The first picture is a destroyer with hands on deck. They are small ships and it takes all hands to run the ship, especially during underway replenishment.
The second picture is a destroyer in the foreground and a replenishment ship to the right of the image.
The third picture is a navy fleet oiler and with the ship replenishing 2 ships at a time I feel confident that all hands are on deck. Oil transfers require heavy work on the supplier and the receiver ship. Again all hands on smaller ships. I am happy I never had to haul over those heavy fuel lines to the carrier.
The later ships like the USS Sacramento (pictured below is in the center as it lines up to refuel a destroyer below and a combat stores ship above) the Sacramento could carry ammunition, oil and food stores and was huge, 796 feet long and 56,000 tons when loaded and had a helicopter port on board. Lines back and forth between a carrier and the Sacramento could transfer oil, bombs and food all at the same time by using the helicopter to transfer supplies to the flight deck on the carriers.
Now more than 45 years after I left service, thanks to google's you tube channel I think I understand. I have watched several videos of those sailors on destroyers and replenishment ships and I have begun to see what the old chiefs were talking about. On destroyers and replenishment ships many actions are an all hands evolution and the jobs are rough. Imagine for a moment trying to remain stationary on a rapidly pitching deck, trying to hold a rope line steady all the while being soaked by salt water spray.
My time aboard ships was within the air group contingent. That is so much different than ship's company on any ship in the fleet. We helped out on stores and bomb replenishment parties and on shore patrol duties, but we were never stuck down in the bowels of the ship in the engineering department, dealing with engines, boilers and such. While I worked the 1900-0700 shift at sea, I at least got to see the daylight twice a day, some of those guys below on the carriers never saw the sunshine unless they were in port on liberty.
Those destroyer sailors live in even more cramped quarters and while they stand different watches than we did, they have an all-hands evolution for every refueling or stores replenishment.
I forgot to even mention the gunner's mates having to load shells for guns on firing missions. If that goes on for a long time, as during Vietnam those poor guys must get exhausted after an hour or more. The guys on oilers would have to line up and transfer oil stores during Vietnam sometimes 3 or 4 times a day and I can tell you for a fact that was hard work, especially in bad weather or rough seas.
Copyright Bill Weber 2006-2019 and beyond.
My time aboard ships was within the air group contingent. That is so much different than ship's company on any ship in the fleet. We helped out on stores and bomb replenishment parties and on shore patrol duties, but we were never stuck down in the bowels of the ship in the engineering department, dealing with engines, boilers and such. While I worked the 1900-0700 shift at sea, I at least got to see the daylight twice a day, some of those guys below on the carriers never saw the sunshine unless they were in port on liberty.
Those destroyer sailors live in even more cramped quarters and while they stand different watches than we did, they have an all-hands evolution for every refueling or stores replenishment.
I forgot to even mention the gunner's mates having to load shells for guns on firing missions. If that goes on for a long time, as during Vietnam those poor guys must get exhausted after an hour or more. The guys on oilers would have to line up and transfer oil stores during Vietnam sometimes 3 or 4 times a day and I can tell you for a fact that was hard work, especially in bad weather or rough seas.
Copyright Bill Weber 2006-2019 and beyond.
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