It is as important to know why we fight as it is to know how to fight. The fighter with a purpose has more chance of victory than the fighter without a purpose.

The Navy, with its educational and orientation aids, seeks to explain to the blue jackets why they are fighting and to throw light on the background for the present struggle. Navy Chaplains, in bringing spiritual consolation to fighting blue jackets, do their part too in analyzing the war in terms of timeless spiritual values.

Religion is not a namby-pamby thing. It should be part and parcel of every blue jacket’s fighting equipment. It tends to round out the military life, making each phase of your training more significant.
Attend Church Services Sunday Morning.....And Think It Over.

Is it Worthwhile? Is our cause worth the effort and the sacrifice we must make? Are our ideals of democracy, of freedom, and individual opportunity worth defending at so great a cost in human lives and money?

Someone has said, "If it's worth having, it's worth fighting for." The pioneers who came to these rockbound shores to hew new homes out of the wilderness had a vision of a land of freedom, where the rights of the common man would be preserved. They must cross a wide and stormy ocean. They suffered with cold and famine. There was the ever constant fear of the hostile Indian tribes. Yet they never doubted the worthwhileness of their endeavor. The freedom and hope they found in this land was worth any sacrifice.

The sacrifices' of our men and women at Bataan, Corregidor, in Tunisia and Sicily, and in every theater of operations in which the members of our fighting forces have taken part have been to preserve freedom for ourselves and for posterity. Mackenzie King, the Prime Minister of Canada, has aptly summed up the ideals for which we are fighting---"We believe that everything which free men value and cherish on this side of the grave, is a in peril in this war---the right of men, rich and poor, to be treated as men; the right of men make the laws by which they shall be governed; the right of men to work where they will, at what they will; the right of womankind to the serenity and sanctity of the home; the right of old men and women to the tranquility of their sun-set; the right to speak the truth in our hearts; the right to worship in our own way, the God in whom we believe."

It is worthwhile to make sacrifices and even to die for such a cause? If it is worthwhile, let us pray God that we may be given courage and strength to do our part. May we be valiant in service to God and country.

We have a fine evaporating plant on the SLC, but even so there is a limit to the output. Sometimes the plant must be secured for repairs so that means water consumption must be less than the average daily output of the plant.

There will be sufficient water for everyone if it is used wisely. What clothes you must scrub first rinse in clean salt water followed by a small amount of fresh water. You'll be surprised to find out that one bucket of salt water will remove soap suds as well as about 3 or 4 buckets of fresh water. See how you save?

Just remember that all the fresh water that goes down the drains and scuppers needlessly is simply a loss which doesn't benefit anyone.
And remember with all the fuel in the world we still must have fresh water. Or do you like to drink sea water? Think it over, at present the SLC is your home.

Fresh water is just as vital to the ship and crew as fuel oil, because water heated by fire in the boilers generates the steam required to propel the ship, drive generators for lights, radio, etc; and various other purposes.

Fresh water is needed also for cooking, medical purposes, and for drinking.

We filled our fresh water tanks at Pearl Harbor and those tanks must be kept as nearly full as possible at all times. Since leaving Pearl Harbor every drop of water expended aboard for every purpose had to be distilled in the evaporator plant.

Suppose the evaporator plant fails for a period of time longer than several hours or that the plant is disabled due to gunfire or bombing, the situation would be acute. All possible repairs would have to be made in the shortest time possible to place the plant in operation order again.

Fresh water is expensive to make as the evaporator plant is steam operated. Just now it is quite a hot job; take a walk down to #3 and #4 firerooms and see for yourself. Yes, there is much more to it than just opening the spigots.

Leo Nemetz, CMM

Commanders Worthington S. Bitler, USN, Honolulu, T. H., and James T. Brewer, USNR, Belmont, MA.; As executive and gunnery officers, respectively, of a heavy cruiser during action against a Japanese task force twice the size of their own, they performed their duties while exposed to intense gunfire from two Jap heavy cruisers. Their courage was an inspiration to their men. (26 March, 1943, off Komandorski Islands).

Lt. Comdr. George A. O'Connell, Jr., USN, Fort McClellan, AL.: As main battery control officer of a cruiser in action against numerically superior Japanese forces, he selected his targets skillfully and inflicted severe damage on the enemy. He also furnished invaluable suggestions and information for the control of his own ship against hostile units.

Lt. William B. Hosey, USN, Laurel, MA.: As damage control officer of the warship in action against Japanese