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those slippery deck coverings!
Well, what do you think, XO?” e skipper of the USS Doe and his ecutive officer smiled at their reflec- °ns in the shiny new vinyl covering of J"lr ship’s second-deck passageway. q e second deck also happened to be the °fts damage control deck, p That shine will really please the ^°thmodore, Sir,” said the XO, “and e best thing is that it takes less time to a'ntain than the old deck tile.”
*Wo months later, the Doe was steam- ^ *n the North Atlantic. Seaman Smith I ?s exiting the second-deck head. He I one shower sandal-shod foot on that °SsV vinyl just as the ship took a 10°
■ “Whoa!” The seaman skidded i. °ss the passageway and badly bruised ls thigh on a zebra hatch.
°Ur months later, the Doe was on
duty in the Persian Gulf. The General Quarters alarm sounded. Everyone flat out ran to their battle stations as the intercom called, “Missile inbound, starboard side. All hands brace for ...” A deafening explosion and a hurricane of flame and debris cut the voice short. As the crew struggled to save the ship, fluids from ruptured piping, blood, bile, and aqueous film-forming foam washed the deck, that glassy vinyl deck, turning it into a deadly skating rink. One man was knocked unconscious when he fell. Another broke his leg when he slipped while toting a peri-jet eductor. They added to the heavy casualty load the ship’s corps- men were struggling to tend. All hands had to tread slowly and cautiously at a time when speed was critical.
These scenarios are part fiction, but they are entirely plausible. It is crazy to design or retrofit warships with deck coverings that impede the wartime functions of the decks they are covering.
No one would consider installing a slippery helicopter deck; who wants to see a helo slide over the side? But I have seen several ships whose damage control decks were so glossy they could cost lives in an emergency or in combat. Then who cares if the deck shines like the sun at inspection time?
The Navy should worry first about a deck’s function, and only then about its appearance. Decks in damage control areas of ships should be covered only with non-skid materials.
“A non-skid second deck?” the XO asks with distaste. “It’ll be ugly, but we can get used to it.”
Lieutenant Codrington is serving as first division officer in the USS Saginaw (LST-1188).
ARLEIGH BURKE ESSAY CONTEST
Tile U.S. Naval Institute is proud to announce its sixth ana* Arleigh Burke Essay Contest, which replaces the former Jtual General Prize Essay Contest.
*hree essays will be selected for prizes. a ^yone is eligible to enter and win. First prize earns $2,000, p.^old Medal, and a Life Membership in the Naval Institute. 1 Honorable Mention wins $1,000 and a Silver Medal.
^°nd Honorable Mention wins $750 and a Bronze Medal, r, be topic of the essay must relate to the objective of the an ’ Haval Institute: “The advancement of professional, literary, ann Sc*ent*fic knowledge in the naval and maritime services, ^ the advancement of the knowledge of sea power.”
. Essays will be judged by the Editorial Board of the U.S. Naval ■stitute.
,Nt*y rules
d Ssays must be original, must not exceed 4,000 words, and sl not have been previously published. An exact word count 2 ,St aPpear on the title page.
•All
entries should be directed to: Publisher, U.S. Naval Insti
^■Annapolis, Maryland 21402
mnct Ho t-oz'oitmrl z-»rv nr
tute
Says must be received on or before 1 December 1989 at ,P-S. Naval Institute.
a(J , ne name of the author shall not appear on the essay. Each Th 0r shall assign a motto in addition to a title to the essay. cSsls motto shall appear (a) on the title page of the its xvith the title, in lieu of the author’s name, and (b) by bin °n tfle outside °f an accompanying sealed envelope con- ln8 the name and address of the essayist, the title of the
essay, and the motto. This envelope will not be opened until the Editorial Board has made its selections.
5. The awards will be presented to the winning essayists at the 116thAnnual Meeting of the membership of the Naval Institute.
Letters notifying the award winners will
be mailed on or about 1 February 1990, and the unsuccessful essays will be returned to their authors on that date.
6. All essays must be typewritten, double-spaced, on paper approximately 8V4”xll”. Submit two complete copies.
7. The winning and honorable mention essays will be published in the Proceedings. Essays not awarded a prize may be selected for publication in the Proceedings. The writers of such essays will be compensated at the rate established for purchase of articles.
8. An essay entered in this contest should be analytical and/or interpretive, not merely an exposition, a personal narrative, or a report.
Deadline: 1 December 1989
'Vdin
gs / July 1989
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