Superstructure

The superstructure deck, the 01 level, begins with the hedgehog blast shield, with the #2 3"/50 caliber gun immediately forward of the bridge.

Aft of the #2 gun are port and starboard 20mm twin machine gun stations. Next is the enclosed part of the superstructure deck containing 20mm ammunition clipping room and gun crew shelter space, the captain's stateroomship's office and radio room.

Aft of the bridge house is the boat deck with the ship's motor whaleboat and gravity davits, the exhaust uptake and stack.

Further aft are four twin 20mm machine gun stations, two on each side of the stack. aft of the 20mm guns is the 3"/50 caliber loading machine, on which the crew drilled to increase their rate of fire.

The SLATER originally had a triple torpedo mount aft of the loading machine. At this point in the war, aircraft were determined to be a more immediate threat than surface ships. Thus, the torpedo tubes were replaced shortly after the shakedown cruise with four single (Army) 40mm AA mounts. In 1945, these were replaced with two twin 40mm mounts and their MK51 director stations as the ship prepared for the invasion of Japan.

Furthest aft on the contiguous superstructure deck is the aft twin 40mm mount and its MK51 director station. Just forward of this gun is a standard compass and communications equipment station for taking emergency control of the ship if the pilot house was destroyed.

Aft of the 40mm mount is the #3 3"/50 caliber gun mount located in a separate raised gun tub.

Continue Tour: Main Deck