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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: QM3 duties
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My dad was a QM3 assigned to PT62 from Dec. 1943 to April 1944 when he was transferred to a hospital ship. My question is: what would his duties have been while aboard.

Posted By: Rick Carlson | Posted on: Nov 9, 2016 - 9:56am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

In essence, Quartermasters stand watch as assistants to officers of the deck and the navigator; serve as helmsman and perform ship control, navigation and bridge watch duties.
QMs procure, correct, use and stow navigational and oceanographic publications and oceanographic charts. They maintain navigational instruments and keep correct navigational time.

This is from the booklet "Know your PT Boat"

Notes for Quartermaster.-
1. Keep charts in order, clean, and do not erase reefs or allow water to eradicate them. Your dividers are to pick off distances with and not to prick holes in the charts. Plot courses well clear of navigational dangers. The charts can be wrong in their location of reefs. In particular, stay well clear of river deltas. Many times they are not on your charts, and deltas are forever growing, shifting, and extending themselves.

2. Learn your recognition procedure cold. Have the correct recognition equipment in perfect condition and at hand. Effective recognition signals must be known at all times. Remember the times of signal changes.
3. Get the feel of the lead line at night and be able to yell out the soundings loud and clear.

4. Practice your signalling (semaphore and blinker).
5. Learn all the charthouse jobs of the other rates.
6. Dry cells must be kept dry. Some day you may have to use them to help start the generator.
7. All parts of the Flux Gate Compass must be insured against disturbance and moisture. It is a magnetic compass and must be free of disturbances and loose gear such as guns and engine parts. Check cables and plugs occasionally for corrosion. Like the radio gear, operate it daily. It should be operated uncaged at all times under way.
8. Keep binoculars in good shape. Don't rub off the blue tint. It aids you in night vision. Excessive heat is not good for this type of binocular, so keep them out of the sun. The importance of these glasses cannot be overestimated. From captured Japanese documents, it is clear that our glasses are better than theirs. The Japs complain and admit in official correspondence that we saw them long before they saw us, chiefly because we have the better glasses. Don't give away this advantage by having dirty, wet, or shattered binoculars. Keep them clean, dry, and safe. Clamp down on the boots who go down hatches with a binocular dangling from their necks. Many glasses have been shattered in this way and replacements are almost unobtainable.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Nov 9, 2016 - 4:59pm
Total Posts: 611 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Thank you for your help. My dad has never talked much about his service other than he "drove the boat". Rick

Posted By: Rick Carlson | Posted on: Nov 9, 2016 - 7:52pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered