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Welcome aboard USS Cassin Young, one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. Constructed in California in 1943, the ship honors Captain Cassin Young, a Medal of Honor recipient killed at the Battle of Guadalcanal. During World War II, Cassin Young fought in seven Pacific battles and survived two kamikaze attacks. Designed for speed and versatility, Fletcher-class destroyers such as Cassin Young served many roles during and after World War II. They escorted larger vessels; scouted ahead of a main fleet; hunted submarines; fought air, land, and sea battles; and rescued downed pilots, sailors, and others stranded at sea. In the 1950s, USS Cassin Young underwent regular repair and modernization at the Charlestown Navy Yard before leaving active service in 1960. The ship returned to Charlestown in 1978 and is preserved, maintained, and operated by the National Parks of Boston in partnership with the USS Cassin Young volunteers. Explore USS Cassin Young through the immersive virtual tour below. Or, watch audio-described walk-through videos of different areas of the ship. Full descriptions and sources are at the bottom of the page. Audio Description (AD) VideosThe videos below provide audio descriptions of the compartments aboard USS Cassin Young to serve as an accessible alternative to the visual experience of the tour. For an interpretive video series, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour.
Who's Who on the ShipDuring World War II, more than 300 enlisted men and 19 commissioned officers typically served aboard Fletcher-class destroyers like USS Cassin Young. A complex yet carefully coordinated organizational structure formed a highly efficient and effective crew. As technology advanced on destroyers in the 1950s, ships like USS Cassin Young still required a crew of around 250 sailors to maintain operations. At the top of the ship's hierarchy stood the commanding officer ("CO")—usually someone with the rank of commander or lieutenant commander—whom enlisted crew and officers alike traditionally referred to as the "captain." He directed the ship's navigation and operations, oversaw combat and rescue missions, and ensured the overall welfare of the crew and ship. The executive officer ("XO") acted as second in command. He managed daily administration and assumed command if the captain was killed or incapacitated. Other commissioned officers directed divisions aboard the ship and served in roles such as Communications Officer, Gunnery Officer, Engineer Officer, and Damage Control Officer. As members of the enlisted crew, chief petty officers (CPOs) held the highest status, or level of experience and tenure, in their rating (job specialty). Chief petty officers served as leaders and technical experts. They also acted as crucial links between commissioned officers and the enlisted men. Enlisted men served as the non-commissioned crew of the ship. They each held a rating, or job specialty. This described the type of work they did within their division on the ship. Examples of these ratings include gunner’s mate, radarmen, fire controlmen, and mess attendants. Each enlisted member also had a rate, which described their "rank" within their rating. In the Navy, rank is only used to describe the hierarchy of commissioned officers. Both enlisted men and officers worked within different divisions aboard the ship. These divisions corresponded to the critical aspects of the ship's operations. On destroyers, these included: Deck Divisions: Construction and repair, which maintained the ship's hull and boats. Ordnance Division: Operated and maintained the ship's weapons systems. Engineers Division: Operated and maintained the propulsion systems, boilers, electrical systems, and other machinery. Communication Division: Determined the ship's position, directed its course, and handled external communications. Supply Division: Managed food service, laundry, barber services, inventories, and provisioning. Together, the destroyer's crew—officers and enlisted men alike—lived and worked as a team to defend the nation in World War II and beyond. SourcesCutler, Thomas J. "Bluejacket's Manual – Ranks, Rates, and Ratings." Naval History 31, no. 2 (April 2017). U.S. Naval Institute website. Cutler, Thomas J. "Flying the National Ensign." Naval History 34, no. 6 (December 2020). US Naval Institute website. Friedman, Norman. U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2004. U.S. Destroyers on Archive.org. Heald, Sarah H. Historic Furnishings Report: USS Cassin Young. Boston: Harper's Ferry Center, National Park Service, 2005. NPSHistory.com Main Propulsion Plant DD445 and 692 Classes and Converted Types Operation Manual. Washington D.C.: U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships, 1946. Access Main Propulsion Plant Operation Manual online. Naval Orientation. Standards and Curriculum Division Training Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1945. Access Naval Orientation 1945 online. "Ratings and the Evolution of Jobs in the Navy." The Navy Department Library. Naval History and Heritage Command, August 23, 2017. Accessed February 5, 2026. “Ratings and the Evolution of Jobs in the Navy,” NHHC. Standard Organization Book for (2100-Ton Destroyers). New York: Commander Destroyers Atlantic Fleet, 1943. Access Standard Organization Book online. Stewart, George. "Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers." Naval Historical Foundation. August 21, 2013. Accessed February 5, 2026. "Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers" on NavyHistory. "The Ship's Bell." Naval History and Heritage Command, June 4, 2024. Accessed February 5, 2026. "The Ship’s Bell" NHHC. "The U.S. Navy’s Jack." Naval History and Heritage Command, September 21, 2021. Accessed February 5, 2026. "The U.S. Navy’s Jack" NHHC. United States Fleet Headquarter of the Commander in Chief. Operating Instruction for Five Inch, 38 Caliber, Gun Crews. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1943. Access Operating Instructions manual online. Full TextPier-sideWelcome aboard USS CASSIN YOUNG. Navigate the ship by clicking, tapping, or using arrow keys to walk through the space. Please note, it is easy to unintentionally travel through walls, ceilings, and floors. Use the points to tour the ship. The points provide more information on the compartments and features of the ship. On the points pop-up box, select “View more” or the “dock” button in the upper right corner to expand the panel with the text. Use the arrows at the top of the panel to travel between points. To quickly navigate to a deck-level, select one of the links below: 02 Level 02 LevelThe 02 Level is the highest level of the ship in this virtual tour. It primarily contains weaponry systems and compartments dedicated to the ship’s operations. Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment or weapon. Pilothouse The pilothouse served as the command center of the ship. The commanding officer, or their designee on watch (officer of the deck, or OOD), held responsibility for the ship's movements. A team of crew members on regular watch shifts served as lookouts, operated the helm, and carried out communications inside and beyond the ship at all times. Speaker tubes and voice activated phones allowed for instant communication, a key asset in situations requiring a rapid response, such as in times of combat. Always on duty and responsible for the ship, the commanding officer constantly monitored operations. While at sea, he had to manage multiple tasks for extended periods of time. His responsibility and privilege of rank meant he had a designated chair both inside and outside the pilothouse. The captain's sea cabin served as the primary sleeping space for the commanding officer, also known as the captain, while at sea. This allowed for quick access to the pilothouse and bridge. The captain also had a separate, more spacious cabin on the main deck for use while in-port. Trained crew members operated the ship's sonar equipment in this room. SONAR stands for "SOund Navigation And Ranging." The process involves emitting sounds underwater and listening for echoes. Using the direction and delay of an echo, the crew had an idea of where underwater objects, particularly submarines, might be. Always on duty and responsible for the ship, the commanding officer constantly monitored operations. While at sea, he had to manage multiple tasks for extended periods of time. His responsibility and privilege of rank meant he had a designated chair both inside and outside the pilothouse. The bridge surrounding the pilothouse allowed officers and crew to readily see and maneuver themselves in the constantly changing situations at sea and in combat. The bridge had the tools necessary for officers to handle the ship safely, including radar, compasses, signal flags, signal lights, and other navigational and communication equipment. The machinery in this compartment supported the gun director on the deck above. The gun director served as part of the main fire control system for the 5” guns on the ship. The crew in the director tracked targets using radar and optical systems. This information fed directly to the ship's gunnery computer three decks below in IC & Plot. The flags on the mast are signal flags, which are used to communicate between ships. Each flag stands for a letter of the alphabet. When hoisted together, they spell out various coded messages. On the starboard side, the three flags spell out "NPS" to signify the National Park Service. On the port side, four flags spell out NTTH, which are the radio call sign letters for CASSIN YOUNG. The mast supports radar equipment, radio antennas, and other instruments that enhance the ship's detection capabilities. It also provides a platform for the signal flags. A kamikaze struck the ship's mast on April 12, 1945, north of Okinawa in the Pacific Ocean. Operated by a single person, the Mark 51 director served as a fire control system used to aim and direct the ship's 40-millimeter antiaircraft guns. It allowed operators to track aerial targets and fire at them effectively. USS CASSIN YOUNG originally had five twin 40-millimeter antiaircraft guns mounted on its decks. These guns worked in coordination with the ship's full complement of 5-inch and 20-millimeter guns and played a vital role in naval warfare. The guns had a maximum range of 6.3 miles for surface targets and could target enemy aircraft flying at altitudes up to 22,299 feet. These weapons fired in rapid succession to maximize the odds of stopping enemy aircraft. 01 LevelThe 01 Level primarily contains weaponry systems and compartments dedicated to the ship’s operations. Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment or weapon. 5" Gun: Mount 52 The US Navy widely deployed these 5-inch gun mounts during World War II for both antiaircraft and surface combat roles. These powerful, all-purpose weapons had a maximum range of 9 miles and could target aircraft flying at altitudes up to 37,200 feet. Typically, nine men worked inside the mount, loading, aiming, and firing as fast as every four seconds. These identical displays of ribbons on the starboard and port sides by the pilothouse represent USS CASSIN YOUNG's awards, received for participation in campaigns and operations throughout its service. The order in which the ribbons are displayed follows a strict rule of precedence, just like the ribbons on an individual servicemember's uniform. Added to USS CASSIN YOUNG in the early 1950s, hedgehogs provided Fletcher-class destroyers with more effective anti-submarine weaponry. The hedgehogs fired a pattern of small bombs ahead of the ship to target submarines. They detonated on contact, making them more effective than traditional depth charges, which exploded at pre-determined depths. The ready-service locker stored ammunition, specifically for quick access by the gun crew during combat. These lockers kept the ammunition dry and free from contaminants while allowing for rapid loading of the ship's weapons. The chart room housed the navigational charts and equipment used to plot courses and monitor the ship's position at sea. With the exception of the radio-based LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation) system on the upper shelf, the crew primarily relied on manual tools to navigate by the position of the sun and stars. All radio communications to and from the ship took place at radio central. Only individuals with appropriate clearance had access to this area. Coded messages received here had to be taken to the adjacent coding room to be deciphered. Like radio central, the coding room or "crypto shack" required high security clearance for access. Here, authorized crew members deciphered the coded messages that came to the ship via radio. To ensure the utmost security, decoding keys changed daily. Like all Fletcher-class destroyers, USS CASSIN YOUNG originally had five twin-mount 40-millimeter antiaircraft guns on its decks. By the 1950s, four of those twin mounts were removed and replaced with two more effective quad-mounts. These guns worked in coordination with the ship's full complement of 5-inch and 20-millimeter guns and played a vital role in World War II naval warfare. The torpedo mount on USS CASSIN YOUNG has five tubes to store and fire anti-ship torpedoes. Up above, off the smokestack, is the torpedo director. The director generated the targeting information needed to aim and launch torpedoes from the ship. The large drum in the middle of the torpedo mount is a blast shield where members of the crew, called torpedoman's mates, set and fired the torpedoes, using the information from the torpedo director. Originally, the ship had a second torpedo mount between the smokestacks. The US Navy widely deployed these 5-inch gun mounts during World War II for both antiaircraft and surface combat roles. These powerful, all-purpose weapons had a maximum range of 9 miles and could target aircraft flying at altitudes up to 37,200 feet. Typically, nine men worked inside the mount, loading, aiming, and firing as fast as every four seconds. The fan room housed electric motors to power fans for forced draft ventilation. This helped maintain air circulation and temperature control within the ship. Fletcher-class destroyers had various storage spaces to support their operational capabilities during service, such as this one for 40-millimeter ammunition. The US Navy widely deployed these 5-inch gun mounts during World War II for both antiaircraft and surface combat roles. These powerful, all-purpose weapons had a maximum range of 9 miles and could target aircraft flying at altitudes up to 37,200 feet. Typically, nine men worked inside the mount, loading, aiming, and firing as fast as every four seconds. Main DeckCompartments on the Main Deck support both operations and life aboard the ship. Select one of the links below to navigate to a ship feature. Jack Flag Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment or ship feature. Vegetable Prep Select one of the links below to navigate to a feature on the Main Deck. Electronics Workshop The jack flag usually depicts the canton, the top left quadrant of the national ensign. For the US Navy, the jack flag has a blue background with white stars, which is the top left corner of the American flag. This flag is flown at the bow of the ship. The foredeck is the forward most part of the ship's deck, towards the bow. Anchor chain is visible here and runs down a couple decks to the chain locker. The US Navy widely deployed these 5-inch gun mounts during World War II for both antiaircraft and surface combat roles. These powerful, all-purpose weapons had a maximum range of 9 miles and could target aircraft flying at altitudes up to 37,200 feet. Typically, nine men worked inside the mount, loading, aiming, and firing as fast as every four seconds. This is one of several repair lockers located on the main deck of USS CASSIN YOUNG. All of these lockers had emergency and repair equipment to address damage to the ship or to support injured sailors. The materials in the lockers could help put out fires, control flooding, or provide first-aid. The ship's bell had both a practical use and a ceremonial role. A crew member rang the bell every half-hour as a way to keep time aboard. Crew members also used the bell to sound the alarm while under attack. As a display of respect, the crew rang the bell when the captain or other important individuals came aboard or left the ship. The wardroom served as the center of the commissioned officers' living space. These high-ranking officers included the captain or commanding officer, the executive officer or "XO," and the junior officers. Frequently used as a living room and a dining room for officers, the wardroom could also serve in a more formal role as a conference room, courtroom, and ceremonial hall. In times of need, the ship’s doctor could also turn this room into a makeshift operating room. This case holds Captain Cassin Young's Medal of Honor and sword, donated by his widow. Captain Young received this Medal of Honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor commanding USS VESTAL while under attack. During the Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942, Captain Cassin Young was killed when a shell struck the bridge of his ship, USS SAN FRANCISCO. The US Navy posthumously awarded him the Navy Cross and Purple Heart. In 1943, the Navy named this destroyer after him. In this small pantry, cooks prepared the food for the officers to enjoy in the wardroom next-door. Stewards served the food to them, carrying the dishes from the pantry to the wardroom's table. The officers generally ate better than the crew, as they received a food allowance to cover the costs. The commanding officer of USS CASSIN YOUNG used this cabin when the ship was docked in-port. Larger than the sea cabin, this cabin included a desk and its own bathroom. Sometimes a higher-ranking officer visiting the ship stayed in this cabin, or a sick or injured crew member could use it in times of emergency. Led by the ship's executive officer (XO), the combat information center, or CIC, received data and reports from lookouts, radar, and sonar stations. In the CIC, crew plotted and evaluated the data before sharing it with the commanding officer on the bridge. The CIC crew plotted information about other ships and targets on a device known as a "dead reckoning tracer." This table-top machine helped the crew keep track of USS CASSIN YOUNG's movements alongside those of its targets. The development of RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) just before the start of World War II transformed how US Navy warships operated. RADAR enabled ships such as USS CASSIN YOUNG to detect ships and aircraft far beyond what human eyes could see. Here in the radar operations room, the information collected by the operator provided essential information to the function of the combat information center (CIC) next-door. This plaque recognizes the 23 sailors who lost their lives aboard USS CASSIN YOUNG due to kamikaze attacks. On April 12, 1945, the first kamikaze struck the mast of the ship and exploded just off the ship. This first attack wounded many sailors and killed one man. A few months later, on July 30, another kamikaze hit the middle of the ship. Its explosion killed 22 sailors and wounded another 45. Next-door to the galley, cooks prepared vegetables for the crew here. The machine by the door is the potato peeler, which simplified this task for the cooks. Inside this compartment, cooks and stewards worked around the clock to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for as many as 325 sailors. Here, the cooks used various kitchen tools such as ovens, mixers, and large steam kettles known as "coppers" to make meals for the crew. When ready, mess cooks had to carry the food down two steep ladders to where the hungry crew awaited their meal in the mess. Besides meals, the cooks made bread, doughnuts, and other baked goods in the galley to serve the crew through the night. Stewards used the laundry room to clean and press the officers' uniforms. Due to the laundry's small size, the crew had to wash their own clothes, usually with salt water. Besides clothing, stewards also cleaned linens, towels, and bedsheets here. The quarterdeck is the entry and exit point of the ship when at port. The gangway connects the ship to a pier or dock at the port side of the ship. On special occasions, the crew also welcomed dignitaries aboard the ship here. FC stands for "fire control," making the FC workshop the primary place for fire controlmen to work. These sailors operated and maintained the gun directors aboard the ship. This passageway served as damage control central during General Quarters ("all-hands on deck"). The ship's damage control team had phone lines to other integral stations on the ship to record and respond to any damage that happened aboard. Ship diagrams posted on the wall in this hallway assisted them in this work. The nearby repair locker had equipment for the team to use in case of emergency. The damage control officer monitored the situation from this station and sent orders to repair the ship or address fires and flooding. This is one of several repair lockers located on the main deck of USS CASSIN YOUNG. All of these lockers had emergency and repair equipment to address damage to the ship or to support injured sailors. The materials in the lockers could help put out fires, control flooding, or provide first-aid. The supply office served as the workspace for the supply division. Here, crew members placed and managed the orders for food and a wide range of supplies needed on the ship. In the sick bay, the chief medical officer, the ship's doctor, took care of the crew's injuries and illnesses. While the doctor had medical equipment to treat more serious injuries and could perform surgery in the nearby wardroom, usually a sailor in need of serious care would be transferred to a larger ship or hospital. In addition to crew members, the on-board doctor also treated pilots and others the ship rescued at sea. The ship required batteries to run lights, gun firing mechanisms, and communication systems. Used batteries were recharged here to extend their lifespan. The crew only used this room during General Quarters, or "all-hands on deck." If an attack damaged radio central, the crew could maintain radio contact from here. This room had its own power supply and could both send and receive messages. Electrician's mates worked in this workshop as they ensured the electrical equipment—such as batteries, the gyroscopic-compass, and battle lanterns—worked efficiently. While National Park Service rangers use this workshop today, it used to be where torpedoman's mates serviced torpedoes. USS CASSIN YOUNG had two 5-torpedo mounts during World War II. By the 1950s, one mount was removed in favor of stronger antiaircraft capability. The one that remains sits above this "torpedo shack." CASSIN YOUNG never fired torpedoes against an enemy. Each 5-inch gun on USS CASSIN YOUNG has an ammunition handling room on the deck directly beneath it. This upper ammunition handling room served gun mount 53. Up to 40 rounds were stored in the ammunition handling room, ready to be deployed. When the General Quarters, or "all hands on deck" alarm sounded, nine crew members worked quickly to transfer projectiles and powder up to the 5"/38 gun that sat above. The crew handling the projectiles used a hoist to lift them to the turret. Others passed powder through a scuttle, or hole, in the ceiling that went to the waiting hands of crew members in the turret. Additional powder and projectiles were kept in a lower handling room and magazine further below decks. This compartment served as the "head," or bathroom, for the enlisted sailors. One deck above the crew's berthing, this head had a series of mirrors with sinks and two showers. During World War II, there were no private toilets. At this time, a trough with running water had three wooden seats on top, side by side. When the Navy modernized the ship in the 1950s, the troughs were replaced with nine individual toilets. Today, the National Park Service and USS CASSIN YOUNG volunteers use the crew's washroom for equipment to maintain the ship, most visible are the oil-fired boilers to keep the ship heated in the winter. Each 5-inch gun on USS CASSIN YOUNG has an ammunition handling room on the deck directly beneath it. This upper ammunition handling room served gun mount 54. Up to 40 rounds were stored in the ammunition handling room, ready to be deployed. When the General Quarters, or "all hands on deck" alarm sounded, nine crew members worked quickly to transfer projectiles and powder up to the 5"/38 gun that sat above. The crew handling the projectiles used a hoist to lift them to the turret. Others passed powder through a scuttle, or hole, in the ceiling that went to the waiting hands of crew members in the turret. Additional powder and projectiles were kept in a lower handling room and magazine further below decks. This compartment had several uses. A locker held various safety equipment for the crew. In each corner, next to each hatch to the ship deck, there are large fans. These fans connected to vents to help with air circulation in the ship. The US Navy widely deployed these 5-inch gun mounts during World War II for both antiaircraft and surface combat roles. These powerful, all-purpose weapons had a maximum range of 9 miles and could target aircraft flying at altitudes up to 37,200 feet. Typically, nine men worked inside the mount, loading, aiming, and firing as fast as every four seconds. The fantail is the aft, or far back, section of the ship's deck and had various uses. Operationally, the crew handled weaponry, such as depth charges and guns, here. A lookout stood on the fantail, reporting to the pilothouse. The fantail also played a role in life aboard the ship. The crew sometimes watched movies here by hanging sheets to create a screen. While out at sea, the crew dumped out trash over the side of the ship from the fantail. 20mm antiaircraft guns served as part of the secondary weapon system aboard USS CASSIN YOUNG. They had a maximum range of 4,800 yards and an altitude of 10,000 feet. Gunner’s mates (GM) had to manually aim these guns, making them much less effective. During World War II, the ship had seven of these guns. Three were originally here on the fantail, and two more were located midship on either side. They were all removed in the 1950s when the Navy modernized the ship. Today, this reinstalled 20mm antiaircraft gun sits on the fantail of the ship to recognize its use during World War II. Ships, such as USS CASSIN YOUNG, used depth charges to attack enemy submarines. When the ship detected a submarine, torpedoman's mates readied depth charges set to explode close to the enemy's depth, anywhere from 50 feet to 300 feet underwater. Once the ship passed over the suspected location, torpedoman's mates launched an array of charges designed to maximize the chances of a successful hit. The fanfare (T.Mk 6) decoy served as part of USS CASSIN YOUNG's defense system after World War II. When at sea, these winches trailed a cable with decoys at the end. The electric cables powered noisemakers in each decoy, which simulated the sound of the ship's propellers. This intended to attract sound-homing enemy torpedoes so they would explode harmlessly away from the ship. Workers at the Boston Naval Shipyard added the fanfare during the 1950s. The national ensign is the flag for the ship's country. In the case of USS CASSIN YOUNG, it is the American flag. This flag is flown from the flagstaff on the stern of the ship when the ship is at port or anchored. When leaving port, it is lowered and moved to the gaff, an angled pole on the ship. Usually, it is not flown while out at sea due to weather and wind. Fire Room & Engine RoomThe Fire Room & Engine Room have machinery that worked hand-in-hand to propel the ship. Select one of the links below to navigate to features in these spaces. Forward Fire Room – Lower Level At the lower level in this fire room are the oil burners for the two boilers on either side. Down here, the crew had to constantly monitor the temperature and pressure of the system. If the ship needed to move faster, the crew had to increase the output of the boilers. The boilers are capable of producing superheated steam at a temperature of 850 degrees Fahrenheit. To accomplish this, each boiler has 7 burners total: 4 on the "saturated" side, and 3 on the "superheater" side. The burners on the "saturated" side start the process of turning water from the economizer into steam. This steam went to the steam collector before being sent to the "superheater" burners. The "superheater" side generated "dry steam," where there are no water droplets left in the steam. This produces powerful steam to drive the turbines in the adjacent engine room. The fire rooms house the boilers that provide the steam necessary to generate power and propulsion for the ship. Each of the two fire rooms aboard USS CASSIN YOUNG contain two boilers, one on each side of this upper walkway. These boilers are two decks high. One third of the entire crew aboard the ship serviced and operated the ship's boilers, engines, and auxiliary equipment on a 24-hour basis. At this upper level, the large white tanks are the boilers' steam collectors. Burners below heat water and turn it to steam across a network of hundreds of tubes. These tubes connect to the steam collector. Some steam leaves here to auxiliary systems; other steam goes down to the superheater to propel the ship's engines. The large silver boxes are the "economizers" where exhaust from the burners below is collected and blown out one of the ship’s two smokestacks. The hot exhaust passes over tubes inside the economizer, preheating water being fed into the boiler to make the system more efficient. The two engine rooms on USS CASSIN YOUNG housed the equipment to propel the ship forward. Each engine room powered one of the two propellers at the stern of the ship. Steam produced by the boilers in the neighboring fire rooms was piped and directed into the high-pressure turbine, located here. Having two engine rooms enabled the ship to withstand damage and still work as needed. One third of the entire crew aboard the ship serviced and operated the ship's boilers, engines, and auxiliary equipment on a 24-hour basis. The turbo-generator converted steam energy into electrical power, essential for operating the ship's systems and equipment. The energy of the steam from the boilers turned the blades of three different propulsion turbines: the cruising turbine, the high-pressure turbine, and the low-pressure turbine. This is effectively translating the heat energy from the boilers into mechanical energy of rotation. Depending on the speed ordered by the bridge, crew members manually controlled the steam flow between the cruising and high-pressure turbines. The low-pressure turbine always collected the exhaust of the other turbines for added efficiency. After that, the steam traveled to a condenser where it cooled, became liquid again, and cycled back into the boilers in the fire room. The rotational energy from the turbines are input into reduction gears. When the turbines spin, they turn small gears which then drive larger gears in two phases. The net effect results in the larger gears moving slower, but with greater force (torque). This force directly drives one of the ship's two propellers. This distilling plant could produce 12,000 gallons of fresh water each day for the ship. The plant converted sea water into fresh water for the ship by boiling it into steam, separating out the salty brine, and then cooling the steam to condense it. As USS CASSIN YOUNG aged, the distilling plant could not keep up with the boilers' demand for freshwater. Their need outweighed the needs of the crew. As a result, in the 1950s, the crew often had to wash using seawater and rely on rainstorms for freshwater showering. 1st PlatformThe 1st Platform, one deck below the main deck, has compartments that support both operations and life aboard the ship. Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment. Bosun's Locker Select one of the links below to navigate to a compartment on the 1st Platform. Executive Officer's Stateroom Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment. Peacoat Locker Forward of the windlass room is the bosun's locker. The bosun—or boatswain—is a Navy rate that specializes in seamanship and deck work. The nature of the bosun's work in rigging and line handling is apparent here, with the stores of spare rope, steel cable, and pulley blocks. The windlass room contained part of the windlass, a machine used for weighing, or hoisting up, the anchor and for pulling in mooring lines. This compartment served as a smaller bathroom and shower for enlisted sailors. This head is located one level above the forward crew's berthing. This area served as the private dining and meeting room for the Chief Petty Officers (CPOs) on USS CASSIN YOUNG. Unlike those of lower rankings, CPOs did not have to stand in line for meals and ate from plates rather than trays. This also served as the CPOs' lounge, a place to relax and, perhaps, watch a movie. Each 5-inch gun on USS CASSIN YOUNG has an ammunition handling room on the deck directly beneath it. This upper ammunition handling room served gun mount 51. Up to 40 rounds were stored in the ammunition handling room, ready to be deployed. When the General Quarters, or "all hands on deck" alarm sounded, nine crew members worked quickly to transfer projectiles and powder up to the 5"/38 gun that sat above. The crew handling the projectiles used a hoist to lift them to the turret. Others passed powder through a scuttle, or hole, in the ceiling that went to the waiting hands of crew members in the turret. Additional powder and projectiles were kept in a lower handling room and magazine further below decks. This area housed the bathrooms and showers for the Chief Petty Officers. This area served as the living quarters for the Chief Petty Officers (CPOs). As the enlisted crew members with the most experience and time in service, the CPOs enjoyed somewhat more space than lower ranking crew members. Additionally, because of their different uniforms and storage requirements, CPOs needed upright lockers that could accommodate their caps and coats. Located in "Officer's Country," this area housed the living quarters of the ship's officers. Though not large, these rooms offered a small amount of privacy, a desk for workspace, and a safe for storing confidential information and, sometimes, a firearm. Known as "Officer's Country," this section of the 1st Platform consisted of the living spaces for the officers aboard USS CASSIN YOUNG. Six Officer's Staterooms branch off of this passageway. The forward end of the passageway leads to CPOs quarters, mess, and head. The Engineer’s Stateroom and the Executive Officer’s Stateroom are at the opposite end of the passageway. Nearby ladders allowed officers to quickly access critical operations areas of the ship, such as the IC and Plotting Room and the Combat Information Center. This area housed the bathroom and showers for the ship's officers. This room served as the living quarters for the executive officer (XO). The XO served as the administrative officer of the ship, oversaw daily operations, and ran the Ship's Office. Second-in-command of the ship, the XO would replace the captain if he were killed in battle. On a destroyer such as USS CASSIN YOUNG, the XO often served as the navigator as well. Due to his rank and importance, the XO had this larger, private stateroom. During World War II, the XO shared this stateroom with the ship’s physician. This area served as the living quarters for the chief engineer officer. Along with the captain and the executive officer, the engineer officer had a telephone in his stateroom to allow for immediate contact in the event of an emergency, signifying his crucial role on the ship. This larger room also served as an office as needed. Known on ship as the "Log Room," the chief engineer's office housed all the engineering logs, or records. These records included the daily fuel and water report, as well as the bell sheet, which noted every change of speed, and other critical records of the ship. The chief engineer maintained all these records and sent a signed daily report to the captain. The internal communications (IC) and plotting room served as the nerve center of USS CASSIN YOUNG. All telephone communications routed through the switchboards here. This room also housed the gunfire control computer which fired the 5-inch battery guns. The master gyroscopic compass, which fed information to the compass repeaters throughout the ship, also resided in this area. Headed by the executive officer, this office managed the personnel records for the crew, handled official correspondence, prepared the daily "Plan of the Day," as well as performed a host of other duties. Those who served aboard USS CASSIN YOUNG got their hair cut, free of charge, in this barber shop. This shop was added in the 1950s as part of an effort to make the ship more comfortable. During World War II, this area served as a small berthing area. This area housed the machine shop, where crew worked to fix and maintain the ship's equipment. Using the drill press, metal lathe, and other tools, machinist mates could rebuild or even construct from scratch many components and pieces of equipment for the ship. The crew slept in this area, known as the crew's berthing, with bunks stacked three high. Each crew member had a footlocker to store personal belongings. During the day, they folded up the bunks to clear the aisles and allow access to the foot lockers. Each 5-inch gun on USS CASSIN YOUNG has an ammunition handling room on the deck directly beneath it. This upper ammunition handling room served gun mount 55. Up to 40 rounds were stored in the ammunition handling room, ready to be deployed. When the General Quarters, or "all hands on deck" alarm sounded, nine crew members worked quickly to transfer projectiles and powder up to the 5"/38 gun that sat above. The crew handling the projectiles used a hoist to lift them to the turret. Others passed powder through a scuttle, or hole, in the ceiling that went to the waiting hands of crew members in the turret. Additional powder and projectiles were kept in a lower handling room and magazine further below decks. Formerly part of the crew's berthing, this lounge is currently used by USS CASSIN YOUNG volunteers. These volunteers are dedicated to preserving and maintaining the ship. They use this space when taking a break from their work. Because of limited space to hang peacoats in the crew's berthing, this storage area served as a central space to hang and store the crew's peacoats. This compartment housed washdown gear and other materials needed to respond to a chemical warfare attack. This room served as the repair shop for USS CASSIN YOUNG. Work done in this shop included sheet metal work, pipefitting, plumbing, and carpentry. This shop leads into the ordnance repair room, where the crew maintained and repaired the ship's weapons systems. The steering gear room housed the machinery that turned the ship's massive single rudder. Ideally, the helm in the pilothouse directly controlled this machinery and rudder. A fallback "trick wheel" is here in the steering gear room for a crew member to take control if communication is lost. If this wheel also failed, a manual hand crank could be used as a back-up. In the worst-case scenario, crew members could manually pump the hydraulics to steer the ship in an emergency. This storage area held all manner of materials used for metal repair on the ship, including tools used by pipefitters, plumbers, and metalsmiths. The electronics repair parts storeroom held the spare parts and equipment necessary for the repair and upkeep of the ship's electronic equipment, including radar, communication, and other systems integral to the ship's operations. 2nd PlatformThe 2nd Platform, two decks below the main deck, has compartments that support both maintaining and repairing the ship, as well as life aboard the ship. Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment. Forward Berthing (Crew's Quarters) About one third of the crew slept in the compartments in this area with bunks stacked three high. The other two thirds of the crew slept in the aft berthing area. Each crew member had a footlocker to store personal belongings. During the day, they folded up the bunks to clear the aisles and allow for access to the foot lockers. The crew on USS CASSIN YOUNG used mailboxes throughout the ship, like this one, to drop any outgoing mail. The process of sending and receiving letters could take weeks, a month, or longer. Delivery ships transferred mail to and from CASSIN YOUNG at sea, so the ship did not need to return to a shore base for these operations. The crew ate their meals in the crew's mess. During peacetime, on weekends, and in the evening, this area also served as a recreation space where the crew played games, read, talked, or watched movies among other activities. During World War II, space was more limited. As a result, this area had bunks and hammocks that had to be stowed away every morning for meals and then redeployed at night. Crew members got their meals in this area, filling their trays before moving to the adjacent mess. Cooks served three meals a day, cafeteria-style, to the entire crew. In the scullery, mess cooks cleaned up after meals, washing all dishes, utensils, and cups. They disposed of garbage and had to keep their workspaces clean to maintain good health onboard. The ship's store served as a retail space where crew members could purchase various items such as snacks, toiletries, cigarettes, and other personal items. This store was added to the ship in the 1950s. This space previously served as additional berthing and mess areas. This room contained a diesel-powered generator. This generator provided power in the event the turbo-generator in each engine room went offline because of battle damage or accident. If the ship lost power, the diesel generator started up and provided a limited amount of power to support the vital functions of the ship. 3rd PlatformThe 3rd Platform, three decks below the main deck, has compartments that support the ship's operations. Select one of the links below to navigate to the compartment. Underwater Sound Room This compartment housed equipment to detect submarines and other underwater objects. Originally, the ship only had the ability to listen for noises underwater. By the 1950s, the ship was upgraded to full sonar capability, where the specialized equipment here could emit directed sound waves and detect any return echoes bounced off an underwater object. The operators monitored this underwater activity from the sonar room five decks above. Each one of the five 5-inch guns on the ship has an upper handling room directly below them. Each upper handling room relies on a lower handling room to relay additional projectiles and powder to continue firing. This particular lower handling room sent projectiles and powder to mount 52, or the second mount from the bow of the ship. Most of the handling rooms relied on a hoist to transfer what was needed in the upper handling rooms, two to three decks above. This is one of the storage areas which held the explosive powder for the 5-inch guns. Handlers passed the powder in protective "tanks," or canisters, through the scuttle in the door. Powder magazines and projectile storage areas were purposefully placed in the lowest depths of the ship, as it protected the explosive material from surface enemy fire. This room housed ice making equipment to preserve and store food. Refrigeration spaces also relied on machinery stored here. These refrigerated storage areas held perishable food to feed the ship's crew, such as meat, fruit, vegetables, butter, and eggs. Because destroyers such as USS CASSIN YOUNG were so small and had 250-325 crewmembers on board, the ship needed regular resupply of food from larger ships. VideosThis is the first of six videos for a ranger-led virtual tour of USS CASSIN YOUNG. Each video is identified by the camera icon. In "Coming Aboard," you will get a brief overview of the World War II Fletcher-class destroyer, USS CASSIN YOUNG. For a fully accessible version of this video and others, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour. This is the second of six videos for a ranger-led virtual tour of USS CASSIN YOUNG. Each video is identified by the camera icon. In "Berthing," you will see where sailors slept, kept their personal belongings, and formed relationships with their fellow crewmembers. For a fully accessible version of this video and others, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour. This is the third of six videos for a ranger-led virtual tour of USS CASSIN YOUNG. Each video is identified by the camera icon. In "Meals and Water," you will learn how food was prepared and served for a crew of over 300 sailors, as well as how the crew used water for drinking, washing, and bathing on board. For a fully accessible version of this video and others, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour. This is the fourth of six videos for a ranger-led virtual tour of USS CASSIN YOUNG. Each video is identified by the camera icon. In "Weapon Systems," you will be introduced to the variety of weaponry systems that the ship used to counter threats. For a fully accessible version of this video and others, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour. This is the fifth of six videos for a ranger-led virtual tour of USS CASSIN YOUNG. Each video is identified by the camera icon. In "Navigation and Communication," you will dive into the network of compartments that worked together to help the ship navigate the ocean and communicate internally and externally. For a fully accessible version of this video and others, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour. This is the last of six videos for a ranger-led virtual tour of USS CASSIN YOUNG. Each video is identified by the camera icon. In "Engineering and Propulsion," you will explore the depths of the engineering spaces of USS CASSIN YOUNG to understand how the ship’s propulsion systems moved it swiftly through the ocean. For a fully accessible version of this video and others, please visit: USS CASSIN YOUNG Video Tour. |
Last updated: April 1, 2026