Category Archives: USS Calvert

In Memory: Sterling Funck

I am sad to announce that my grandfather, Sterling Funck, passed away at the end of July, He was 89. Our entire family will miss him tremendously. His obituary is here.

Sterling was well taken care of by the Lebanon VA Medical Hospice Unit during the final weeks of his time with us. Thank you to the staff at the Lebanon VA for taking such good care of him during his final few weeks. He truly felt respect and care in the hands of these fine doctors and nurses when he needed it the most.

Sterling’s stories from his time aboard the USS Harry Lee and the USS Calvert are available on the Adventures page of this web site. If it not been for his willingness to share his stories I may never have known of the Calvert’s rich history from her many years of service in the US Navy.

Calvert information at Navsource

Calvert’s Departments and Divisions, Circa early-to-mid 1960s

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Boat: Responsible for the operation and maintenance of all ship’s boats and boat equipment, and for providing boat crews trained in boat engineering and amphibious boat operations.
- BC Division
- BE Division

Deck: Responsible for the supervision of deck seamanship operations and evolutions; for the employment and maintenance of the armament and ordnance equipment of the ship; and for the supervision of loading, unloading, and stowage of cargo; and launching and hoisting of boats.
- 1st Deck Division
- 2nd Deck Division
- 3rd Deck Division
- 4th Deck Division

Engineering Department: Responsible for the operation, care and maintenance of the vessel’s main propulsion plant, auxiliary machinery, and piping systems; for the control of damage; for the operation and maintenance of electric power generators and distribution systems; for repairs to ship’s hull and for repairs to material and equipment of other departments which were beyond the capacity of other departments.
- A Division: Fresh water, air conditioning, steering gear, repaired winches for the cargo booms, repaired and maintained the motors on all of the boats on board. A Divsion personnel were also on all the boats when they were operating, in landing operations, and on liberty and mail runs in port.
- B Division: Boiler Room, steam generation and fuel oil for boilers
- E Division: Electrical Equipment, lighting, electric motors
- M Division: Ship’s propulsion and steam electrical generators
- R Division: Damage Control, Welding and woodworking. pipe fitting and plumbing

Medical Department: Responsible for maintaining the health of the personnel of the command, making inspections incident thereto and advising the Commanding Officer with respect to hygiene and sanitation affecting the command. They also supervised the ship’s training program in health, and first aid, and during general quarter or other emergencies in care for the sick and injured
- H Division

Navigation Department: Responsible for the safe navigation and piloting of the ship. They also planned and directed the training of deck watch officers and maintained all navigation equipment and the spaces where such equipment was located.
- N Division

Operations Department: Responsible for the collection, evaluation, and dissemination of combat, tactical, and operational information. In addition they obtained clearances and operating area assignments incident to the movements and operations of the ship.
- OS Division
- OR Division
- OI Division
- X Division

Supply Department: Responsible for procuring, receiving, storing, issuing, shipping, transferring, selling, accounting for, and maintaining all stores and equipment of the command. They also administered the ship’s operating allotment and coordinated the preparation and subdivision of departmental operating budgets.

Sources: 1964 WEST PAC Cruise Book and Steve Straka

“A” Division – Repair & Maintenance (Landing Craft, etc.) circa 1962-64

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Photographs of the Calvert’s “A” Division areas and crew.

Steve Straka (MM2, “A” Division, 1962-1965) provided these photographs from his time aboard the Calvert during the 1962 and 1964 WEST PAC deployments. Steve explains:

“A Division was part of the engineering, fresh water, air cond. steering gear, we repaired the winches for the cargo booms, and most important of all, we repaired and maintained the motors on all of the boats on board. We also were on all the boats when they were operating, landing operations, liberty and mail runs in port. I was in charge of the evaporators and air cond.”

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