Exactly what happens on a battleship during an engagement?

Question

The question came to mind when I play my Electronic Battleship. Right before the "battle" starts, there is always the "General quarters, general quarters, man your battle stations! This is not a drill. Repeat. This is not a drill!" I found out battle stations are training exercises so this phrase must be wrong. Exactly what do the sailors down under do when in an engagement (no planes, just another ship).

Answer 1

Well, battle stations is a call to prepare for battle and to report to the station assigned to you. It can be a drill or it can be for real. The sailors inside the ship all have jobs assigned to them, some close the hatches to make the ship harder to sink, others secure loose articles, others man the guns, etc.

Answer 2

The captain issues an alert, the lieutenants are in arrest and detention, so other officers and crew react on orders launched, some torpedoes and missiles (if any) are directed according to rules and combat procedures alone, not fancily aimed at foes. This is serious training and respect to duty and honor is true. Courage and prove of valor come last in these installments. When time is due and actual to precedance the naval officer does reclaim the attack being founded and why, then selects the proper organ of diffussion and reclaim of boundary. This signals the combat begins, and after only two aims and targets the battle must arrest forward, ending hostilities. Some are to shoot and dispair the craft to death and toil, this is the navy so there must be respect for dying officers on other deck and surface. Some shooters and riflemen might appear on deck upon command and detention is something to call invasion.
Cleaning and polishing activities are supposed to halt in next minutes, to avoid contamination and some odor release. Superstition if one is asked.

Answer 3

Okay, just for giggles and historical accuracy, NO Navy currently has a "battleship" in commission... and I don't think anyone even has a big-gun Cruiser around anymore .

Now, I've cruised on USN Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers, and Carriers... and he ONE time we played surface games for real(1986) it was "General Quarters, General Quarters... Now man your action stations... prepare for surface action starboard... set condition zebra thought out the ship..." then the gongs...

Another Real time... it was "FIRE FIRE FIRE... Class Charlie Fire on the Flight Deck Forward (frame number)

Or "General Quarters, General Quarters... major fuel-oil leak in Aux One... this is NOT a DRILL... (2:30am on USS Reuben James after I'd flown from 6pm to 1am and JUST hit the rack).

What do we DO ?? You go to your GQ station. When I was on frigates / destroyers with the Air-Det... our station was in the HANGAR... we were part of a fire-fighting team..Or in the Gulf, we used to have the Starboard Bushmaster. On the carrier, I was either in the ASW Module, or later serving as TAO (Tactical Action Officer) for the Carrier

Answer 4

The sound of the "claxon" and GQ still sends chills over my complete body, even in a movie.

Did time on a cruiser with 8" and 5" guns. We did 72 days at sea with many missions in Nam.

Even if you had two-hours sleep in 24 when it WENT you went to GQ.

You went from complete sleep to performing your duties without coffee for JUMP START.

We got the assignment, plotted the solution and gave course and speed to the best position. The order was given to fire for affect or H&I and then we got our coffee. The on ground spotters gave correction, we re-calculated the solution and started over.

It was chaos in CIC but EVERYONE knew their job and performed their job with relative calm. We also received a Combat "E" for excellence.

Figure a team that can shoot an 8" 12 miles and drop it 500 yards off target. The spotter says, "drop quarter click, OUT" you adjust the solution, fire and the spotter says, "Motel Alpha, out and gone". (MIssion accomplished.

In short it was literaly amazing to to me that a shot could be put on target with thatr accuracy without the help of a lazer sight.

Picture a 8" traveling 12 miles and falling between the VC and Marines with a 100 yard window for error. The VC are jungle mulch and the Marine Recon team never even got a shrapnel burn.

It is a TOTAL TEAM EFFORT! FCT offers missle solutions, but GFS is supplied by CIC.

I SALUTE the TEAM that it was my HONOR to work with!

As a note we were ALL scared SHI*** that we would make a mistake in the solution and drop on friendly. I was 20 when I got out as an E-5.

RD2, USS Canberra CAG-2
NAM

Answer 5

major sea battles are a thing of the past. Battleships are to bombard coastlines nowadays. Not too many other ships can take on a modern battleship.