Engineer Port Repair Ship

Part 1

Chapter 12,943 wordsPublic domain

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Italic text is denoted _thus_. Bold text is denoted =thus=.

_WAR DEPARTMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL TM 5-362_

ENGINEER PORT REPAIR SHIP

_WAR DEPARTMENT . OCTOBER 1944_

=RESTRICTED.= _DISSEMINATION OF RESTRICTED MATTER._—The information contained in restricted documents and the essential characteristics of restricted material may be given to any person known to be in the service of the United States and to persons of undoubted loyalty and discretion who are cooperating in Government work, but will not be communicated to the public or to the press except by authorized military public relations agencies. (See also par. 23_b_, AR 380-5, 15 Mar 1944.)

_United States Government Printing Office Washington: 1944_

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON 25, D. C., 31 October 1944.

TM 5-362, Engineer Port Repair Ship, is published for the information and guidance of all concerned.

[A.G. 300.7 (13 Sep 44).]

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:

G. C. MARSHALL, _Chief of Staff_.

OFFICIAL:

J. A. ULIO, _Major General, The Adjutant General_.

DISTRIBUTION:

As prescribed in paragraph 9a, FM 21-6:

Armies (10); Corps (10); SvC (10); Depts (10); IB 5 (10); IBn 5 (5); IC 5 (20) (10), 55 (2); T of Opn (CG) (10); T of Opn (Engr) (25).

IB 5: T/O 5-510S.

IBn 5: T/O 5-535S.

IC 5 (20): T/O 5-500, Engr Sv Orgn—Engr Port Rep Ship Crew NC; Engr Port Rep Ship Crew NF.

IC 5 (10): T/O 5-52.

IC 55: T/O 55-47; 55-110-1; 55-116; 55-117; 55-177.

Distribution to European Theater of Operation will not be made.

For explanation of symbols, see FM 21-6.

CONTENTS

_Paragraph_ _Page_

SECTION I. GENERAL.

Purpose and scope 1 1

Mission 2 1

Relationship to other units 3 1

II. ORGANIZATION AND DUTIES OF PERSONNEL.

Organization 4 4

Duties of personnel 5 4

Ship maintenance and repair 6 4

III. SHIP SPECIFICATIONS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES.

Ship specifications 7 6

Equipment for ship operation 8 8

Supplies for ship operation 9 19

Equipment for performing mission 10 19

Supplies for performing mission 11 32

IV. TRAINING OF SHIP’S CREW.

Individual training 12 34

Shipboard training 13 38

V. OPERATIONS.

Condition of captured ports 14 40

Operations of port repair ship in a captured port 15 41

RESTRICTED

SECTION I

GENERAL

=1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE.= This manual is a general reference on engineer port repair ship crew units. It covers their mission, organization, equipment, training, and operations. It stresses the use of the ships and describes their equipment.

2. MISSION.

=a.= Engineer port repair ship crews are military units organized to assist in the opening and rehabilitation of captured ports. They operate from engineer port repair ships which are ocean-going steam or Diesel-powered vessels. (See fig. 1 and sec. III for the ships’ specifications.)

=b.= In performing this mission, a port repair ship crew might be required to assist in removing obstructions and debris from harbor entrances, harbors, docks, and areas alongside wharves, quays, and piers; repair underwater structures; make and repair parts for damaged port facilities and equipment; and salvage cargos and small craft. Large salvage operations are a naval function and are handled by the Navy’s salvage ships.

3. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER UNITS.

=a. Port construction and repair groups.= The engineer port repair ship operates as the offshore arm of the port construction and repair group (FM 5-5) and is under the group commander’s authority.

(1) The group’s mission is to return captured ports to operating condition. It repairs such port facilities as power and water-supply plants, communications, wharves, docks, warehouses, and cargo-handling equipment. (See fig. 2.)

(2) Usually, the engineer port repair ship is the first large vessel to enter the port; it carries in supplies and equipment to help the port group start its work. Some of this equipment such as portable generators, pneumatic drills, paving breakers, hammers, and saws, may be put ashore and used by the group’s personnel. In addition, the facilities of the various shops on the ship are used for making or repairing parts for damaged port machinery and equipment.

=b. Transportation Corps.= After the harbor has been cleared, the engineer port repair ship may be called on to assist harbor craft units of the Transportation Corps in heavy towing or cargo-handling operations.

=c. Navy.= Naval minesweepers precede the engineer port repair ship into the harbor, clear the harbor of mines, and report dangerous areas to the engineer port repair ship.

SECTION II

ORGANIZATION AND DUTIES OF PERSONNEL

4. ORGANIZATION.

The engineer port repair ship crew is composed of specialists. The classifications include master mechanic, electrician, boatswain, diver, radio operator, Diesel mechanic, welder, blacksmith, cook, and able-bodied seaman. The crew consists of commissioned officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men. (See fig. 3.)

5. DUTIES OF PERSONNEL.

=a. General.= Members of the crew are assigned to one of four sections: deck, engine, operating, or headquarters. However, all personnel must be trained to assist in performing tasks besides those specifically assigned. For instance, additional deckhands may be needed in bad weather or in making fast to a wharf, or extra riggers may be required to move heavy materials or load or unload equipment or supplies.

=b. Ship’s master.= The ship’s master is responsible for everything done by his ship and crew. He must be a technical specialist as well as a military leader. His principal responsibilities are:

(1) Safe navigation and efficient handling of his ship at all times.

(2) Direction of operations in carrying out the ship’s mission.

(3) The condition and appearance of his ship.

(4) Administrative duties and the discipline and morale of his crew.

=c. Deck section.= Crew members of the deck section are primarily responsible for:

(1) Sea-detail duties specified by the deck officer.

(2) Outward appearance of the ship. This includes painting, rust prevention, and general ship-shape condition.

(3) Handling lines in mooring and docking.

(4) Navigation of the ship.

(5) Weighing or dropping anchor.

=d. Engine section.= The engine section operates, maintains, and repairs the ship’s main and auxiliary engines, compressors, pumps, generators, motors, and electrical systems.

=e. Operating section.= The personnel of the operating section are under the supervision of the salvage officer and are responsible for:

(1) All diving operations, including underwater inspections, construction, repairs, and demolitions.

(2) Operation and maintenance of machine, welding, blacksmith, pipe, and carpenter shops.

(3) Clearing harbor areas of debris and obstructions and restoring navigational aids.

=f. Headquarters section.= This section is responsible for general administrative, housekeeping, and radio-communication duties aboard ship. These duties include operation and supply of the ship’s galley and cold-storage compartments, and supply and storage of all food, silverware, clothing, and linens.

=g. Attached armed guard.= A Navy gun crew operates and maintains the ship’s antiaircraft (AA) armament. (See par 7e.) Each member of the gun crew takes his turn at standing watch.

6. SHIP MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.

The ship’s crew is responsible for maintenance of the vessel, its engines, and all machinery, within the limits of the vessel’s tools and spare parts and the ability of the crew. Higher echelons of maintenance, including routine overhauls, are requested through higher authority. As a guide to maintenance required of the ship’s crew, all personnel will familiarize themselves with chapter 4, “Keeping Shipshape,” FM 55-130.

[1] See T/O & E 5-500

+-----------------+ +----------------+ | COMMANDING | | ATTACHED NAVAL | | OFFICER |->| ARMED GUARD[2] | | (SHIP’S MASTER) | | ENSIGN | +--------+--------+ | GUNNERS | | | SIGNALMEN | | +----------------+ | +---------------+--------------+ | | | +------------+------------+ | +-----------+-------------+ | DECK SECTION | | | ENGINE SECTION | | · FIRST MATE | | | · CHIEF ENGINEER | | · SECOND MATE | | | · FIRST ASS’T ENGINEER | | · THIRD MATE | | | · SEC’ND ASS’T ENGINEER | | · BOATSWAIN | | | · THIRD ASS’T ENGINEER | | · SHIP’S CARPENTER | | | · MARINE FIREMEN | | · QUARTERMASTER | | | (STEAM VESSEL) | | · SEAMEN | | | · MARINE OILERS | +-------------------------+ | | (DIESEL VESSEL) | | +-------------------------+ | +------------------+--------------+ | | +---------+---------------+ +-----------+-------------+ | OPERATING SECTION | | H’DQ’T’RS SECTION | | · SALVAGE OFFICER | | ADMINISTRATION | | · CHIEF DIVER | | · FIRST SERGEANT | | · MASTER MECHANIC | | · CLERK | | · FOREMAN, MACHINE SHOP | | · ORDERLY | | · DIVERS | | · RADIO OPERATORS | | · DIVERS’ TENDERS | | MEDICAL | | · BLACKSMITH | | · SERGEANT | | · ELECTRIC MOTOR | | MESS & SUPPLY | | REPAIRMAN | | · MESS SERGEANT | | · MECHANICS | | · COOKS | | · DIESEL MECHANIC | | · BAKER | | · RIGGER | | · COOK’S HELPER | | · PIPEFITTER | | · ASSISTANT STEWARDS | | · MACHINISTS | +-------------------------+ | · WELDERS | | · TOOLROOM KEEPER | | · DEMOLITION SPECIALIST | +-------------------------+

[2] The naval armed guard is attached only when the ship is in convoy or in an extremely active theater of operations

_Figure 3. Organization chart of engineer port repair ship crew showing functional setup of ship’s personnel._]

SECTION III

SHIP SPECIFICATIONS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES

7. SHIP SPECIFICATIONS.

=a. General external characteristics.= An engineer port repair ship is similar in external appearance to the average sea-going commercial cargo carrier. Two ready means of identification are the cathead on the ship’s prow and the number and arrangement of the cargo booms. These features are discussed in detail in paragraph 10. (See figs. 4 and 5.) The ship’s superstructure begins at the mainmast and continues aft to the stern. Forward of the superstructure are the two masts, the three hatches, and the forecastle deck.

=b. Principal dimensions and capacities.=

(1) For principal dimensions and capacities see table I and figure 6.

(2) For location and capacities of fuel-oil, fresh-water, and salt-water tanks, see table II and figure 7.

_Table I. Principal dimensions of engineer port repair ship_

==================================================== Principal Dimensions ---------------------------------------------------- Length over-all 291 feet, 1 inch. Length between perpendiculars 255 feet, 0 inches. Breadth, molded 42 feet, 6 inches. Depth, molded 25 feet, 3 inches. Gross tonnage 2,483.70 Net tonnage[3] 1,577.15 ---------------------------------------------------- Weights and Volumes Used ---------------------------------------------------- 1 ton 2,240 pounds. 1 ton fresh water 36 cubic feet. 1 ton salt water 35 cubic feet. 1 ton Diesel oil 41.98 cubic feet. ----------------------------------------------------

[3] Net tonnage is gross tonnage less deductions for space occupied by main engines, crew’s quarters, etc. It indicates approximate cargo capacity of the ship.

_Table II. Capacities of Diesel-oil, fresh-water, and salt-water tanks_

================================================================= Capacities of Tanks ----------------------------+--------+-----+--------------------- | | | Tons Compartments | Frames |Cubic+------+--------+----- | |feet |Diesel| Fresh |Salt | | | oil | water |water ----------------------------+--------+-----+------+--------+----- Double-bottomed tank No 1, | | | | | P[4] | 79-106 |2,798| 66.6 | | Double-bottomed tank No 1, | | | | | S[4] | 79-106 |2,752| 65.6 | | Double-bottomed tank No 2, | | | | | P and S | 57-71 |4,288|102.2 | | Double-bottomed tank No 3, | | | | | P and S | 23-51 |5,760|137.2 | | Deep-wing tank No 4, P and S| 9-23 |5,635|134.2 | | Forepeak tank, single |115-stem|4,500| | 126.4 | Deep tank No 1, P and S |115-115 |5,405| | 150.1 | Deep tank No 2, P and S |107-11 |7,296| | 202.7 | Deep-wing tank No 5, P and S| 2-8 | 900| | 25.0 | Afterpeak tank, single | 2-stem|1,141| | 31.7 | Forepeak tank, single |115-stem|4,550| | |130 Deep-wing tank No 3, P and S| 79-107 |6,276| | |179.4 | | +------+--------+----- Total | | |505.8 |535.9[5]|309.4 ----------------------------+--------+-----+------+--------+-----

[4] P stands for port; S, for starboard.

[5] 249,500 gallons.

=c. Displacement.=

(1) The dead-weight scale (fig. 10), shows the ship’s capacity for carrying dead weight, the difference between light and loaded displacement.

(2) Figure 10 also shows the ship’s load-line marks[6] and their relation to the decks. These marks establish the safe load line for the ship in different waters, allowing a measure of reserve buoyancy. Load lines are established and assigned by the American Bureau of Shipping. The center of the circle is located exactly amidships on the vessel’s load waterline, and the horizontal line through the circle corresponds to the summer load line. The letters _AB_, used where the horizontal line cuts the circle, indicate the American Bureau of Shipping. The letter _F_ to the left of the vertical line is the fresh-water marking, and _S_ to the right of the vertical line is the salt-water marking.

[6] Sometimes called Plimsoll mark; Plimsoll mark indicates maximum allowable draft.

=d. Power.= The ship is propelled by a high-power, low-speed Diesel engine. Other engines may be substituted as required.

=e. Armament.= For AA protection, the ship carries six 20-mm AA machine guns. Mounted on the after end of the poop deck is a Navy 3″/50 (3-inch bore, 150 inches long) dual-purpose AA gun.

8. EQUIPMENT FOR SHIP OPERATION.

=a. General.= This paragraph describes briefly the major items of equipment required for the operation of the ship.

=b. Navigation equipment.=

(1) _Compasses._

(_a_) The ship is equipped with magnetic and gyrocompasses. The master gyrocompass is located below decks in the gyro-room. The readings of this compass are transmitted to repeaters, which are similar in appearance to magnetic compasses and are placed in the pilot house and at other points where knowledge of the ship’s heading is required. Gyrocompass equipment includes the master compass and its supports, batteries, a motor-generator set for supplying power in case of failure of the ship’s supply, instrument panel, and a panel for fuses and switches for the repeaters.

(_b_) The magnetic compass is in the pilot house. It is mounted in a compensating binnacle that neutralizes or compensates for errors introduced into the compass by the magnetic materials on the ship. (See figs. 8 and 9.)

(2) _Pelorus._ A pelorus is mounted on each wing of the navigating bridge. The pelorus is a graduated circle mounted in gimbals with an alidade pivoted over its center. It is used to measure directions to some distant point like another ship or an object on land. It gives the bearing relative to the ship’s heading or, if set to the ship’s true course, the true bearing to the object.

(3) _Radio direction finder._ Located on the navigating bridge is the ship’s radio direction finder. This instrument receives radio signals and establishes the bearing of the sending station. It consists essentially of a loop antenna for receiving the signals connected to a radio receiver that makes the signals audible. The position of the ship may be determined from radio bearings by taking cross bearings on two or more stations, by two bearings on the same station and the distance run between bearings, and by a bearing and a sounding.

(4) _Fathometer._

(_a_) A fathometer is installed on the navigating bridge to determine the depth of water under the ship. This instrument works on the echo depth-finding process. Briefly, it consists of a submarine oscillator in the bottom of the ship that produces a sound of sufficient intensity to travel to the ocean floor and reflect back to a sensitive receiver also located in the ship’s bottom. The difference between the time of sending the sound and receiving the echo is measured by the fathometer, translated into depth, and flashed on the dial as a red light opposite a numeral corresponding to the depth in fathoms.

(_b_) Near the fathometer is a fathometer recorder that records on a paper chart the depths indicated by the fathometer. This gives a continuous depth profile of the ocean bottom along the ship’s course.

(5) _Chartroom equipment._ In the chartroom are sextants, protractors, dividers, parallel rules, chronometer, hydrographic charts, and a chart table.

=c. Communications.=

(1) _Radio._ The radio equipment consists of a main receiver and transmitter with emergency sets and a short-wave receiver and transmitter. The radio sets presently used are shown in figures 9 and 11. The manuals describing this equipment are listed in ASF Catalog Sig 10-1.

(2) _Radio telephone._ Radio telephone communication is handled by the short-wave transmitter and receiver. (See fig. 11.) They operate on frequencies between 2 and 3 million cycles per second with separate channels designated for specific purposes. For ship-to-shore communication, frequencies range between 2,100 and 2,200 kilocycles. Direct ship-to-ship communication is on 2,738 kilocycles. The sets thus send and receive on different frequencies.

(3) _Visual signal equipment._

(_a_) _Flashing light signals._ Flashing light signals are made with a dot-and-dash blinker light. The light is on top of the pilot house for greater visibility and is mounted so it can be shone in any direction.

(_b_) _Flag signaling._ The ship carries complete sets of International flags and pennants and hand flags for signaling by semaphore.

=d. Main engine.=

(1) The main engine is an 8-cylinder, supercharged 4-cycle Diesel capable of developing 1,300 hp. (See fig. 12.)

(2) The engine has an air starting system; pressure lubrication for all running parts except the pistons, which are lubricated by oil thrown into the cylinder walls by the cranks; and an indirect cooling system in which clean soft water is circulated in a closed circuit and cooled by sea water in the heat exchangers. The fuel system uses a manifold in which fuel is maintained at constant pressure but in which there is no pressure on the injection valves except during the actual time of injection.

=e. Auxiliary engines.= Diesel and gasoline auxiliary engines furnish power for the ship’s generators, compressors, and pumps. Typical of the auxiliary engine installations are the 120-hp Diesels used to drive the fire pumps. (See fig. 13.)

=f. Electrical systems and generators.= Electricity for the ship’s lighting system and for the electrically operated equipment are furnished by Diesel or gasoline-driven generators. In case the main generator fails, an emergency generator starts automatically. If all generators should fail, batteries supply the power. (See fig. 14.)

=g. Lifeboats.= The ship carries two 26-foot power whaleboats, two oar-propelled lifeboats, life rafts, and a number of small rubber floats. (See figs. 1, 15 and 16.)

The two life rafts (figs. 1 and 16) are mounted on skids at an angle of about 45°. Each skid has a releasing device that permits quick release of the raft into the water or will let it float free if the ship sinks.

=h. Mooring and towing.=

(1) Installed on the main deck at the ship’s stern is a combination towing machine and anchor windlass. It hoists and lowers the two 3,000-pound Danforth anchors.

When used for towing, it carries the towline on a reel and pays it out and hauls it in automatically to keep towing tension constant.

(2) For handling the two bow anchors, a windlass is installed on the forecastle deck. (See fig. 17.)