Chapter XXII
Life Belts and Jackets
Section 1. References
-
Bureau of Ships letter S33-6-(7) (850) over EN28/A2-11 of
January 6, 1942.
-
Vice Chief of Naval Operations letter Op-23-A-RIP 4/22/42
over QB (166)/P14-2(411004), Serial 118523, of April 23, 1942.
-
Bureau of Ships letter S33-6-(7)(3631) over EN/28/A2-11 of
May 26, 1942.
-
Bureau of Ships letter S33-6-(7)(8631) over EN28/A2-11 of
July 13, 1942.
-
Bureau of Ships letter S33-6-(7)(3681) over EN28/A2-11 of
September 7, 1942.
Section 2. General
-
Paragraph 2201 gives instructions regarding how to wear a
pneumatic life belt.
-
Paragraph 2202 gives a report of a special board to investigate
the subject of special equipment and sets forth
a policy regarding the type of life belts and life jackets
to be worn by embarked troops and the crew.
-
Paragraphs 2203 and 2204 are instructions regarding life
jacket lockers on Combat Loaded Transports.
-
Paragraph 2205 gives a set of instructions regarding the
use of the Oral inflated life belts.
-
Life jackets will be worn by ship's company, officers and
enlisted personnel; embarked troops, Navy Beach Parties
and passengers will wear life belts at all times when at
sea. Commanding Officers are authorized to modify the above
instructions while vessels under their command are operating
in protected inland waters where operating conditions so warrant.
-
The instructions contained in paragraph 2210 above, may be
further modified by Commanding Officers for personnel standing
watch or on duty in machinery or other confined spaces below
deck, where it would make them very uncomfortable. If modifications
are made, however, such personnel not actually
wearing life jackets or belts will have them ready and close
at hand.
»XXII-1«
-
Landing Ship company, Landing Craft company and Landing Boat
crews will wear life jackets at all times when engaged in landing
exercises, and at such other times as may be required by
Regulations and instructions.
-
Whenever troops are embarking or embarked in ship's landing boats,
LVTs or DUKWs they will wear a life belt and will keep the oral
type inflated. Commanding Officers and troop Commanders will
issue necessary instructions regarding this matter, including instructions
covering obtaining of life belts to be worn during the
debarkation and proper testing procedures. Troop Commanders will
instruct troops to discard life belts on the beach or in the
immediate vicinity.
-
The Commanding Officers of all vessels of this Force landing beach
parties will instruct the officers and men of these beach parties
to collect all life belts and life jackets discarded by the troops
on the landing beaches and return them to their respective ships.
Troop Commanding Officers shall arrange for the return of life
belts carried beyond the beach head area at a time when tactical
and work priority considerations permit.
-
The Commanding Officers of APAs, AKAs, LSVs, LSDs, LSMs, LSTs,
LCIs and other vessels landing troops in amphibious landing operations
will instruct their Landing Boat Division Officers, Coxswains
of all boats, LVT and DUKW drivers to return all life belts and life
jackets worn by troops to their respective ships. This is absolutely
necessary in order that sufficient life belts and life jackets
will be available for reembarkation of assault troops after objectives
have been captured.
-
In order to permit ready identification of life belts and life jackets
and their return to their ship of origin all life belts and life
jackets should be marked with the designation and number of the ship.
-
Attention is called to the fact that the majority of the ship's company
are to wear Kapok type life jackets and that the life belts are
reserved for the embarked troops and Navy Beach Parties.
»XXII-2«
Table of Contents *
Previous Chapter (21) *
Next Chapter (23)