Repair Parties and Teams

Repair party officers should take charge of activities in their area of responsibility after damage is sustained. They should keep DCC informed of the situation. There are certain repair parties that may be subdivided to provide adequate protection for large areas. Sometimes prescribed functions may be the joint responsibility of two or more repair parties. When repair parties are subdivided, they are designated by the number of the parent party followed by a letter (such as l-A, l-B). Table 2-1 summarizes the repair parties and teams required by various types of ships.

COMPOSITION.- The composition of the repair parties must permit each party to handle the damage and casualties that occur within its assigned area. Each ship must designate a repair party as secondary DCC. Also, a complete succession for command of damage control will be promulgated and posted in each repair locker. The physical location of each repair locker, the seniority of each repair locker officer, and the communication facilities available should be considered when succession of command is designated. The following general composition is considered necessary.

Repair 1 (Main Deck Repair Party).- An officer or chief petty officer from a deck division is in charge. This repair party is made up of deck division petty officers and nonrated personnel, Storekeepers, Radiomen, Electrician's Mates, Hospital Corpsmen, and aviation details (except in aircraft carriers). Some engineering petty officers may also be required.

The hangar deck officer is in charge of Repair 1-H, also known as the Hangar Bays Repair Part y. Repair 1-H is a subdivision of Repair 1. An officer or chief petty officer is assigned as an assistant for each hangar bay. Repair 1-H is made up of petty officers and nonrated personnel from the aviation ratings. Engineering and deck petty officers may also be required.

Repair 2 (Forward Repair Party).- A suitably trained officer or chief petty officer is in charge. This repair party is made up of petty officers of the deck and engineering departments, Electrician's Mates, Storekeepers, Hospital Corpsmen, and nonrated personnel.

Repair 3 (After Repair Party).- Similar to Repair 2.

Repair 4 (Amidship Repair Party).- Similar to Repair 2.

Repair 5 (Propulsion Repair Party).- An engineering department officer is in charge. This repair party is made up of an electrical officer or senior Electrician's Mate and a broad cross section of personnel within the engineering ratings. In the assignment of personnel to Repair 5, emphasis should be placed on fireroom/engine room takeover qualifications instead of on damage control qualifications.

Repair 6 (Ordnance Repair Party).- An officer or chief petty officer of the weapons department is in charge. This repair party is comprised of Gunner's Mates, Fire Control Technicians, and Electrician's Mates. This party may be divided into forward and after subgroups (6-A, 6-B).

Repair 7 (Gallery Deck and Island Structure Repair).- This repair party is found on aircraft carriers and, when necessary, on other types of ships. A suitably trained officer is in charge. The party is made up of personnel from the air and engineering departments and from other departments when necessary.

Table 2-1

Repair 8 (Electronics Repair Party).- An officer or chief petty officer of the operations department is in charge. This repair party is comprised of Electronics Technicians, Sonar Technicians, Fire Control Technicians, and Electrician's Mates. This repair party works under electronics casualty control.

Aviation Fuel Repair Team and Crash and Salvage Team.- These teams are peculiar to aircraft carriers and to other ships that are equipped for manned helicopter operations. On aircraft carriers, an officer or chief petty officer of the air department is in charge. On aircraft carriers, these teams are made up of air department personnel. On other ships that are equipped for manned helicopter operations, appropriate deck and engineering department personnel are assigned.

Ordnance Disposal Team.- This team is made up of specially trained personnel deployed aboard ships as required. The team is organized within and administered as a unit of the ship's weapons department. The ordnance disposal team normally operates under the direction of the ship's weapons officer.

IDENTIFICATION OF REPAIR PARTY LEADERS.- Damage control repair party leaders are issued a steel helmet (or similar headgear) to wear during damage control actions.

The words "damage control party leader" are intended to be synonymous with repair party leader or fire party leader. Helmets/liners worn by damage control party leaders are painted red and bear 1-inch black lettering on the front and back, identifying the particular damage control repair party (R-2, R-5). Three 1-inch horizontal stripes of reflective tape, alternating white-redwhite, are affixed to the lower circumference of the helmet/liner. No other member of a damage control party may wear a helmet marked in this way, or one that might be mistaken for the leader's helmet.

Repair party personnel whose duties require them to go topside should wear steel helmets. Repair party personnel whose duties are entirely below deck may wear helmet liners instead of steel helmets.

Steel helmets are not authorized on flight decks and hangar decks of aircraft carriers, and on other ships operating with helicopters or fixedwing aircraft. Accordingly, flight deck helmets are substituted for the steel helmet where appropriate.

A DC party leader's helmet is marked as indicated above. The DC party leader's red jersey is stenciled with the words "Crash/Salvage Leader."

New nonmetallic fire-retardant helmets are being introduced into the fleet. These helmets will replace the steel helmets currently worn by repair party and fire party personnel. The new design will increase ballistic protection and prevent electrical shock. The fire fighter's helmet has a facial visor and will provide neck and throat protection. A ballistic facial shield is also being introduced. It will attach to the phone talker's helmet and the battle helmet. It can be worn with the Mk-5 gas mask and provides face and throat protection.