Above is view of messdecks looking to starboard side. At left a mess cook works behind the steam line. The gally was on the main deck and we came down a ladder on the port side to the steam line where we were dished our food and then thru a door to the mess decks. We would exit thru a door where the scullery was. ( dish washing station), drop off the tray and utensils and then go up a starboard side ladder back to the main deck.  The New had good chow.  When I was on we had a CSC Soloman Edwards who I worked for when I was a mess cook in 1966. He was a great Chief Petty Officer to work for and made sure the crew got the best we could.

Mess Decks              and Galley Crew relaxing after the meal hours. Besides the meals the mess decks were where the nightly movie was shown unless conditions permitted it being shown on the DASH deck. It was a place to play a card game, checkers or backgammon or just to shoot the bull with a friend. Smoking was permitted when the meal wasn't being served or smoking lamp out for other conditions such as refueling.

Crews mess decks were small by todays standards. Nearly 300 men had to be fed every day, three times a day and at sea also midrats. Not as bad as it sounds. Mid night rations.  The Gearing class destroyers messdeacks were below the main deck forward of the fireroom No 1.It was barely 30 feet wide and just about that from fore to aft. It was the entire width of that forward section of the ship. It was about at the waterline and you could hear the water against the outside of the hull. When at sea the mess decks moved along with the rest of the ship. Food was served on a sectioned tray and the tables and chairs were welded to the deck. Sometimes on a roll or pitch you had to have hold of everything or risk losing it. It would literally fly off the table if you didn't. After a few days at sea and a little practice you get the hang of it quick.     We stood in line normally on the port side, (left to landlubbers) main weather deck and entered and down a vestubule to the steam line where the food was kept hot and then thru the small door to the mess decks. If weather was bad we lined up in the main passageway behind the galley which was on the main deck.  This set up of galley on main deck and steam line and mess decks below was a bit of an inconvenience at time, mostly to the messcooks who had to haul the large pans of food down to the steam line.

Return to Crews Quarters Return to Quarterdeck Links Page

It never failed. After a few weeks at sea we would have the cold cut lunch. Sometimes for a Holiday Routine when the chow line was open from 9 AM to 1PM. It was nicknamed Coldcock Sandwhiches. The layout would consist of slices of Bologna, Ham and other various meats plus cheeses. You can make your own from the slim PohBoy to the Dagwood. Slop on mustered or mayonaise or katsup. After a few days the store bread ran out and the cooks made fresh bread daily. They couldmake some good bread too. We usually had "bug juice" better known to landlubbers as Kool Aid. Stores like milk and fresh bread would only last a few days at sea unless we were replenished.

And after any period of time at sea they could looks like this. I always liked the coldcut sandwhiches.

Note, CSC Solomon Edwards was in charge of the galley during my time on board, 66 to 68, and of the three ships I served on none were better than the New when it came to feeding the crew. Then my overall  experience on the New was far better than the others ships.

In this shipyard photo taken in 1944 on the USS Lowery DD 770 shows the mess decks of a Gearing class destroyer. By the time New was finished in 1945 Gearings were the largest destroyer in the American navy. They were slightly enlarged versions of Fletcher class DD's and Sumner class. New's messdecks would have looked the same when completed. Not big at all by todays standards and yet 300 men were fed 3 times daily and mid rats for the mid watch.

^This view is from the port side looking athwart to starboard. Notice slope on opposite side. That is the forward part of the hull starboard side. A WTD (water tight door) was just to the right of photo, (not shown) where the steam line was. Crew would come down to steam line and get served, (picture of steam line above) come thru WTD and take a seat whereever. Once you finish then get up so another can sit down to eat. No time to sit and chat after a meal. Usually had a watch to go to or just come off one. Tables were different in 1966 when I was on. After you eat from the metal devided tray you took your tray and utensils to the WTD on the other side of aft bulkhead. Thru that door was the scullery where a messcook was waiting to take them to wash. The open deck hatch in the middle is access to a crews compartment below. When I was on New in 66 that was my compartment. OC and OI division slept there. Not a lot of space for 40 or so men but we were tin can sailors. It was a way of life for us. The head we used was on the mess deck level just forward of mess decks. See photo of passegeway above.

On the main deck was the galley. If there was something being cooked on the griddle we got our trays at the galley and got whatever was on the grill. Morning was eggs to order.  I was on three ships, two of them Gearings. Nowhere else, including naval mess halls have I seen what the New cooks did. I am sure there were others around but I never saw it. They could take two eggs in each hand and crack them over the grill. Four at a time. The last ship I was on stationed out of Pearl Harbor wouldn't even cook eggs if the seas rocked the boat. They kept a good supply of powdered eggs. Too much trouble. Those Pacific coast sailors had it too easy.  In Atlantic waters you have to learn fast how to work and roll with the waves, or else. New's cooks could do the duty and do it well. I never had any complaints about their cooking. Chief Solomin Edwards was in charge when I was on board. I did three months as spud coxswain under him. He was a damn good chief and leader and insisted that things be done right. .

Photo taken at entrance to galley. Not seen on left were two large stanlees steel steam pots. These were heated by built in tubes connected to the ships steam from the boiler room Everything from soup to spuds were cooked in them. Just past the stove on the righ, (aft) is a small compartment. The "Spud Locker". That's where the Spud Coxswain peeled potatoes, prepared salads, made fresh mayonaise, things like that There was a large tank, approx 7 gallons in size, that was used to peel potatoes. Of course it worked sometimes but not too often. It just turned a bushell of spuds around in an abrasive siding and took off the peeling. One of the times this was broken and I had to peel potatoes along with other duties like making salads. Well I mentioned to Chief Edwards that we had a lot of instant mashed potatoes and the menu was for mashed so why not use them. No way. Nope. Not a chance. It was a lessoned learned I have never forgot. We had real potatoes and the crew deserves the best if we have it. I never saw him angry or talk bad to anyone. He just explained it like you were human. I had a lot of respect for that man. Doing things right might not be the easiest way but it is alwasy the best way. Thanks Chief Edwards, wherever you are.

If you ever get a chance to go on a more modern ship you will be surprised at the difference in living and mess spaces. Those old tin cans weren't easy duty but I wouldn't have had it any other way. To me the Gearings were the best the Navy ever had. Larger new ships have berthing modules and there is an INSERV regulation now requireing a minimum of 64 sq feet per crew member.

CSC Solomon Edwards from the 1966 Med Cruise book

Always looking for more stories and pictures. If you have anything like this you want to add please contact me.  Thanks Rick Palmer

email rick

Thanks to Tin Can Sailors for the 1944 photos. Visit Tin Can Sailors Website.

More than fifty years old now and a stain or two, still this Thanksgiving Day Menu is a treasure. Sent in by Bill Butler who was an MM2 when he left the New for other duty and a long navy career to retire as a MMCS. Bill reported to New as an FN, his first ship. It was stationed in Newport Rhode Island at this time and was in DesRon 8, The 8 Ball Squadron. New was still classified as a DD at this time. In another year New and several other ships would be transferred to Norfolk Va. and designated as DDE to counter the growing threat of an ever growing Russian submarine fleet. This was at the beginning of the Cold War and Bill and his shipmates were among the first of the "Cold Warriers." Thanks to the dedication of men like Bill and the many who would follow in their footsteps for the next 40 years in all the services we can still enjoy this great American Holiday.

Commander H.D. Sturr USN                   Commanding Officer         Lt COMDR R.R Brafford USN                    Executive Officer      Ensign H.I. Kankman  (SC)  USN                     Supply Officer                             C. F. Archer  USN            Chief Commisary Steward

Tomato Juice Cocktail Turkey & Rice Soup                                           Crackers Ripe & Green Olives                         Sweet Pickle Chips Celery Hearts                              Lettuce & Tomato Salad                              Roast Tom Turkey                                   Baked Ham            Oyster Dressing              Giblet Gravy Candied Sweet Potatoes   Buttered Fresh Frozen Peas                            Cranberry Sauce Hot Rolls                         Butter                              Bread Mince Pie                                                      Pumpkin Pie                                      Coffee Cigars            Nuts & Hard Candies             Ciggarettes