Mike
........ you
expressed an interest in what the radio shack looked like in
1944, so I'll try to describe
that and our duties which must have changed in 68 on the Moctobi.
First, was the chair we sat on copying code. Originally, when we first went
to sea, the chair was not welded to the deck.. Our shakedown between Charleston
and Norfolk was very rough. Trying to copy code sitting on an unattached chair
in a rough sea was tough. I was a fairly good typist but I learned quickly to type with
one hand and hold on to the desk with the other. Needless to say, our request for a
secure chair was done before we left on our first convoy escort duty to Casablanca.
The shack, as you can see over my shoulder in the picture, had that huge
transmitter that took 1/4th of the space. In the far comer, was a file
cabinet with a basket file and a spare typewriter on top. Above that, was a Scott AM receiver &
speaker which gave regular broadcasts which I could pipe through the ship. Unseen in the
top right comer was a DC to AC converter for that receiver. Also, shoulder high, was
voice tube to the bridge. The CW receiver was directly in front of us on a shelf over
the typewriter. Our biggest problem was copying code through static and with fading signals
as we left the states,
I don't know if you still had the fox schedules later on, but these were
Atlantic fleet coded messages from NSS. They were five letter blocks except for the
heading with call letters of the ships [Ours was NUGU] and\or groups that ships were
assigned to. For instance, we were in a service group. The only breaks in these messages was
a series of dots alerting us for a plain English message, usually submarine sightings
and their position. This was immediately reported to the bridge via the voice tube. We
were required to have a complete file of the fox messages, When we were in a port
that had a navy radio Station, they would copy for us on request which we always did.
These breaks in copying fox broadcasts, allowed me late at night, to copy
plain English news broadcasts. From this, I was able to make up a newsletter for
the crew. I could only make 4 copies, 1 to the Captain. 1 to the wardroom, and 2 for the
crew. Well appreciated by all. Also, on the bulkhead outside the radio shack, I put up
a large map of Europe and with a red pencil, marked the advancement of the Allies across
that area. Both took a lot of my time and I didn't have to do it but I enjoyed it and I
know the crew did too. I might add, that I was cleared to operate the decoding machine not
usually allowed by an enlisted man below chief.
I Hope, as a radioman yourself, you find this info interesting as it was for
me to
remember some 58 years ago and put it together.
Enjoy
Al Consiglio
