Life Aboard a U.S. Navy Destroyer | Documentary Short | 1970

[Music] men off to see a scene repeated hundreds of times daily around the world but for these men there is a difference they are favors of the United States Navy off on a routine cruise to the Mediterranean the ship they sailed binds them closely to our seafaring package in a monster coming these men will live close to the sea and close to one another they are destroyer men sailors of the oceans greyhounds [Music] life aboard a destroyer seems harsh by design there are no thrills to these ships they are built for running and turning and silenced few ships are rougher in foul weather fewer still can recover from heels so sharp that seawater rolls down the stacks but the destroyer can take and so can the destroyer to carry out its mission the destroyer must keep on the move must be ready to perform on a moment's notice at sea on station she takes on supplies on the gold a job that must be done often for her tight spaces leave little room for extra stores my god [Music] wipe it out while taking off whew that is smoking lamp is out while hanging on field each man has a number of duties there is simply no room on board to house a specialist for every job fire control technician doorkeepers yeoman become line handlers and riggers it is two destroyers that many new officers and men are assigned to learn quickly and firsthand the complex workings of a ship a multitude of tasks some common place some highly technical each demanding and basic to Naval Operations for me this is the whole ship tricks on alcohol problem right there okay who is the object our next time yeah I sound like they're behind all set up there which is my whole back Oh I put it away if the Navy's larger ships the heavy cruisers and carriers are the cities of the pleat then the destroyers are the small towns much of the work aboard a destroyer is routine a feeling of isolation creeps in you know you're stuck in the middle of an ocean but then that's one reason for constant work to keep busy the physical confines of a destroyer come out in the nature of RAM and her crew is proud close-knit yet personable even a little gossipy when asked to describe life aboard a destroyer for what pulls men to these ships almost the first words off a destroyer man's lips are it's like a family [Music] all the land balance nation jump for the young important All Hands man your battle stations [Music] always magic Bell dings young boys jump wanted all the veg bouncing [Music] [Applause] a destroyer is a fighting ship General Quarters drills are as much a part of the routine as the ocean itself a destroyer performed several fighting roles but whether its anti-submarine warfare or anti-aircraft defense these are peacetime exercises for wartime work a destroyer mounts the weapon for every jobs to go after everything from a patrol boat to a ship three times her own size or even a stretch of coastline [Music] warfare is largely a game of patience you wait and watch and make your move then every action must be fast and precise for those small moments in the lifecycle of a destroyer you practice constantly [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] where are you [Music] [Music] [Music] every sailor has a favorite Liberty port many of them are in the Mediterranean Naples Gibraltar nice Istanbul Athens the Mediterranean area sometimes referred to as the cradle of civilization - the destroyer man Liberty here is a welcome respite from ships routine a chance to meet other people and learn their customs for the destroyer man souvenirs are more than mementos from a new port of call almost always they bring to mind thoughts of another faraway place and those at home [Music] a Liberty call occupies but a brief moment in the span of a cruise often no more than 24 hours then it's back to sea back again to the routine that is so much a part of a destroyer manage life [Music] ahead more hard work more miles to cover and more ports of call each bringing the destroyer man closer to home [Music]

Channel: The Best Film Archives

Views: 226,196

Keywords: life, aboard, destroyer, navy destroyer, US Navy destroyer, USS, battleship, warship, ship, ships, vessel, naval, fleet, convoy, sailor, sailors, crew, world of warships, gun, weapons, weaponry, Navy, US Navy, United States Navy, American Navy, America Navy, naval forces, us naval force, us naval power, us naval ships, us naval fleet, US Navy history, history of US Navy, US Navy documentary, America, American, US, United States, USA, military, history, channel, short, full, documentary, film, video, footage, HD

Id: CCejKIHHkKA

Length: 14min 29sec (869 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 26 2017