A NOTE FROM YOUR TOUR GUIDE: These images are not copyrighted or restricted in any way. But I do put a lot of time into collecting, curating, scanning, describing, and posting them to my website. I have no problem with these images being used but PLEASE site the source if you do.
Cruisers
Loading practice for a 5″/40 caliber breech loading rifle aboard U.S.S. Olympia (C-6), pre-WWI.
Excellent detail of breech what looks to be a dummy cartridge / projectile during gun drill. Note what looks to be a Gunner’s Mate supervising drill.
Cruiser Olympia; protected cruiser; 5 inch gun; casemate gun; battle practice
“Looking for ‘Subs'”, ca. 1918-19
Nice photo on unidentified Chester-Class Cruiser showing 5″/51 and 3″/50 anti-aircraft deck guns, along with 9′ coincidence rangefinder. It gives lovely detail deck gun and fire control drill. It’s also interesting because the rangefinder isn’t hard mounted, but on a movable stand on deck. Note the powder “tanks” and 5″ shells on deck just aft of the rangefinder.
5 inch gun; 3 inch anti-aircraft gun; open mount gun; battle practice; rangefinder; Chester-Class Cruiser
5″/51 gun crew awaits action aboard U.S.S. Birmingham (CS-2) during Atlantic convoy duty in World War I, 1918. Note the gun crew wearing cold weather gear and the gun captain wearing a headset.
5 inch gun; open mount gun; deck gun; cruiser; convoy; Great War; World War I; Chester-Class cruiser
Installation of 5″/51 deck gun on U.S.S. Birmingham (CS-2) at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 1917. This was to make Birmingham ready for Atlantic service during World War I.
5 inch gun; open mount gun; deck gun; cruiser; Great War; World War I; Chester-Class cruiser
Battleships
5″/51 deck gun in open mount aboard a battleship, ca. 1918-19. This image shows a full gun crew along with shell and powder bag passers. Note the officer with his back to the camera in dungarees with white cap cover and white shoes.
5 inch gun; open mount gun; battle practice; battleship; dreadnaught
5″/51 gun battle practice, ca. 1915-20. The inscription indicates the gun crew hit 6 of 8 shots in 42 seconds.
Note the Mk. V (Bethlehem type) breech on this gun.
5 inch gun; open mount gun; battle practice
5″/51 gun crew on a battleship at drill, ca 1915-20. Note the “enemy” ships in the distance, which are likely other ships in the squadron or convoy.
5 inch gun; open mount gun; battle practice; battleship; dreadnaught
Loading Machines
Loading practice using a “loading machine,” which was a simulated breech on a stand. When dummy projectiles and dummy powder bags were inserted and the breech closed, they dropped into a tray and ejected out the bottom for reuse. The purpose was to allow gun crews undergoing training to practice continuous loading, that way they could gain speed in the loading process. Trained deck gun crews should be able to fire 8 to 10 aimed shots in a minute.
Gunnery practice; loading machine
Marine gun crew practicing loading with a loading machine.
Gunnery practice; loading machine; Marines; USMC