Over the Side

When "Abandon Ship!" goes on bullhorn or bugle, every man in a Navy crew knows his station. But abandon-ship drills merely get the man to the station; after that he is on his own. How to get off a sinking ship, what the well-dressed man in the water should wear, are suggested in the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings for July. The author: Lieut. Commander William C. Chambliss, U.S.N.R., himself an involuntary absentee from the aircraft carrier Wasp.

What to wear is usually settled by circumstances: you wear what you have on. If caught undressed, grab a shirt and pants anyway. Clothing saves skin on the trip down a rope or a rough hull. To save the hands ("principal tools of salvation") Chambliss recommends carrying a pair of light leather gloves in the hip pocket at all times. A knife is a necessity. So is a pencil flashlight, easily carried in a shirt pocket, best kept dry in a knotted rubber sheath ("a bit inelegant, but elegance has no place in abandoning ship").

No well-dressed ship-abandoner should leave without a life jacket. Chambliss prefers the inflatable type to kapok. Worn on the person, the rubber jacket is always available and may be deflated for faster swimming.

Don't Jump; Don't Slide. In ships that are battle casualties there may not be time to lower boats, or even to rig cargo nets. But survivors should jump only as a last resort: a man may be knocked out by a high leap, or hit an obstruction. Best emergency exit: a fire hose, because it offers a surer grip than a rope. Hose or rope should be descended slowly. Wait until the feet are in the water before letting go: distance is easy to misjudge under stress. Never go over the lee side: ships drift downwind faster than a man can swim; loose gear floats close to the ship on the lee side.

Once in the water, get clear fast. Not only is falling debris greatest near the ship, but oil is thickest. To be safe from fire, swim off until the oil on the water appears as small globules rather than a solid sheet.

Don't Hurry. Once clear, slow down, conserve strength. Swim slowly toward a rescue ship (if any) or a raft or a group of survivors. Lookouts are more likely to see a large group of men in the water than a lone swimmer. If rescue ships stop picking up survivors and rush off, prepare for a depth charging. Swim on your back, keep your belly clear of the water-borne concussion.

Final advice by Commander Chambliss: "Once aboard the rescue vessel, try not to make a damned nuisance of yourself. . . . If picked up by a destroyer or similarly small vessel, get below decks. Sure, you'd like to stay topside and see what's going on. But a destroyer that has taken aboard 600 or 700 survivors. . . is in a precarious state of balance.

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