A Look at Lieutenants in Command at Sea

Of the upwards of 800 U. S. Navy ships now in commission, about 115 are commanded by “two-stripers.” But the number of command billets at sea for lieutenants has been steadily diminishing over the past five years.

A review of the “Line Officer Personnel Newsletter (NAVPERS 15893),” traces this downward trend:

In early 1957 there were 216 command billets available for lieutenants. Optimum preparation for these billets included a tour of duty in destroyers or smaller ships, demonstrated ship handling ability, and proven high caliber performance. In late 1958, lieutentants ordered to command small LST’s and AOG’s had six to eight years commissioned service, five to eight years for ATF’s, and three to six years for LSM-AKL-ATA- HMC-MSC-YF-YV and PC types. In early 1959, there were 143 commands available for lieutenants. Lieutenants were selected for command based on past performance and a large factor for command motivation. In mid- 1959, there were a few PC commands available for lieutenants, junior grade. In October 1960, a survey of unrestricted line lieutenants with four to ten years commissioned service revealed that 10 per cent of that group would have had command before making lieutenant commander. In April 1961, there were 121 commands available for Lieutenant, and included:

Four to six years commissioned service was a prerequisite for a lieutenant ordered to command of the AN, MFIC, MSC, and PC types.

A few changes to the April 1961 list have occurred; a YV has been commissioned, two new MSC’s have joined the mine force, one or two MSC’s have reverted to an “in service” status for reserve training, and a few small LST’s have been juggled in and out of commission.

It is not the purpose of this paper to ponder the ramifications of the fewer available commands. Rather, let us examine the odds confronting the newly-commissioned ensign who yearns for; and will work toward, a command of his own.

The total number of lieutenants on active duty is about 18,000 (i.e. line, unrestricted line and staff corps), of these about 10,000 are eligible to succeed to command at sea (i.e. surface and aviation line), and approximately half of these are surface line officers. Since there are generally about the same number of lieutenants on active duty at one time, and the average tour of command is in the neighborhood of 24 months, theoretically this means that between the fourth and tenth year of commissioned service, the line lieutenant has the chance to be selected for one of these small commands on three occasions.

Early command offers opportunity to exercise leadership ability. It affords experience in shiphandling under a variety of conditions. It offers responsibility that is direct and real. Some examples of real responsibility are:

an ATF or ATA towing an ammo barge 1,500 feet astern in a fog;

an MSC in a formation sweeping the five- fathom curve;

an LST beaching;

any small ship approaching a crowded pier when wind and current are opposing.

It is the real responsibility that makes the small ship skipper proud to wear the command-at-sea insigne. Many lieutenants who wear the command-at-sea insigne have been asked, “What ship do you have, Captain?” “What is your background?” “How did you get a small command?” These questions prompted the writer to “Ask the man who drives one.” The answers to these questions supplied by 88 “men who drive one” produced a picture of one hypothetical small ship commanding officer.

Lieutenant Davy Jones is not an average officer. He has sought increased responsibility since he was commissioned five and one-half years ago. After 18 months in the operations department of his first ship—a destroyer—he “fleeted up” to department head due to hard work, devotion to duty, and because the shortage of lieutenants created a vacancy. He found time to marry while qualifying for task force OOD and command duty officer and now has two children. In his first ship, he earned the respect of juniors and seniors by his interest in what they were doing and what was going on around him.

Two years after commissioning and six months after his promotion to JayGee, he became known as an action man; an officer on whom the exec could depend to take care of collateral duties as well as primaries; an officer who admired and envied the skipper. The captain was able to sleep when Jones had the midwatch. He studied shiphandling and eagerly handled the ship at every opportunity. He definitely decided he wanted a command after his first spectacular landing, mailed in a data card to reflect that desire, and made his desires known to the exec and the captain. Orders came after six months, but not to command, instead, to a small ship exec slot—with a short functional school and leave thrown in.

The new billet meant more responsibility, however, and an opportunity to gain broad experience. Meanwhile, he closely observed his seniors, copying their best traits and methods, bought a briefcase, and took more of his work home. .

On the fourth anniversary of his commissioning, he pinned the “railroad tracks” to his khaki shirt, and then hung it up until he completed his seamanship correspondence course, three months later. (He had trouble with questions about streaming paravanes and making battleship flying moors.)

Eventually, after four to five years of sea duty, Jones was cleared for command by BuPers and ordered to one of the smaller small ships.

Almost one year has passed since Lieutenant Jones pinned the command insignia on the right side of his uniform. He is accustomed to being called “Captain.” He has learned to ignore the self-defeating temptation to regard his particular command as an end in itself. He has time, when in port, to study professional subjects in a more leisurely fashion. He arrives on board around 0800 in a normal upkeep period, discusses “hot” items with his exec first, then proceeds to the basketful of routine items. There is time for lunch, a conference, cursory inspection of the ship, and a coffee break with the skipper of the ship moored alongside.

Although he has not had the opportunity to attend a leadership seminar, Jones has personally guided leadership discussions with the officers of his wardroom regularly. He takes a personal interest in all departments in his ship, but shows a special interest in the Engineering and Supply Departments. He can observe the Operations and Deck/Gunnery Departments in the normal course of a day’s work without special effort but, in the case of the two more obscure departments— obscure from the bridge level at least—he would prefer top wardroom and enlisted talent to look after them.

He does not feel that his internal paperwork is excessive. He feels that too much time is spent maintaining required individual and shipwide training records for the real value derived from them, since he has less officers available to keep the same variety of records. He does not feel that his required exercises are excessive. Although he doubts the validity of judging operational readiness by ability to perform a canned exercise, he can offer no better solution.

Jones administers his budget, which he considers sufficient except for occasional high cost, low usage items, on a departmental basis. Supply is a primary duty assignment for a line officer in his ship if enough officers are available. If not, Jones assigns supply duties to the deck/gunnery officer.

Lieutenant Jones has continued his interest in what others are doing. Whenever the opportunity exists, he visits ships of other types to keep abreast. He is always interested in all BuPers policy changes and command assignments.

Jones considers himself a fair celestial navigator and believes that he has an ample service background prior to assuming command even if he did not get a tour in all three departments. From a personal satisfaction standpoint, he would prefer to be assigned to the operations department when not in a command billet. He feels that experience gained in a tour as exec in a small ship benefited him in his present assignment and believes that a successful early command tour will favorably influence his selection for a subsequent command at higher rank.

Underway, Jones spends from two to 24 hours each day on the bridge, depending on the situation. He has enlisted JOOD’s assigned and occasionally assigns qualified enlisted OOD’s when steaming independently. Jones is quite happy about the opportunity to train his juniors in shiphandling. He endeavors to remain quiet while a newly commissioned ensign moors his ship. He learns whether he is handling his ship or observing. He is interested in the views of other skippers on handling his particular type ship if only for comparison purposes. He enjoys shiphandling in a “tight” situation, with some risk to his ship involved. He enjoys even more the satisfaction of making a difficult landing or maneuver after it is all over.

As for the future, Jones would like to command a destroyer escort or be assigned to duty as the executive officer in a destroyer in his next tour at sea.

The facts and figures of a survey completed in December 1961 are shown below for those interested in drawing their own picture of Lieutenant Jones (Figure 7).

9% Requested command by official letter.

87% Indicated desire for command on their data card.

11% Did not indicate a desire for command.

21% Relieved officers who were junior or the same year group.

96% Frequently instruct junior officers in shiphandling.

12% Felt that they had insufficient shiphandling experience prior to assuming command.

96% Stated that they enjoyed shiphandling in a “tight” situation, with some risk to their ships involved. (Several enjoyed the shiphandling after it was over.)

20% Have attended a leadership seminar.

38% Believed that too much time is spent maintaining required ship and individual training records for the real value derived from them. This feeling existed in the smaller ships where fewer officers were available to manage the paper work.

98% Believed they had an ample service background prior to assuming command.

64% Would prefer assignment to the operation department from a personal satisfaction standpoint. (Only 8 per cent preferred an engineering department assignment.)

76% Preferred commanding officer, executive officer of DE- or DD-type for their next sea assignment. (All but one LST commanding officer wanted destroyer type next.)

34% Consider themselves good celestial navigators.

67% Consider their monetary operating targets to be sufficient.

71% Administer their optars on a departmental basis.

1% Reported 37 months continuous command and “still going strong.”

96% Are proud to wear the command at sea insigne.

82% Believe that a successful early command tour will favorably influence their selection for a subsequent command as lieutenant commander or commander.

1% Had served two years in gunnery in a DD, two years in operations in a DE, and two years as engineering officer in an AO for the single perfectly rounded career in the entire survey.

85% Believed that experience gained in a tour as a small ship executive officer benefited, or would have benefited them in their present billet. Those not sharing this belief had not been small ship executive officers.

40% Were in top third, 40 per cent middle third, and the remainder in the lower third of their class or year group.

94% Are married, 82 per cent have from one to five children.

93% Believe their ship is above average.

The number of small commands should remain stable over the next ten years. Coastal minesweeper, ocean tug, auxiliary ocean tug, small LST and the PC types make up the bulk of small commands for lieutenants at present. The development of new weapons systems does not make these ships obsolete.

Our shipbuilding program includes coastal minesweepers and the Hydrofoil PC. Most of the new construction MSC’s go to our allies. Based on the lessons learned in Korea, the mineforce was re-evaluated and is here to stay. The MSC’s are relatively new and will last for many years to come. We could expect a rapid build-up of the mine force and hurried construction of inshore and coastal minesweepers in case of an action similar to the Korean War. In any case, don’t look for a reduction in the immediate future.