Those GUNBOAT Marines
The USS Sacremento was fondly referred to as “The Chipin’ Hammer Maru” because of the shape of the ship and her tall smokestack. Turned upside down she resembled a chipping hammer.
Commissioned in 1914 as a Gunboat, she was decommissioned in 1946. The ship’s complement consisted of 163 officers and men, including the Marine detachment of one officer and 30 men. Displacing 1425-tons with a length of 236-ft, she was considerably smaller than a US destroyer.
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Typically, she was armed with three 4-in guns mounted forward, aft and on the quarterdeck; two 3-pounders, two 1-pounders and two Lewis machine guns. The crew was armed with Springfield rifles, Browning sub-machine guns and .45-cal pistols. During 1934-35, the Asiatic Fleet was comprised of three cruisers: Augusta (flagship), Black Hawk, and Picos; a destroyer tender, twelve destroyers, 26 submarines; four gunboats, and seven river gunboats that completed the armada. The river gunboats patrolled the Wangpoa and the Yangtze rivers.
The seagoing gunboats rotated assignments as a station ship, anchoring mid-stream at Shanghai. Other ports of call were: Tsingtao, Chefoo, Tientsin and Chinwangtao; as well as Fuchow, Amoy, Swatow, Hong Kong and Canton.
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The Marines were quartered just forward of the portside enlisted head and the starboard sail locker, which were dead astern. The compartment was small - just adequate for 30 men. Lockers were secured to the forward bulkhead together with uniform and rifle racks. There was also an office desk, filing cabinets, two chairs, some open space and the post office. Mess tables were on racks attached to the overhead. Twenty-seven men slept on cots head to foot, spaced inches apart all cramped into the space described. The Admin clerk slept in the office space and the mail clerk slept in the post office. The First Sergeant slept in the Chiefs quarters. A head call during the night could be a calamity.
DAILY ROUTINE
At the call: “Up all hands - heave to and lash up - sweepers, man your brooms!” Twenty-nine men woke up, made a bee line to the head and returned to roll bedding, break down the cots and lash them up for storage in the gear locker. Next, scurry to shower and shave with a half bucket of fresh water heated by an open steam line. Brush your teeth, shave then soap down with the remainder and rinse off with seawater. Modesty was thrown out the porthole under these conditions. After the morning toilette, we donned the uniform of the day, policed the quarters and were then ready for morning coffee, usually taken hot and black in white round soup bowls, served topside, weather permitting. During this time, when everyone was out of the compartment, mess cooks were busy setting up mess tables for morning chow. Breakfast usually consisted of coffee, powdered milk, bacon, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, cereal, creamed dried beef, toast, French toast, pancakes, juices and more. All items, of course, were not served on the same day.
0800 -ALL HANDS TURN OR REPORT FOR SICK CALL
At 0900 the Marine detachment mustered all hands for inspection by our Commanding Officer; after which the First Sergeant put us through our paces with the manual of arms and other “in place” routines. Marines had a variety of duties. Security consisted of the Officer of the Day, Sergeant of the Guard (we had but one Sergeant), Corporal of the Guard, Captain’s Orderly and the fantail watch.
One day I had the Captain’s orderly post for the first time. The OD came by and, after returning my salute, gave me the following message to relate to the Captain, “The evening meal was sufficient in quantity and excellent in quality.” Then he added, “The chronometers are wound.” When I repeated it the Captain smiled knowing that I had no idea what it meant, then dismissed me.
Our battle station was also our deck detail. We kept the brass shined and the deck holystoned and the one pounders cleaned and oiled. This area was above the Captain’s quarters, just forward of amidships. The postal clerk was a Corporal who made a mail run ashore every day we were in port. The movie projectionist was a PFC who showed movies every night, weather permitting. A PFC manned the slopchute and I was the librarian.