World War II Navy Documents
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner
Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
August 24, 1943 August 25, 1943
0700 - Reveille. 0700 - Reveille.
0830 - Muster. 0900 - Muster. Liberty to expire at
0845 - Party for AA school ashore. 2400. Starboard 20MM stripped and
Liberty cancelled. cleaned.
1000 - Reported breaking of elevat- 0930 - Daily inspection of quarters
ing stop of No. 7 20MM to US Naval and magazines, Temperatures, Small
Liaison Officer. Arms 62-70, 4 inch 64-68, 3 inch
1700 - Liberty granted. 60-70.
1730 - Daily inspection of 1000 - K. Stockwell 622-88-99 S1/c
magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms USNR sent to USN Liaison Officer for
60-68, 4 inch 62-66, 3 inch 60-68. medical attention, and right foot
P. Archung Coxswain, assigned shore not properly healed. G. Hazuka GM3/c
patrol duty. Gangway and roving 642-14-12 sent to USN Liaison
watch maintained throughout the Officer for medical attention for
day. itching rash spotted on arms & legs.
Gangway and roving watches maintain-
ed 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 26, 1943 August 27, 1943
0400 - Away from dock and anchored 0700 - Reveille.
in the Mersey. Gun watch set. 0715 - Departure.
0700 - Reveille. 0730 - Breakfast.
0730 - Breakfast. 0900 - Muster. Life jackets inspect-
0900 - Muster. Gear broken out and ed.
distributed. Phones checked. Port 1100 - Physical Drill.
20MM's cleaned and checked. 1130 - Dinner.
1130 - Dinner. 1200 - Daily inspection of magazines
1200 - Daily inspection of quarters Temperatures, Small Arms 65-73, 4
and magazines. Temperatures, Small inch 68-73, 3 inch 62-69.
Arms 58-70, 4 inch 59-70, 3 inch 1300 - Fire drill, boat drill and
56-69. battle stations drill. 20MM crew's
1630 - Supper. drill.
2200 - Taps. 1325 - Drill secured.
1630 - Supper.
1800 - Condition 3 watch set. Gun
watch secured.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Charles Sumner
Charles L. Sawyer - Commanding Charles Sumner - Liberty - 7176 Tons
August 28, 1943 August 29, 1943
0715 - Reveille. 0545 - General quarters. Guns and
0730 - Breakfast. sights trained and elevated through
0900 - Muster. their full arcs. Firing circuits
1100 - Physical drill. checked. Range of 2000 yards set on
1130 - Dinner. sights.
1600 - Daily inspection of 0645 - General quarters secured.
magazines. Temperatures, Small arms 0715 - Reveille.
66-72, 4 inch 70-75, 3 inch 64-70. 0730 - Breakfast.
1700 - Supper. 1130 - Dinner.
2100 - General quarters. 3 and 4 1330 - Muster. Articles one through
inch guns trained and elevated eighteen of the Articles for the
through their full arcs, lights and Government of the United States Navy
firing circuits checked. Sights set read to crew.
at a range of 1000 yards. Black out 1400 - Drill with 4 inch gun crew.
reported complete. 1430 - Drill with 3 inch gun crew.
2200 - General quarters secured. 1500 - Daily inspection of magazines
Condition 3 watch maintained Temperatures, Small Arms 62-64, 4
throughout the 24 hours. inch 64-66, 3 inch 62-62.
1630 - Physical drill.
1700 - Supper.
2115 - General quarters. Guns train-
ed and elevated through full arcs.
Lights and firing circuits checked.
All reported in good working order.
Lights checked. Range of 800 yards
set for the night. Blackout reported
complete.
2230 - General quarters secured.
2400 - Clocks retarded one hour.
Condition 3 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 30, 1943 August 31, 1943
0515 - General quarters. Guns and 0530 - General quarters. Guns
sights trained and elevated through trained and elevated through their
full arcs, firing circuits checked. full arcs. Firing circuits checked,
Reported working properly. Range of reported in good working order.
2000 yards set on both guns. Range of 2000 yards set on sights.
0715 - Reveille. 0615 - General quarters secured.
0730 - Breakfast. 0715 - Reveille.
0900 - Muster. Articles 19 through 0730 - Breakfast.
41 of the Articles for the Govern- 1130 - Dinner.
ment of the United States Navy read 1300 - Daily inspection of magazines
to the crew. Temperatures, Small Arms 62-64, 4
0930 - Pointer, trainer and sight- inch 63-65, 3 inch 58-62.
setter drill on 4 inch gun. 1700 - Supper.
1000 - Pointer, trainer and sight- 2115 - General quarters. Guns and
setter drill on the 3 inch gun. sights trained and elevated through
1130 - Dinner. their full arcs. Reported working
1300 - Daily inspection of properly. Lighting and firing
magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms circuits checked. Range of 800 yards
62-64, 4 inch 65-67, 3 inch 60-62. set for the night. Blackout reported
1700 - Supper. complete. Extremely rough day. Some
2045 - General Quarters. Guns and water on deck of small arms magazine
sights trained and elevated through 2400 - Clocks retarded one hour.
full arcs. Lighting and firing Condition three watch maintained
circuits checked. Reported in throughout 24 hours.
proper order. Blackout reported
complete.
2130 - General quarters secured.
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
September 1, 1943 September 2, 1943
0445 - General Quarters. Guns and 0515 - General Quarters. Guns
sights trained and elevated trained and elevated throughout
throughout their full arc. Firing their full arcs. Firing circuits
circuits checked and reported in checked. Reported working properly.
good working order. Range of 2000 0600 - General quarters secured.
yards set on sights. 0715 - Reveille.
0545 - General quarters secured. 0730 - Breakfast.
0715 - Reveille. 0900 - Muster.
0730 - Breakfast. 1000 - Three (3) inch AA projectiles
1130 - Dinner. found in ready box started from
1300 - Muster. Article 42 through their case. Due to roll of ship.
70 of "The Articles for the Govern- Wood strips placed in ready box as a
ment of the United States Navy" preventive.
read to the crew. 1100 - Physical drill.
1400 - Daily inspection of 1130 - Dinner.
magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms 1300 - Daily inspection of magazines
58-60, 4 inch 62-64, 3 inch 60-60. Temperatures, Small Arms 60-62, 4
1700 - Supper. inch 62-64, 3 inch 58-60.
2030 - General quarters. Guns and 1700 - Supper.
sights trained and elevated through 2045 - General quarters. Guns and
their full arcs. Lighting & firing sights trained and elevated through
circuits checked. Reported working their full arcs. Lights and firing
properly. Blackout reported circuits checked. Reported working
complete. properly. Blackout reported complete
2130 - General quarters secured. Range of 800 yards set for night.
Condition three watch maintained 2145 - Secured from general quarters
throughout 24 hours. 2400 - Clocks retarded 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
September 3, 1943 September 4, 1943
0500 - General Quarters. Guns and 0530 - General quarters. Guns and
sights trained and elevated through sights trained and elevated through
their full arcs. Firing circuits their full arcs. Firing circuits
checked. Reported in good working checked. Reported working properly.
order. 0630 - Secured from general quarters
0615 - General quarters secured. 0715 - Reveille.
0715 - Reveille. 0730 - Breakfast.
0730 - Breakfast. 1130 - Dinner.
0900 - Muster. 1230 - Muster. T. Bowerman reported
0930 - Daily inspection of H. Foster, S1/c completed his 48
magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms hours of extra duty.
60-62, 4 inch 60-64, 3 inch 58-62. 1630 - Physical drill.
1100 - Physical drill. 1805 - Left convoy and set course
1130 - Dinner. for St. Johns, Newfoundland. Boiler
1300 - General alarm. Battle trouble cause of change in destina-
stations drill. Loading drill on 3 tion.
and 4 inch guns. Loading drill on 2030 - General quarters. Guns and
20 MM guns. sights trained and elevated through
1310 - Secured from battle stations their full arcs. Lights and firing
and fire stations manned. circuits tested. Reported in good
1320 - Secured from fire stations working order. Blackout reported
and Abandon ship stations manned. complete.
1330 - Drill secured. 2130 - General quarters secured.
1700 - Supper. Condition three watch maintained
2000 - General quarters. Guns and throughout the 24 hours. Magazine
sights trained and elevated through temperatures, Small Arms 60-60, 4
their full arcs. Lights & firing inch 60-62, 3 inch 58-60.
circuits checked. Reported in good
working order. Blackout reported
complete.
2100 - Secured from general
quarters. 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
September 5, 1943 September 6, 1943
0445 - General Quarters. Guns and 0715 - Reveille.
sights trained and elevated through 0730 - Breakfast.
their full arcs. Firing circuits 0900 - Muster. Inspection of
checked. All working properly. quarters and magazines. Temperatures
0715 - Reveille. Small Arms 62-67, 4 inch 60-68, 3
0730 - Breakfast. inch 56-60.
0900 - Muster. Daily inspection of 1100 - Physical drill.
magazines. Temperatures, Small Arms 1130 - Dinner.
60-62, 4 inch 58-62, 3 inch 56-60. 1200 - Liberty granted.
1100 - Physical drill. 1630 - Dinner.
1130 - Dinner. 1730 - P. Archung ashore for shore
1700 - Supper. patrol duty.
At anchor in St. Johns. Radio 2330 - Word received from U.S. Naval
silence broken at noon to call for Shore Patrol that Ralph Seth, S1/c
tugs. We were disabled at harbor 753-02-82 USNR and Horace Foster,
entrance. Clocks advanced 30 S1/c 351-06-64 USN had been turned
minutes. Condition three watch over to them by Civil authorities
secured and gun watches set. Navy for safe keeping. To appear in city
gear checked and locked up. court St. Johns, Newfoundland
September 7, 1943 on charges of
being drunk and disorderly. Gun
watches maintained throughout the
24 hours.
Return to Fireclay Menu
Go to Navy Documents Part d
Back to Chapter Twenty-Two