The work of installation was carried on by ordnance men from the New York Navy Yard, assisted by the ship’s gunnery department.
Splendid co-ordination existed at all times between the Navy Yard people and the ship’s force which helped materially to expedite the work. Considerable effort and labor were required to get the ship in readiness to receive the guns, mounts, etc. Gun foundations and gun platforms had to be built; blast bulkheads erected in proper places so as to protect one gun from the fire of the other; certain portions of the deck were extended in order to give the after guns a greater arc of train. Lines of communication, voice tubes and telephones, had to be run from all guns to fire control and spotting stations; and salvo bells and buzzers installed. All of this work was completed in record time and gave excellent results throughout the war.
Foundation and mount tests were held on November 20, 1917, on our trial trip to Guantanamo, when three shots were fired from each six-inch gun. These tests proved satisfactory in every respect.
The 1-pdr. guns were not installed until September 28, 1918. These guns were mounted on the port and starboard sides of C-deck amidships. They also proved satisfactory when fired for tests on September 30, 1918. Lieutenant Boucher originally made a request for four 1-pdr. guns and also two anti-aircraft guns, but only the two 1-pdr. guns were allowed this ship.
Depth Charges
The original depth charge outfit of this vessel consisted of the earlier type of depth charges, containing only fifty-two pounds of TNT as an explosive. We were allowed ten of the charges and a chute was rigged over the stern for launching them.
On July 27, 1918, two “Y” guns were installed which throw a charge of TNT weighing 300 pounds. These were tested out by filling four large paint drums with wet sand, to bring them up to the required weight, and firing them from the “Y” guns. The cans landed approximately 200 feet from the ship, our extra high freeboard causing them to travel farther than if fired from the deck of a torpedo boat.
We never had the opportunity of trying our depth charges on a real submarine. A ship of this size would have to be extremely lucky to manœuvre so as to be in a position to drop a depth charge on a submarine.
The “Y”-guns were removed December 30, 1918, after the armistice had been signed.