Chapter XXXV
Ship Maintenance

Index

Section 1. References
Section 2. General
Section 3. Repair and Alteration Work Requests
Section 4. Ship's Current Maintenance Project
Section 5. Alterations
Section 6. Painting
Section 7. Watertight Integrity
Section 8. Degaussing
Appendix. Forms for work lists and alteration requests

Section 1. References

  1. U.S. Navy Regulations, Chapter 57, Repairs and Alterations to ships.

  2. U.S. Pacific Fleet Regulations, Chapter IV -- Ship Maintenance.

  3. Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 38CL-42 -- Elimination of Non-essential Work.

  4. Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 26CL-43 -- Camouflage of Ships.

  5. Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 27CL-43 -- Type Maintenance Administration Assignment, as corrected by Pacific Fleet Speedletter Serial 030 of January 1944.

  6. Pacific Confidential Letter 19CL-44 -- Pacific Fleet Degaussing Facilities.

  7. Amphibious Forces Circular Letter AL2, Rev. 1, of 1 September 1944 -- Organization of Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

  8. Administrative Commander, FIFTH Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Circular letter No. 105AL-44 -- Alteration Requests.

  9. This chapter supplements the instructions contained in the references listed above. Much of the material, however, in

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    this chapter is taken from the references, in order to gather together for ready reference, pertinent directives having to do with Ship Maintenance. The references themselves should be read by all officers. Commanding Officers, and Heads of Departments who are primarily responsible for ship maintenance, must be thoroughly familiar with their requirements.

Section 2. General

  1. Type Maintenance Administration:--Commander, Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, is the Type Maintenance Administration for all vessels listed in reference 3505. Ship's requests for alterations, reports of completion, and requests for repair work requiring the approval of a Bureau of the Navy Department, shall be forwarded via the Type Maintenance Administration.

  2. Check-Off Lists:--An acceptable standard of material readiness requires systematic inspection to discover deficiencies. Ships shall prepare check-off lists for each station of each department which shall list each item of machinery, armament, hull, fittings, with the weekly, monthly, quarterly and other periodic tests and inspections required. The current lists of each station shall show that the required tests or inspections have been made by the personnel responsible initialing in the space provided, or an entry of remarks explaining why the test or inspection could not be made for the period designated.

  3. Needed Repairs to be listed:--When practicable, defects and derangements shall be corrected as soon as discovered. Where this is not practicable, the repair required shall be listed as an item in the Ship's Maintenance Project for correction at first available opportunity. Convenient cards for noting both repair and alteration items are shown in U.S. Pacific Fleet Regulations. These cards become a part of the Ship's Maintenance Project as described in a subsequent section.

  4. Repair Agencies:--Maintenance of ships is accomplished by:

    1. Ship's force during periods at anchor, upkeep periods, and underway as operations permit.

    2. Tenders, repair ships, and base facilities during alongside upkeep periods and at other times, provided the item to be repaired can be removed to the repair ship or base.

    3. Voyage repairs under conditions prescribed in current Pacific Fleet Regulations.

    4. Navy Yards, and other yards during periods of availability.

    Ships shall avail themselves of every opportunity to prosecute maintenance work.

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  1. Self Maintenance:--When at anchor, not scheduled for upkeep over a definite period, ships shall undertake such maintenance as will not interfere with the next operation and steaming notice in effect. When urgent work is required which cannot be undertaken as provided above, ships will notify the Officer in Operational Control by despatch of the circumstances, making the Administrative Commander an information addressee if in the Pearl Harbor Area in order that the necessary tender, repair ship, or yard availability may be arranged.

  2. Preparing Requests:--Commanding Officers shall insure that all officers concerned with the preparation of repair and alteration requests are thoroughly familiar with pertinent instructions contained in U.S. Navy Regulations, U.S. Pacific Fleet Regulations, and current Fleet, Force, and Type Administration letters. These directives shall be followed carefully, in order to reduce paper work and delays occasioned by carelessly prepared and incomplete requests.

Section 3. Repair and Alteration Work Requests

  1. Upkeep by Activities Other than Navy Yards:--Ships assigned alongside upkeep periods to tenders, repair ships, or bases, shall submit two work lists to the activity assigned; one for repairs, the other for alterations, with items grouped under Hull, Engineering, (Mechanical and Electrical), Radio, Sound and Ordnance with items in each group arranged in order of relative priority. The items shall be detailed as necessary to insure clear understanding of the work required. General phrases, such as "overhaul as necessary" etc. will not be used. Bureau approval or Board of Inspection and Survey recommendation shall be indicated by referencing the pertinent correspondence, dispatch, or report. Numbers shall be assigned the items on each list showing the relative priority of each item of work requested. ONLY AUTHORIZED ALTERATIONS SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE WORK LISTS.

  2. When practicable, work lists shall be submitted to reach the repair activity in advance of the upkeep period, when such is definitely known. Original and two copies of the work lists shall be submitted to the repair activity assigned. When in the vicinity of the Administrative Command, a separate copy shall be furnished the Administrative Command.

  3. Navy Yard Availabilities:--Ships available for work at navy yards or ship yards shall not be on steaming notice nor required to man their armament unless specifically prescribed by the authority granting the availability or the Commandant of the Yard. This applies to both regular and restricted availabilities. Technical availability does not relieve the ship concerned from the prescribed readiness.

  4. Ships assigned navy yard availabilities shall submit work lists of repairs and alterations in accordance with the requirements of articles 1969 and 1970, U.S. Navy Regulations. Instructions in paragraph 3515, above, as to preparation, priority assignments, and division of items by departments, are applicable. The names and rank of the ship's assistant inspector or sub-inspector responsible for inspection of the work, shall be included with each item listed.

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    The personnel so listed shall be thoroughly familiar with the details of items for which they are responsible, and immediately available to discuss these items with representatives of the yard.

  1. Work lists shall be prepared on onion skin to reduce weight for mailing. Ships shall forward two copies of the work lists to the Yard or Industrial Manager, USN, to which the availability is assigned, and copies to each of the following:

    1. Type Maintenance Administration.

    2. Bureau of Ships.

    3. Bureau of Ordnance (list for BuOrd may be briefed to include only items under BuOrd cognizance).

  2. In submitting work lists, airmail shall be used except where it will not expedite early receipt of the lists. Lists shall be forwarded to reach the yard and type Administration six weeks prior to commencement of the availability if practicable; otherwise as soon as practicable after notice of the prospective availability has been received.

  3. Supplementary lists may be submitted on arrival at the yard; distribution to be as for the original lists. If the maintenance of the ship is properly administered, there will be few supplementary items.

  4. Forms for submission of work request are appended at the end of this chapter.

Section 4. Ship's Current Maintenance Project

  1. Card System:--Each ship shall maintain a current Ship's Maintenance Project for each department, consisting of one file of 5"x7" cards on which shall be listed all outstanding repairs and alterations for that department. Convenient forms for the cards are shown on pages 22 and 23, U.S. Pacific Fleet Regulations.

  2. A separate card shall be made out for each repair or alteration item as soon as it becomes known. Repair cards and alteration cards shall be grouped separately in order of priority assigned. Repair cards shall be divided into three groups, one containing ship's force items, one for tender or repair ship, and one for base or yard items. Approved alteration cards shall be divided similarly.

  3. Alteration cards for desired alterations, not yet approved by the Bureau having cognizance, shall be made out and placed in a separate section of the card file at the time the alteration request is submitted to the Bureau. Upon receipt of ShipAlt, OrdAlt, or Bureau letter approving the alteration, the approval reference will be entered and the card placed in the appropriate section of the approved alteration project.

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  1. Alterations will not be submitted with work lists until they have been approved by the Bureau having cognizance.

  2. When a repair or alteration has been completed, the card for that item will be used making the proper Machinery History or Machinery Index entries, or completed alteration report to the Bureau, and will then be placed in a completed file for future reference.

  3. Project to be kept up:--The Ship's Maintenance Project shall be reviewed daily to insure that it is kept up to date at all times, that cards for completed items are removed promptly, and that the necessary alteration requests for new alterations are submitted.

  4. A properly maintained Ship's Maintenance Project should enable the ship to submit work lists at any time on short notice, which will be complete, up to date, and arranged in proper priority.

Section 5. Alterations

  1. Definition:--The difference between repairs and alterations is clearly defined in Articles 1949 and 1951, U.S. Navy Regulations.

  2. Authority for alterations:--Alterations may be authorized only by the cognizant Bureau, except that the Bureau of Ships has delegated to Commander Service Force (Fleet Maintenance Office) the authority to authorize minor alterations involving rearrangements of space or equipment which are considered urgent military necessities, in advance of Bureau approval; the Bureau to be informed by air mail of the action taken.

  3. Essential Alterations only to be requested:--An alteration shall not be requested unless it satisfies one or more of the following conditions:

    1. Increase the offensive power of the ship.

    2. Increases radius of action under wartime conditions.

    3. Increases the power of survival of the ship against various forms of attack.

    4. Simplifies or increases the reliability of an installation.

    5. Reduces the number of personnel required to man the ship under wartime conditions.

    6. If necessary to health or safety of personnel.

    7. Is necessary for safety of the ship, its machinery, armament, or equipment.

    8. Otherwise increases the military effectiveness of the ship.

  4. Even though an alteration request satisfies one of the conditions above, and therefore may be expected to be approved by the Bureau concerned, actual accomplishment may be delayed for a long time because of lack of critical items of equipage, and the already heavy work-load on all maintenance facilities. Before submitting

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    an alteration request, ships should investigate carefully to determine that it is in fact essential, that the benefit to be gained from it will warrant the expenditure of labor and material under present wartime strains on the nation's economy, and that the changes recommended by the ship are those which will accomplish the desired end at the least cost.

  1. Ships submitting an alteration request shall furnish copies to sister ships who will promptly inform the Type Maintenance Administration of its applicability to the sister ship.

  2. Weight Record:--Whenever an alteration is requested, ships shall include an estimate of the increase or decrease in the overall weight in long tons, and of the vertical moment in ton-feet above the keel.

  3. Where an increase in weight or vertical moment will result because of the alteration, a statement of the equivalent compensation which can be effected should be included.

  4. Each ship shall establish and maintain a master weight record in which shall be recorded the weight addition and removals in long tons, and the corresponding changes of vertical moment, resulting from alterations to the ship.

Section 6. Painting

  1. No Painting for Appearance Only:--Painting of ships shall be for preservation or camouflage only, and shall be applied in accordance with the Bureau of Ships Manual and Ship Camouflage Instructions (Ships - 2). Camouflage measures to be applied will be prescribed by letters of the Fleet Maintenance Office.

  2. When practicable, paint shall be sprayed by experienced yard, base or repair ship personnel to insure thin coatings and reduce the fire hazard.

  3. Removal or altering the factory protective finishes on instruments, fittings, and special equipment is prohibited.

  4. Paint shall not be applied to parts of the hull, fittings, equipment, machinery or armament which will adequately resist corrosion, except for camouflage purposes. Articles requiring camouflage and which should not be painted, shall be provided with painted covers of canvas, or other appropriate material.

Section 7. Watertight Integrity

  1. Tests and Inspections:--All ships shall comply with instructions in the bureau of Ship Manual relative to tests and inspections of compartments and fittings to insure watertightness. Reports

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    formerly required by the bureau, and discontinued by BuShips Circular Letter No. 28 of 24 April 1943, shall be made to the Type Maintenance Administration.

Section 8. Degaussing

  1. Coil Settings to be Checked:--Ships will avail themselves of every opportunity to check the correctness of prescribed coil current settings by running a channel range whenever operations permit. Degaussing facilities available in the various Pacific Areas are given in Pacific Fleet Confidential Letters.

  2. Ships will be calibrated or depermed upon advice of the local degaussing Officer, who will provide detailed instructions for using the port facilities for necessary calibrations, deperming, or compass compensation. When the Type or Task Force Commander is present, the ship concerned will arrange through him for use of these facilities.

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Appendix A

Sample form of letter for submitting work lists to repair activity when availability has been granted.

From: Commanding Officer, U.S.S. ____________________ (APA100)
To: Commandant, Navy Yard, ____________________ (or
Assistant Industrial Manager __________________ (or
Commanding Officer, USS Repair Ship).
 
Subject: U.S.S. __________ (APA) -- Repairs, and approved alterations, request for accomplishment.
 
Reference: (a) ComServPac despatch __________ (or other reference assigning availability.
 
Enclosures: (A) BuShips (Hull) Work Lists.
(B) BuShips (Machinery) Work Lists.
(C) BuShips (Electrical) Work Lists.
(D) BuShips (Radio and Sound) Work Lists.
(E) BuOrd Work List.

  1. The U.S.S. __________ (APA100) has been granted an availability by reference (a). It is requested that the work listed in enclosures (A) to (E) be accomplished during this availability.

JOHN DOE.

cc:     AdComdPhibsPac.
BuShips
BuOrd (with Enc. (E) only)

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Appendix B

Sample form of work list to be submitted with letter shown in Appendix A. List for BuShips (Hull) work is shown; other lists are prepared in similar fashion to form Enclosures B, C, D, and E.

BuShips (Hull) Work List
Priority and
Item No.      
Brief of Work Ship's
Inspector
1. Renew section of corroded firemain piping which is beyond economical repair; section is 4" diameter pipe about 6' long with flanged ends. Ship's force will remove and deliver old section to ship for sample. Lt.(jg) W.T. DOOR
(1st Lieut. CSF Petty)
2. Etc. Etc.
Approved Alterations
1. Install check valve on discharge side of Diesel emergency fire pump in accordance with ShipAlt APA210K12 of 13 April 1944. Mach. Wilson
CMM Hammer
2. Etc. Etc.

Enc. "A"

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Appendix C

Sample form of letter for requesting alterations:

Alteration Ser. No. 1-44                          
Material Inspection Item No. _____
Board I&S Item No. _____                    

From: Commanding Officer, U.S.S. __________ (APA100).
To: The Chief of the Bureau of ____________________.
Via: (1) (Flotilla, Division, or Group Commander).
(2) Commander, Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet.
 
Subject: Urgent Alteration, request for.

  1. It is requested that accomplishment of the following alteration be authorized:

    1. Condition:--At the time of conversion of this ship, compartment A-202-L, on the first platform deck, frame 20-30- port, was converted from a general storeroom to a crew berthing space for thirty men. No provision for additional ventilation was made, and the only ventilation for this compartment consists of one 4"- supply duct from vent set A-101-2, as originally installed for the storeroom.
    2. Recommendation:--Install 4000 cfm supply blower for compartment A-202-L. There is sufficient space in blower room of vent set A-101-2 to accommodate the additional blower, and the intake duct to this blower room is considered large enough to supply both sets.

  2. Effect on Weight and Stability:--Approximately 800 pounds weight will be added, 26 feet above the keel. This can be compensated for by cutting down the present intake on the superstructure deck of vent set A-101-2, which is unnecessarily high and has a heavy cowl fitting.

  3. A copy of this alteration request has been furnished to ships listed below for comment as to its applicability to those ships.

W.T. DOOR.

cc:     CO, ____________________(APA101)
CO, ____________________(APA102)
CO, ____________________(APA103)

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Notes in regard to making up Alteration Requests:

  1. In order for the Administrative Command to take proper and early action in forwarding the request, it is essential that complete details of the work needed and the necessity therefor appear in the working of the request. If this is not the case, it will be necessary to wait and investigate conditions when the ship is available, or request clarification by mail. This usually results in a long delay because of the wide separation of ships of this force. Before submitting the request, consider the following points carefully:

    1. Does it satisfy the conditions listed in paragraph 3532 and 3533; ie., is it really essential or merely someone's idea of how something should be arranged?

    2. Does the working under "Condition" and "Recommendation" of the request give a complete picture, so that the endorsing officer and Bureau will be able to act intelligently on the request, even though not personally familiar with the situation existing?

    3. Would a simple sketch sent as an enclosure assist in clarification? A sketch is important when piping arrangements or spaces are involved, as detailed plans of many of the lately converted ships are not available yet, even to the Bureau. Enough copies of sketches must be furnished to include each addressee.

    4. Has the statement as to effect of weight changes on stability and trim been made>

    5. Has real consideration been given to removal of weights in compensation?

  2. Attention is directed to Pacific Fleet Maintenance letter No. 6-44 in regard to requests for changes in ventilation. The data forms prescribed by this letter must be sent, properly filled out, with all alteration requests for improvements in ventilation conditions.

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