Back - Next

LCDR A. J. Case, USN

NAVIGATION

The Quartermasters are responsible for ensuring that the TOPEKA arrives at her destination safe and on time. The Aerographers Mates observe and report the weather in TOPEKA's area. This information is correlated with observations of other ships and stations and broadcast as weather forecasts by the Fleet Weather Centers. These forecasts and weather maps are received onboard and used as a basis for briefing the Captain and the embarked Admiral as to expected weather.

The most demanding task of the "QM's" is that of piloting the ship when entering and leaving port. It is there that teamwork plays a most important part in providing safe courses to steer to the Captain and the Officer of the Deck. Between ports, the "QM's" maintain a continuous plot of the ship's position, utilizing visual landmarks, radar data, celestial observations and Loran for determining the ships exact position. Even in this modern day of electronics and satellites, the skill of celestial navigation is required to navigate the ship. By observing the sun, moon and stars the "QM's" can compute the ship's position without the use of any external navigation aids.

It is due to the careful, dedicated efforts of the Navigation Department that TOPEKA has been able to be on station for task group operations, and to safely enter her many ports of call on schedule.

Back - Next