USS Enterprise CV-6
The Most Decorated Ship of the Second World War

1. This bill outlines the general requirements for watch standing.
2. The Executive Officer shall assign such officers as is practicable, exclusive of those officers assigned as "Duty Commander" by the Commanding Officer, to one of four duty sections. These sections shall be the basic organization for officer's duties in port.
3. The crew is divided into four sections for purposes of duty, watch standing, and liberty. Sections 1 and 3 constitute the starboard watch and sections 2 and 4 the port watch.
4. All twenty-four hour details of officers shall be from 1200 of one day to 1200 of the following day. All twenty-four hour details of enlisted men shall be from 0800 to 0800, except the Engineer Department personnel and other watch standers, whose detail shall be from noon to noon. During working hours, both watches of the crew are available for work.
5. The Executive Officer shall designate qualified officers for duty sections.
6. The watch and duty list for officers and men assigned to key positions shall be attached to the Plan of the Day and issued daily in advance by the Executive Officer. Heads of Departments shall submit their watch and duty lists for their respective departments to the Executive Officer by 1100 of the preceeding day. When practicable, these lists shall be submitted for the week on Mondays. Subsequent changes shall be made prior to 1100 of the day preceeding the day of the watch. No changes in the watches listed in the Plan of the Day shall be made without the permission of the Executive Officer or Duty Commander.

1. Chapter 2 shows the assignment of ratings to the various divisions. Assignment by names shall be recorded in the Watch, Quarter, and Station Bill forms prescribed by the Executive Officer in accordance with Article 1287, U. S. Navy Regulations 1920.

1. All chief petty officers shall be assigned to a duty section. Chief petty officers of the duty section shall be assigned appropriate duties in their own departments and shall, in addition be available for patrol, beach guard, and other details outside the ship. Normally, chief petty officers for patrol will be designated in proportion to the total chief petty officer allowance of the departments, excluding those especially exempted.

1. Each division shall have a petty officer as section leader for each section. At night each section leader is responsible for knowing where each man in his division is sleeping. At sea, the section leaders of the deck divisions shall inform the boatswain's mate of the watch where they sleep. The boatswain's mate, in calling the watch, shall call only the section leaders. The latter are responsible for calling their sections and seeing that they are present or accounted for at muster.

IN PORT

1. Such line officers as may be designated by the Commanding Officer, shall take days duty in rotation as Duty Commander.
2. The Duty Commander shall, in the absence of the Executive Officer, and subject to the orders of the senior line officer on board, carry out the prescribed duties of the Executive Officer.
3. The Plan of the Day shall indicate the Duty Commander. He shall be notified when the Captain, Executive Officer, or senior line officer leaves or returns to the ship.
4. The Duty Commander shall be ready to assume routine duties of the Executive Officer at any time. While the Executive Officer is on board, he shall have the status of assistant to the Executive Officer. As such, he shall handle routine decisions, supervise visiting, and be ready to carry out special tasks as ordered.
5. He shall give particular attention to incoming despatches, to measures affecting the safety of the ship and personnel, to carrying out scheduled operations, and to the general administration of the ship.
6. He is expected to exercise the proper initiative in any emergency affecting the ship.
7. Whenever the Executive Officer is not aboard, he shall meet the Admiral and the Captain if they return aboard prior to 2200.
8. Nothing in the above instructions relieves the Commanding Officer of full responsibility as laid down in Navy Regulations.

1. The Commanding Officer will designate certain commissioned line officers, and marine officers when available, for duty as officer of the deck in port.

1. Certain junior commissioned line officers and junior marine officers will be designated for duty as Junior Officer of the Watch in port.

1. Under the supervision of the Navigator, the senior watch officer shall prepare the watch lists for the Officer of the Deck and Junior Officer of the Watch.

1. The Navigator shall instruct the deck watch officers. Special effort shall be made to qualify squadron officers as Officer of the Deck, both in port and at sea. Record of such qualifications shall be kept in the Navigator's file for reference and entered in the officer's fitness report.

1. The duties assigned squadron officers shall be based on the policy and orders of Commander Aircraft Battle Force, relative to such duties. When the Squadrons report on board, they become an integral part of the ship and of the Air Department. When squadrons are on board their officer personnel shall be assigned to the ship's duty groups. Squadron officers shall be assigned Air Department duty, Squadron Duty Officer duty, Security Watch duty, and Officer of the Deck duty as directed by the Commanding Officer. Due consideration shall be given to relief of squadron officers from Officer of the Deck and Security Watch duty prior to, during, and after any flight operations for which they may be scheduled.

1. When squadrons are on board, a continuous watch shall be stood in the hangar or on the flight deck, or both, by the squadrons as prescribed by the head of the Air Department and approved by the Executive Officer. This watch shall be secured during flight quarters.

1. Each department shall have a responsible representative on board in charge at all times. To this end heads of departments shall submit duty lists from personnel prescribed below for the approval of the Executive Officer.
   1. Construction Department - Day's duty by commissioned, warrant, or chief petty officer.
   2. Air Department - Day's duty by commissioned officer. (One naval aviator must be aboard at all times).
   3. Navigation Department - Day's duty by chief petty officer or petty officer.
   4. Gunnery Department - Day's duty by a commissioned officer.
   5. Engineering Department - Day's duty by commissioned officer.
   6. Communication Department - Day's duty by commissioned officer.
   7. Medical Department - Day's duty by commissioned officer of Medical Corps. (When in company of other vessels, Medical Guard as prescribed by Force and Type Commanders).
   8. Supply Department - Day's duty by commissioned officer of the Supply Corps or Pay Clerk.
   9. Duty Gunner - Day's duty by warrant or chief petty officer.
   10. Duty Boatswain - Day's duty by Chief Boatswain's Mate.
   11. Construction Department Security Watch - Day's duty by chief petty officers and petty officers (Shipfitters and Carpenter's mates).

1. The Officer of the Deck shall, unless prevented by urgent duty, stand continuous watch on the quarterdeck. He is in charge of the ship as a whole with duties and responsibilities as laid down in Navy Regulations. In executing his duties in port the Officer of the Deck is authorized to station himself at any place where events of urgent importance warrant his presence, and shall in such case direct the Junior Officer of the Watch to represent him at the gangway.
2. Junior Officer of the Watch. A watch shall be stood by a junior officer to assist the Officer of the Deck. He shall tend the after gangways and perform such duties as the Officer of the Deck may direct.
3. Quartermaster of the Watch. A watch shall be stood by a quartermaster to assist the Officer of the Deck. The Quartermaster of the Watch shall keep notes, write the columns of the log and perform such duties as the Officer of the Deck may direct.
4. Quartermaster Striker of the Watch. When desirable for instruction purposes a watch shall be stood by a seaman of the "N" Division to assist the Quartermaster of the Watch.
5. Boatswain's Mate. A day's duty shall be stood by a boatswain's mate from the deck divisions for carrying out ship's routine, handling working parties, and passing words. This duty shall be stood from fifteen minutes before reveille until taps. He shall be available on call throughout the night, and shall sleep with the anchor watch.
6. Junior Boatswain's Mate. A day's duty shall be stood by a coxswain from the deck divisions to assist and to act as relief for the Boatswain's Mate from fifteen minutes before reveille until taps. He shall also be available on call throughout the night.
7. Bugler. A day's duty shall be stood by a bugler on the quarterdeck to assist the Officer of the Deck. He shall stand duty from fifteen minutes before reveille until taps. He may be temporarily relieved by another bugler from the relief section. He shall be available on call throughout the night, and shall sleep with the anchor watch.
8. Time Orderly. A day's duty shall be stood by a marine private on the quarterdeck to assist the Officer of the Deck in the execution of routine. He shall stand duty from reveille until taps.
9. Messengers. A day's duty shall be stood by two seamen from V-1, V-2 divisions as Officer of the Deck messengers. They shall stand duty from reveille until relieved by the anchor watch. When needed, additional messengers will be detailed by the Air Department.
10. Side Boys. When required, six seamen, two from each deck division shall stand by on the quarterdeck as side boys. They shall stand watch from 0800 to sunset. When more side boys are needed they shall be detailed from the V-1, V-2 divisions.
11. Guard of the Day. One non-commissioned officer of marines and ten privates shall be available as guard of the day from 0800 to sunset.
12. Band. The band shall be available for ceremonies and honors from 0800 to sunset.
13. Reliefs. For General Quarters and Emergency Drills the following schedule for reliefs is provided for the deck watch.

    Station	Relief
    Officer of the Deck.	Navigator.
    Junior Officer of the Watch.	Chief Quartermaster.
    Signal Watch.	Remains on watch.
    Quartermaster of the Watch.	Remains on watch.
    Boatswain's Mate.	Boatswain's Mate from "R" Division.
    Junior Boatswain's Mate.	Secures.
    Bugler.	Remains on watch.
    Time Orderly.	Relief Bugler.
    Messenger.	Relief Bugler.
    Side Boys.	Secure.
    Guard of the Day.	Secures.
    Band.	Secures.

1. Signal Watch. A watch shall be stood by signal ratings on the signal bridge to keep a lookout for signals, movements of vessels, boats and airplanes. Particular vigilance shall be exercised to observe airplanes returning to or apparently signalling the ship, and to report promptly situations which will require action on the part of the ship in rendering or returning honors. This watch shall tend and keep clear all bunting hoisted aloft, strike the ship's bell, and tend absentee pennants and lights as directed by the Officer of the Deck. It shall be the duty of the signal watch to keep the Officer of the Deck fully informed of events which transpire outside the ship.

1. 1. Four Guard Mail Petty Officers, each from a different liberty section, shall be permanently detailed by the Gunnery Department The petty officer so detailed shall wear the uniform of the day with neckerchief and web belt, and shall report to the Officer of the Deck ten minutes before each scheduled trip. The Guard Mail Petty Officer shall collect and distribute mail in accordance with instructions received from the ship's secretary. A guard flag and staff shall be kept in the Captain's office.

1. The following posts are established and shall be detailed from the marine guard:

   *Admiral's Orderly

   *Chief of Staff's Orderly

   Captain's Orderly

   Executive Officer's Orderly

   Time Orderly

   Lifebouy Watch (See 3606)

   Brig Sentry

   Communication Orderly

   Corporal of the Guard

   Sergeant of the Guard

   * When Flag is on board.

2. The marine officer shall provide each post with written orders, approved by the Commanding Officer.

1. The anchor watch is a detail of various ratings organized for the purpose of providing the Officer of the Deck with a group of men capable of meeting ordinary duties and minor emergencies during the night watches at anchor.
2. The Anchor Watch detail shall consist of the following:

   1 Coxswain		Working Division
   *9 Seamen		1st, 2nd, 3rd Divisions
   *3 Seamen		V-1, V-2 Divisions
   1 Carpenter's Mate or Shipfitter		"R" Division
   1 Gunner's Mate		5th Division
   1 Bugler		"R" Division
   1 Electrician's Mate		"E" Division
   **1 Motor Launch or Motor Whale Boat crew complete		Deck Division plus "A" Division

    * These totals reduced to 6 seamen and 2 seamen respectively when ship is moored alongside a pier.

   ** The crew less the boat keeper of one motor launch (or motor whale boat) on the duty list shall be designated by the Officer of the Deck to sleep in berths in compartment B-202-1L designated for that purpose and be immediately available in emergency.

3. The Officer of the Deck shall have the anchor watch mustered at 1900 for instructions. On nights when there are movies or smokers, the anchor watch may be mustered earlier or later at the discretion of the Officer of the Deck. The watch shall go on at tattoo and remain on until reveille. The seamen shall stand continuous watches {tattoo-2400; 2400-0200; 0200-0400; 0400-reveille), two on the quarterdeck, and one on the forecastle tending the drift lead. The forecastle watch shall report to the Officer of the Deck promptly by telephone if the ship starts to drag, if there is excessive strain on the anchor chain and any other unusual conditions. The spare anchor shall always be kept ready for letting go.
4. The remainder of the anchor watch shall sleep in cots placed on the main deck near the quarterdeck, or in berths in compartment B-202-1L. If using cots, the coxswain of the anchor watch shall obtain the cots from the Construction Department duty petty officer, at the construction department issuing room, after the anchor watch is mustered. He shall return them immediately after reveille.
5. The Officer of the Deck shall organize a ground tackle detail in the anchor watch as follows:

   1 Deck petty officer	6 Seamen
   1 Artificer	1 Electrician

   This detail will be available for instant call in case there is necessity for veering chain.

6. Instructions to the Watch shall cover the following points:
   1. Instruct ground tackle detail.
   2. Duties in lowering a life boat (if no boat is available in the water).
   3. Tending the drift lead.
   4. Assignment of watches.
   5. Place to sleep.
   6. Name of relief.
   7. Where coxswain sleeps.
7. At such times as the ship is at anchor with sea watches at stations, the watch on deck will furnish the ground tackle detail on the forecastle indicated in subparagraph 5 above.

1. A heavy weather ground tackle watch, a watch separate from the anchor watch, shall be made available to the Officer of the Deck for continuous watch when conditions demand. Each watch shall consist of the following ratings:

   No.	Rate	Division	Station
   1	Quartermaster	"N"	Bridge
   1	Boatswain Mate	Deck	Forecastle
   4	Seamen	Deck	Forecastle
   1	Ship Fitter	"R"	Forecastle
   1	Electrician Mate	"E"	Forecastle

2. The watches shall be of four hours duration. The deck ratings shall stand the watch in sequence of divisions, beginning with the working division. The artificer ratings shall be furnished by the divisions designated.
3. One gyro shall be started and the quartermaster bridge detail shall break out charts, instruments, light lists, etc., in preparation for fixing the position of the ship. This detail shall also cut in the bridge alidades and take record bearings as directed by the Officer of the Deck.

1. When an emergency arises necessitating the possible use of ground tackle, the Executive Officer or Duty Commander, shall be called immediately and all preparations made for letting go the ready anchor. In case the ship drags the Officer of the Deck may drop a second anchor at once and veer as necessary on both chains The following is the normal condition of the ground tackle when the ship is riding to one anchor.
   1. On the riding chain.
      1. Brake set up.
      2. Three stoppers put on and set up.
      3. Wildcat disconnected.
      4. Power off windlass.
   2. One anchor ready for letting go:
      1. Wildcat disconnected.
      2. One stopper on chain.
      3. Brake set up taut.
2. To let go the ready anchor:
   1. Come up and tend brake.
   2. Knock off stopper.

1. The first, second, third and combined V-1 and V-2 divisions shall take the day's duty in rotation as working divisions. The division coming on duty Saturday shall keep the duty through Sunday. The division which would in rotation have had the Sunday duty shall drop out.
2. The working division shall handle routine calls, and all calls outside working hours. Special working parties shall be prorated among the three deck divisions, and the V-1 and V-2 divisions. First call shall be made on the deck divisions. The working division shall detail a petty officer in charge of a special working party.
3. Request for working parties shall be submitted by 1100 of the day before they are needed, so that they may be incorporated in the Plan of the Day. When working parties, in addition to those listed in the Plan of the Day are needed, they shall be requested from the Officer of the Deck. He shall make necessary arrangements and refer major working parties and conflicts in personnel availability to the Executive Officer. Detail of a working party for a given day does not authorize continuation on the following day. If a working party is needed again, it must be requested anew.
4. Working parties shall be assembled on the Main Deck for muster. Check shall be kept by the Officer of the Deck on number of men in each party, where working, time started, and time completed.
5. When working parties are detailed for handling stores, a representative of the Supply Department shall be present.
6. Nothing in the foregoing shall preclude the use in working parties under special conditions, or "all hands" jobs, of such men as may be necessary from any or all departments of the ship.

At sea, the 1600 to 2000 watch shall be dogged.

1. The Senior Watch Officer shall prepare the sea watch list under the supervision of the Navigator.
2. Officers assigned to Officer of the Deck duty at sea shall stand watch in accordance with the principles laid down in paragraph 523.
3. The Hangar and Flight Deck Secunty Watches shall be maintained as prescribed in paragraph 511.

1. Officer of the Deck watches underway will be stood in accordance with the following standard watch list:

   O. O. D.	Assistant O. O. D.	J. O. O. W.
   1. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   2. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   3. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   4. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   5. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   6. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   7. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign
   8. Lieut. or Lieut. (jg)	Lieut. (jg) or Ensign	Ensign

2. The Senior Watch Officer will not stand a regular watch but will fill in to maintain normal rotation of watches when there exists an enforced absence of one of the Lieutenants of the regular O. O. D. watch list.
3. The groups of officers indicated in paragraph 1 above will stand watch together until a change in the watch list approved by the Navigator is introduced.
4. Watches will normally be assigned in regular rotation as indicated by the standard watch list.
5. The O. O. D. and J. O. O. W. will normally be relieved by the Navigator and Chief Quartermaster only for General Quarters and General Emergency Drills which require their presence.
6. The lieutenants of the O. O. D. watch list will stand all watches from 2000 to 0800, permitting the Assistant O. O. D. to handle the deck under their supervision to the greatest practicable extent.
7. The watches from 0800 to 2000 will normally be stood by the Assistant O. O. D. provided he has on file a watch standing certificate approved by the Commanding Officer. The lieutenant of the O. O. D. watch list will be available on call provided his presence on the bridge is required.
8. The watches from 0800 to 2000 may be stood under the supervision of the Navigator by an Assistant O. O. D. who does not have on file a watch standing certificate approved by the Commanding Officer, by special authority of the Navigator in each individual case.
9. The Officer of the Deck will make appropriate recommendation to the Senior Watch Officer when the Assistant O. O. D. with whom he stands watch is considered qualified for a watch standing certificate. This recommendation and the Navigator's observation of the officer concerned will constitute the basis for recommendation to the Commanding Officer that a watch standing certificate be issued to the officer.
10. When the Squadrons are embarked the attached Naval Aviators who are available for watch standing will be divided into three groups corresponding to those indicated in paragraph 1. The Senior Watch Officer will regulate the substitutions of Squadron Naval Aviators for officers of the standard watch list as may be practicable.
11. The basic principle of maintaining the standard watch list for Officer of the Deck underway will be the maintenance of a watch in eight, utilizing additional officers that may be available as substitutions rather than adding them to the watch list.

Prior to relieving the deck, the watch shall have been relieved and posted and the Officer of the Deck, the Assistant O. O. D. and Junior Officer of the Watch shall have studied the chart and at night signed the Captain's Night Order book.

1. The watch on deck at sea consists of one section in rotation of each deck division, plus personnel listed in "Sea Details", (paragraph 529.) The personnel of "Sea Details" shall be furnished by the watch on deck when practicable.
2. The entire watch on deck shall be mustered at 2000, 2400 and 0400, at other times only the sea details and crews of life boats shall be mustered and stationed.
3. When called by section leaders the oncoming watch shall proceed to the quarterdeck where the members of the watch shall be mustered by their section leaders, who shall report to the boatswain's mate of the oncoming watch stationed there.
4. Upon receipt of reports from the section leaders, the boatswain's mate of the watch shall send the junior boatswain's mate of the watch and bridge details to the bridge where the junior boatswain's mate of the watch shall station and instruct these details.
5. The boatswain's mate of the watch shall station and instruct the deck details, and upon completion, shall report having done so to the Junior Officer of the Watch who in turn shall report the watch relieved to the Officer of the Deck.
6. That part of the watch on deck not assigned to specific bridge or deck stations shall, after muster, remain on the main deck in the immediate vicinity of the quarterdeck or in compartment A-310-1LM until relieved. These men may sleep but shall be fully clothed and ready for duty on call.
7. Only the section having the midwatch is authorized to sleep in until "All Hands."

1. The Boatswain's Mate of the Watch are those boatswain's mates of the deck divisions so detailed. They shall stand watch on the quarterdeck.
2. The Junior Boatswain's Mate of the Watch shall stand watch on the bridge.

1. Day-Normal Visibility. At times of normal visibility during the day there shall be one mast head lookout who shall be stationed in Sky Control in the foremast. This lookout shall stand a two hour watch and shall be furnished from the watch on deck. Communication with the bridge shall be by voice tube No. 2.
2. Night-Normal Visibility. During the night at times of normal visibility, in addition to the lookout mentioned in par. 1. above, there shall be furnished from the watch on deck a lookout plus a talker stationed in the eyes of the ship on the forecastle deck. These men shall alternate duties at the end of each two hour watch. Communication with the bridge shall be via the X-1JV telephone.
3. Duties of Lookouts. Lookouts shall make an immediate report to the Officer of the Deck on sighting ships, lights, buoys, land, shoals, discolored water, or any other thing which might be of value in navigating the ship or operating the airplanes. During the night the mast head lookout shall observe and report the brightness of the running lights to the officer of the deck, every half hour from sunset to sunrise. All lookouts shall be especially vigilant to keep a lookout astern when the ship is backing, changing speed or course, or otherwise maneuvering.
4. Fog Lookouts. In fog or thick weather, during either the day or at night, in addition to the mast head lookout mentioned in par. 1. above, there shall be lookouts stationed as follows:

   Two in the eyes of the ship (one on each bow) on the forecastle deck, and one all the way aft on the fan tail. One talker shall be provided for the two forward lookouts, and one talker for the lookout aft. The talker and lookout aft shall relieve each other. The talker and lookouts forward shall be relieved by the watch on deck at the end of a two hour watch. These talkers and lookouts shall be furnished from the watch on deck. Communication with the bridge shall be over the X-1JV telephone.

5. Duties of Fog Lookouts. In addition to the duties mentioned for lookouts on watch during conditions of normal visibility, fog lookouts shall be especially vigilant to report promptly to the bridge any fog or other signals heard. When the ship is steaming in formation the forward fog lookouts shall watch the position buoy of the ship ahead and be prepared to report its bearing and distance when so ordered, and shall make an immediate report when it is lost sight of, together with its bearing and distance when last seen.

1. Under ordinary circumstances when the ship anchors at night (or gets underway after 2100) the watch on deck shall provide the ground tackle detail and the necessary sea details, except personnel from the Construction and Navigation Departments.

1. During night watches in port the Officer of the Deck shall require the Junior Officer of the Watch to:
   1. Inspect from the deck of the ship all boats in the water.
   2. Inspect all living spaces of the ship at least once each watch between 2000 and reveille.
2. During daylight the Officer of the Deck shall require the Junior Officer of the Watch to make such inspections above and below decks as are necessary to insure that the routine is being carried out and that the ship's external appearance is shipshape. At "turn to" in the morning watch he shall require the duty boatswain to inspect the exterior of the ship from a boat.

1. Sergeant of the Guard shall all sentries and make an inspection of the ship once each watch and report the results of his inspection to the Officer of the Deck.
2. The Corporal of the Guard shall visit all sentries hourly and in addition, between the hours of 2200 and 0600, he shall in inspect officer's country once each hour and report the results of his inspection to the Officer of the Deck.

1. A continous lower deck patrol shall be maintained from taps until reveille. The watch shall be stood by Duty Section Masters at Arms. All Duty Section Masters at Arms shall be available for this watch. They shall muster with the Officer of the Deck at 1900. At tattoo the first watch shall be posted and shall maintain a continuous patrol of living spaces to safeguard the ship's personnel and material, maintain order, and correct any irregularity which might occur. A report shall be made hourly on the half hour to the Officer of the Deck and at such times as irregularities occur.
2. This watch shall relieve on the quarterdeck in the presence of the Officer of the Deck.
3. The Chief Master at Arms shall arrange the watch lists for these patrols and shall submit the lists to the Executive Officer's Office prior to 1100 of the day preceding the watch for publication in the Plan of the Day.

1. The Artificer with the day's duty shall:
   1. In port at 0600 - take soundings of forward and after peak tanks and all void spaces and inner bottoms outside of engineering spaces, and report results to the Officer of the Deck.
   2. In port at 1800 - make the same inspection but shall make his report to the construction department duty officer for inclusion in the construction department eight o'clock report to the Executive Officer.
   3. At sea - the artificers of the watch shall make a complete inspection of the ship below the second deck once every two hours from sunset to sunrise to insure watertight integrity.