Oral History Interview with Joe C. Dillon, June 6, 1980 Page: 25
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25
Bristol, who was the only officer we had . . . he was the
assistant engineering officer on the Saint Louis. We had
several missions. We were actually a repair party, but this
party was made up of all facets of people.
I, being an electrician, would take care of electrical
damage. I may have had one or two other electricians with
me. I don't recall. I'm sure I must have. I was also
engine room relief for any casualties that might happen just
on the deck below me in the engine room. I would just run
down the ladder and take over the switchboard.
We also had remote control-for the main steam valves
on the third deck. We had access to all the battle circuits--
electrical circuits--on that deck. We could also pass through
any cables necessary to keep the power to the turrets and
various other things-operating. The main thing is to keep
those guns firing.
Well, in the condition that the Saint Louis was in, about all
it could do was sit there, wasn't it? Maybe you could get
some of your machine guns operating and so on, but other
than that, what else can you do?
You're absolutely right. We had two .50-caliber machineguns, and they were immediately wheeled out on deck. They
had one old .30-caliber machine gun strapped on the bridge,
and that was all. The 5-inch guns could not fire, and, of
course, the 6--inch main batteries were useless. We were sitting
ducks, but we weren't quite as bad as the San Francisco,Marcello:
Dillon:
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Marcello, Ronald E. & Dillon, Joe Clyde. Oral History Interview with Joe C. Dillon, June 6, 1980, book, June 6, 1980; Denton, TX. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2085620/m1/27/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Oral History Program.