Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-06-04
CUNCREWSBE|NC
TURNED OUT FAST
j. 6. WARSH|PS

WITH THE AMERICAN GREAT
FLEET, June America great feet
fors the moment is human factor
grinding out gun crews by the score.
Boys from every corner of the land,
many of whom never saw a gun bigger
than Fourth of July pistol, are get
ting cured of gun shyness," are learn :.
ing to point, sight and fire big guns,
upon which merchant craft rely for
defense against Germany's submar-
ines.
Boys by the thousands are learning
these and many other lessons which
shall make them better men, men with
the stuff that enters into heroism and
national vigor. For three days have
seen Uncle Sans dreadnaughts with
their men at work and at playa well
balanced program that turns striplings
into men, and men into giants.
Most of those aboard are boys, but
not all. There's a grandfather ensign
There's a Wall Street broker, scrub
bling decks and polishing brass. There's
a Buffalo business man. There are
college lads, boys out CT grammar
school-folks out of every walk of life,
to whom the lure of the sea and the
call of patriotism sound louder than
aught else.
This is the story of three days with
the fleet.
Later we shall see these great hulks
by day and by night, sight to thrill
tie most blase We shall go with the
men into their daily work and play
their waking and their sleeping. but
today we are cunning with the lads,
shooting up imaginary German u
boats with a gusto and an accuracy
that augurs ill for any they may run
across in later days.
We started at a. m. The gray
dreadnaughts roll bit, with their
yawning gun turrets sharp against the
Frightening sky. The ships seem
straining to be up and at EN-"
Hundreds-yes thousands-of men
are astir at the call of reveille. They
pile out of hammocks from every
nook and corner of the great craft.
They must attend to their usual early
morning labors, scrubbing down
decks, shining brass, peeling potatoes.
getting everything ready for an estab
lishment which is a floating town in
itself.
The great anchor chains rattle and
smash, as they heave the anchor out o.
the deep. The engines puff, as men
below ships down in the Subcellar
five floors below" shoot in great
chunks of coal or turn on gallons OF
oil. Bells and buzzers sound. The
navigator gives his orders and the
ships are off, line of ugly warriors,
streaking the sky with black smoke
clouds.
Flags bearing strange devices sigma
out to the patrol ships, which scurry
forth to open the way for the dread
The ships plough into the rolling
waters, while the task of cleaning ship
proceeds, and other drills including
snappy setting UP physical exercise
are under way.
Once as far as the secret orders cal!
for, the war vessels spread out in
giant circle. targets are put overheard
and the gunnery proceeds.
In squads, the lads take their place
beside the guns, practice at filling.
sighting, and firing the bigger can
non, while the pop, pop of one-pound-
ers at the distant target gives touch
o. realism to it ALL
Aft. on all the ships, other crews
are training with dummy guns-one
Founders and five Founders. The shell
and the powder bag go in like clock
work, and with a smash that makes it
seem as though these lads were in
deadly combat with real enemy.
Up in the turrets with the tremend-
GUS 14-inch guns, other drills proceed.
Ensigns, fine clean cut chaps, direct
these tasks.
Their gun crews from magazine to
turret run up close to 100 men. The
crews work like the great machines
they man. The she'll. the powder, the
ramming, all go ahead like magic.
Elsewhere, men are working out on
charts just the range, elevation and
so on of the target The ensign yells
his directions down a multitude of
tubes. pushes buttons, flashes lights,
and then up in the secret fire con-
-x,o., rOghae Cn11aa miro