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Peleliu Deck Department Fills Vital Roles
Story Number: NNS130414-03
4/14/2013

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Michael Duran, USS Peleliu (LHA 5) Public Affairs

INDIAN OCEAN (NNS) -- From the forecastle to the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5), the growl of needle guns and sanders can be heard as enlisted Sailors prep, paint, prep, and paint again.

The Sailors behind those machines are part of Deck Department.

Often covered in a layer of rust chips and haze gray paint flecks, they are some of the most seaworthy sailors aboard are hard at work.

Deck Department sailors are primarily responsible for Peleliu's hull preservation as well as conducting safe evolutions involving seamanship, a marlinspike, anchoring, and the well deck.

The upkeep and presentation of Peleliu contributes to mission readiness and power projection.

"When people come on board, it's important that we provide a good impression," said Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate Rosa Velasquez. "They'll take a look at our ship and our quarterdeck gear and what they see is a reflection of us as professionals."

The Deck Department takes pride in preservation and works constantly at renewing publicly viewable areas, such as the forecastle's ceremonial display or the sides of the ship.

"A lot of people don't get a chance to see what Deck does," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Steven Bryant. "They don't see us out there grinding, chipping, and painting. All they see is the finished product which is us having immaculate spaces. And it's all my junior guys doing it."

Deck department's workforce is comprised of 80 service members, run by boatswain's mates, one of the oldest rates in the Navy. However, a majority of Deck's workforce are undesignated seamen, junior Sailors without a rated apprenticeship. They learn skills and "strike" (or apply ) for another rate of their choosing. During this unusual opportunity, Sailors see many different jobs prior to electing the profession most suited for them.

"I feel that it was the best decision coming in undesignated because it gave me a perspective on what the Navy was all about," said Boatswain's Mate Seaman Tyler Ward. "I chose to go BM (boatswain's mate) because a BM2 once told me that through all the chipping, the paint, the sanding and things that seem ridiculous to us young kids, boatswain's mates get the most respect out of the Navy and I agree."

Around the clock, Deck Department boatswain's mates and seamen take turns standing watch on the bridge as helmsman, keeping the ship on course, and as lee helmsman, ordering speed changes to the engineering plants 11 decks below. The boatswain's mate of the watch uses the ship's 1MC speaker system to pass scheduled word and information to and from lookouts.

Lookouts are stationed throughout the ship's 08 level, the highest deck, and aft port and starboard fantail to keep an eye out for anything in the water or in the sky, particularly assisting radar operators as live observers. Known as the "life buoy" watch, the aft lookouts act as spotters for a man overboard. They throw out a life ring and smoke floats in the water, as they report the survivor's location to the bridge.

Another Deck department team jumps into action - the small boat recovery team.

"A small boat recovery is the primary means for recovering a man overboard," said Bryant, who is the ship's primary small boat coxswain. "Our job is to get the boat in the water, and get the search and rescue swimmer to the survivor ... [so he can return] to receive medical attention."

A man overboard could be called at any time, night or day, and a fast response time is crucial to the survivability of the service member in the water.

"We train to only have 13 minutes from when a man overboard is called until we get that man on the boat," added Bryant.

Some of Deck Department's special evolutions include mooring alongside a pier or anchorage. Both evolutions require a special bridge watch team, which includes a master helmsman, a highly qualified helmsman the commanding officer places personal trust in keeping the ship on course.

"We do a lot of training and practice to perform all the steps to the tee," said Ward, one of only two qualified master helmsmen onboard. "It's all about trust with the Captain, and he knows he can count on us to steer the Peleliu."

Replenishment-at-sea, perhaps the most common evolution, is another specialty is requiring a master helmsman,.

Manning three replenishment-at-sea stations on board, Deck department heaves along and seats probes from a refueling vessel and connects a high line for cargo to be essentially "zip-lined" between the ships.

"We take in fuel to help other departments run the boilers and refuel the aircraft on board," said Velasquez. "We also help with the safe transfer of stores."

So far during the deployment, Peleliu has completed 21 replenishment-at-seas and received more than 11.8 million gallons of diesel fuel and 2.6 million gallons of jet fuel. Total cargo received by connected replenishment exceeds two thousand pallets.
Besides transferring supplies, Deck department transfers troops and their equipment ashore through wet-well operations. Deck accomplished more than 120 utility landing craft launch and recoveries assigned to Assault Craft Unit One and Five and Beach Masters Unit One.

Safety, as always, is paramount for deck department. The potentially hazardous well deck operations involve the movement of several thousand tons of equipment and material.

"Not a single Sailor has been injured in the well or on the wing walls," said Bryant. "Our greatest accomplishment for this deployment is zero mishaps in any evolution we've done."

Bryant also went on to commend Peleliu's Deck department leadership and the tremendous teamwork of his shipmates.

"We're all in it to win it together," said Bryant. "In the four ships and eight years I've been in the Navy, I've never been closer than to those here. My experience in Peleliu's Deck department has been by far the best experience I've ever had."

Peleliu is the flagship for the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group on deployment in the western Pacific region with amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20), amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), and embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

For more news from USS Peleliu (LHA 5) , visit www.navy.mil/local/lha5/.