3 inch    arms 67-72, 4 inch 69-72, 3 inch    
 66-68. Guns inspected and barrels   64-66. Gangway and roving watch     
 wiped out. Gangway and roving       maintained throughout the day.      
 watch maintained. P. Archung                                            
 Coxswain assigned to shore patrol                                       
 duty.                                                                   


                                                                         
 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 18, 1943                     August 19, 1943                     

 0715 - Reveille.                    0715 - Reveille.                    
 0900 - Muster.                      0900 - Muster.                      
 0915 - Daily inspection of quarters 0915 - Daily inspection of quarters 
 and magazines. Temperatures, small  and magazines. Temperatures, small  
 arms 65-70, 4 inch 67-70, 3 inch    arms 65-70, 4 inch 67-70, 3 inch    
 68-72. G. Hazuka assigned to shore  62-66. T. Bowerman GM 3/C assigned  
 patrol. Gangway and roving watch    to shore patrol duty. Gangway and   
 maintained throughout the day.      roving watch maintained throughout  
                                     the day.                            
                                                                         
                                                                         
 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 20, 1943                     August 21, 1943                     

 0715 - Reveille.                    0715 - Reveille.                    
 0900 - Muster.                      0900 - Muster.                      
 0915 - Daily inspection of quarters 0915 - Daily inspection of quarters 
 and magazines. Temperatures, small  and magazines. Temperatures, small  
 arms 62-70, 4 inch 62-69, 3 inch    arms 64-72, 4 inch 64-70, 3 inch    
 60-68.                              62-70. Gangway and roving watch     
 1030 - Flight Lieutenant Twining    maintained throughout the day.      
 aboard with party of RAF officers                                       
 and ratings for inspection of ship                                      
 and armament. P. Archung, Coxswain                                      
 assigned to shore patrol duty.                                          
 Gangway and roving watch maintained                                     
 throughout the day. Crew paid.                                          


                                                                         
 Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner      

 Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding      Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
 August 22, 1943                     August 23, 1943                     

 0715 - Reveille.                    0700 - Reveille.                    
 0900 - Muster.                      0830 - Muster.                      
 0930 - Daily inspection of quarters 0845 - Lt.(jg) C. Sawyer, P. Archung
 and magazines. Temperatures, Small  Coxswain, A. Morgan, S1/c, K. Stock-
 Arms 65-75, 4 inch 68-75, 3 inch    well, S1/c, V. Clark, S1/c, C.      
 64-74.                              Chittum, S1/c, J. Meyers, S1/c, and 
 1500 - Investigator for U.S. Army   Merchant personnel, A. Esposito,    
 aboard to check loss of a can of    G. Goldberg, H. Smith, H. Suggs,    
 fruit on the dock. R. Miller, Sea1c A. Westflagg, Mohamed Badowy, ashore
 USNR stated M.P. had brought an     for two day course at D.E.M.S. AA   
 unlabeled can to the gangway during School. Liberty cancelled until     
 his watch, and had asked him to set return of class.                    
 it on the deck for him and that he  1700 - Liberty granted.             
 would get it at 2400 when he was    1730 - Daily inspection of quarters 
 off duty. G. Hazuka, GM 3/c         and magazines. Temperatures, Small  
 assigned to shore patrol duty.      Arms 60-70, 4 inch 64-68, 3 inch    
 Gangway and roving watch maintained 58-66. T. Bowerman, GM 3/c assigned 
 throughout the day.                 to shore patrol duty.