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THE "O" BOAT CLUTCH |
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| Being a member of an "O" Boat crew was, to say the least, a unique
experience. The submarines of this order, had been built to fight a war of 25 years earlier. They were antique,
outdated, and limited in their fighting capability. As a result, the Navy had decided to put them to use in training
of new submarine sailors. They were rounded up and sent to New London, Connecticut at the submarine training facility
that was established there. After the trainees were put through the classroom fazes of the 60 days spent learning about subs, they were taken out to sea for the day, aboard an "O" boat or an "R" boat, whichever was available. The assigned crew of an "O" boat would demonstrate the many operations that were required to safely operate a sub. All day long, the sub would dive and then surface, to show how a crew worked in unison. It is not an easy trick to take a steel ship and in a matter of seconds, take it below the surface of the water, cruise around for awhile, and then bring it back to the surface. While this was being done, the trainees would stand along side of the regular crewmen and see just how all of this was done. Since a submariner is expected to be able to do all of the operations aboard, the trainees would rotate from one station to the other and be shown how the function was carried out. After enough time, they would be allowed to do hands on training under the supervision of the regular crew. Then they could do those operations for that station if they should be assigned to that responsibility on the boat that they were to be sent to. I had been assigned to the U.S.S. "O2" while awaiting a new submarine that I was going to be assigned to. It was not quite ready to be turned over to the Navy by the Electric Boat Company of New London, Connecticut. So it was that I spent my time acting as a teacher of the new men being trained for duty aboard a submarine. One of the advantages of being a member of one of the training boats, was the fact that you made up to six dives a day. The regular crew became very good and quickat taking the boat from the surface to below. After a few weeks of so many dives, the crew interacted with speed and efficiency. We made the process look easy and effortless. We were proud of the fact that we could operate our stations with such speed. It must have seemed very impressive tot he new men that had come aboard to be trained. Another advantage to being a member of the training crew, was that you got to go on liberty every third night, as we were in port at night time. We worked hard, but on the other hand, we had the opportunity to play hard. That is another story, however. The propulsion system of an "O" boat was relatively simple when compared to the new fleet of boats that were being manufactured. The technology of twenty-five years ago was not nearly as advanced and improved. There were a number of hand operations that were eliminated in new boat designing, however, the principles of operation were the same. One hand operation was the disengaging of the diesel engine from the motor/generator. The diesel engine was not capable of running in reverse without destroying the engine itself. The main engines were used at sea to go from one place to another, however, it was necessary to disengage the engine from the propeller shaft in order to turn the screw in reverse. The standard operating procedure when needing reverse, such as docking maneuvers, was to open the clutch on the shaft that connected the engine to it. This was done with a clutch operated by turning a large wheel handle causing the clutch jaws to open from the shaft. The wheel handle was in a housing that supported it above the clutch. It was the housing that was to cause a problem and nearly cause the sub from ramming the dock during docking maneuvers. On the command of "man the maneuvering stations and rig for maneuvering" the engines were shut down and the clutch wheel turned to open the clutch, thus disengaging the engine from the shaft. From that moment on the shaft would be turned by the electrical motors that were on line one the shaft. Electrical motors could be turned in either direction, forward and backward, which allowed for the maneuvering that was required to dock the submarine. All submarines are very hard to maneuver into the docking berth. It is because, in part, to the way taht the boat is built. It has a round bottom and most of the boat is below water. A submarine is about as cantankerous a floating vessel as you could find. They are slow to respond to the rudder and to the variances in screw speed. Many times a new captain would find himself sweating teh timing of his commands for fear of ramming the dock or the sea wall. For a commander to have such an accident, it would mean the loss of his command and possibly even more dire punishment. We had been at sea for several hours and we were enjoying an uneventful session of training the new men. We were getting ready to do a practice dive and the order was given to rig for dive. At that time the diesel engines were shut down and the engaging clutch was released. In the process of doing just that, the Motor Machinist gave a hefty turn to teh clutch. When he did so, the entire clutch housing broke away from the clutch, leaving it engaged. Teh welds that had secured the housing had rusted away over the years and it simply came away in his hands. The condition was reported to teh bridge and the Commander ordered the starboard shaft be placed out of commission. The process for doing this was to tie on red tags with the words "Out of Commission" written on them. This would prevent an uninformed crew member from inadvertently operating the equipment. To place the main shaft out of order, the engine, the broken clutch, the enunciators, and the controllers were tagged. Being out of commission meant that under no circumstances could anyone operate any part of the starboard shaft, because to do so would tear the engine apart. At the end of our daily training session, we proceeded back to New London, CT limping along on one screw. It was slow going but, with only half the power, we did the best we could. Everyone was looking forward, with some degree of concern, to the time that we would be maneuvering up tot he docking berth. The Thames River always had a current to the sea and teh wind was forever coming in from the sea. Those opposing forces should make it an interesting challenge for the Officer of the Deck. I happened to be assigned to the controller's station. I would be the person that would give the power to the remaining screw for the Officer of the Deck. his command would come to me through the enunciators. At this time it would be the port enunciator only, as the starboard one was tagged "Out of Commission." The controller's station was located directly below the bridge hatch. The helmsman would take the commands and send them by turning the indicator on the bridge enunciator, to the command given. It would ring up on the matching one below at the controller's station. We began our approach to the dock. It was a difficult job for those on the bridge, as it seemed that both the wind and the tide were giving a test tot he Captain who was now the Officer of the Deck and was taking responsibility of bring his ship into dock. The "bells" of commands were coming thick and fast. Coming in on only one screw was proving to be a very difficult fete. "Port Head One Third," "Port Stop," "Port Ahead Full," "Port Stop." The commands came with a sense of urgency. The tension was building as we made the turn into the berth and headed for the dock. The Captain was taking his time and being exceptionally careful. That much could be told from the number and the nature of the orders that were being given from the bridge. I could tell that we were very close to being along side of the dock when I suddenly was given a order for both the port and the starboard to be reversed "All Back Full." I was being given an order to reverse the starboard screw when it was plainly marked "OUT OF COMMISSION!!!" At the time, the seconds were like minutes and I remember thinking that I was about to be in one hell of a mess if I should obey the order to reverse the starboard screw and ruin an engine. Likewise I was going to be in a fix if I didn't answer a command that was being given by the Captain of the ship. He was fully aware of the fact that the starboard screw was out of commission. For a moment I did not know what to do and it was more out of reaction that I did what I did. The hatchway tot he bridge was slightly behind me and while answering the command to the port screw, I leaned back, looked up the hatch and shouted "Port Back Full but you'll play hell getting anything out of the starboard screw. Its out of commission." I had said what I had out of reflex and the choice of words was not the best. That I can admit. None responded to my shout up the hatch at the time. However the starboard enunciator rang up "Stop." We shuddered as I gave all that I could, within the limit. The port enunciator rang up, "Back Emergency." I responded immediately giving all the power I could to the port screw without burning up the motors. Then there was a slight bump and I knew that we had come along side the dock safely and without damage. At the time I felt a little pride in myself. I had saved the starboard engine and we wer secured along side the dock. Teh command came "All Stop." Then over the bridge communicator came the command "Secure Maneuvering, Secure all stations for port, EXCEPT FOR THE MANEUVERING STATION." I was shocked. I was being commanded to stay at my station. Soon the Captain came down the conning tower ladder and stood behind me. "Sit at Attention," he growled. I braced my shoulders and sat at attention at my maneuvering station. At that point he began giving me the roughest chewing-out that I would ever receive. I was so frightened that I do not remember all that he said. I do recall that he declared that if I were ever given an order to jump overboard, taht I should be able to be wet before the command was fully out of his mouth. He made it clear that I had not answered his command and that he didn't want anyone on board his ship taht would not do as he said when he said it. Finally, he told me to pack my gear as I was being transferred immediately to a submarine that was headed for the war zone. I heard that with mixed emotion, as I was like everyone else in wanting to get to see action. When he finished and dimissed me, I felt as though I had taken a beating. He had made it clear that I had failed him by not answering the reverse command on the starboard screw. It did not occur to me at the time but when the effects of the scolding were diminished, I got to thinking about the event. If I had really failed to follow an order, he should have filed charges against me and I would have faced a court martial. Why had he not done that? Then I speculated that if I had followed his command and ruined an engine, would I have been the scape-goat? There was the chance taht his verbal command to the deck watch would have been denied and I would have been blamed for being a part of violating the "Out of Commission" designation. I had really done nothing wrong. It was only much later that I realized the reason for the harsh treatment he had given me was to cover up the embarrassment that he had for giving an incorrect order. Had I answered his command, he could have faced a court martial for his act. If he had hit the dock, he would have come to the same fate. In short, it was nothing more than an embarrassment to him and he had to get me out of sight. The transfer served that purpose. From all things, there is a lesson to be learned. From this experience I came to the conclusion that, try as you may, there will be a time that you have to be protected by the Man upstairs. All that you can do is react in the direction of what is right and let the chips fall where they may. |
Copyright © 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006 by Glen Stinson & Mark Stinson