Sick Bay

The sick bay was located on the starboard side a little aft of amidships and one deck below the main deck. Sick bay is the shipboard term for the hospital or dispensary. The hospital corpsmen, the navy's term for medics, use the sick bay as their base of operations. The sick bay is fully set up for everything from treating cuts and bruises to minor surgery. It is used for treating the sick and injured, conducting health and maintenance checks and first aid training for Ship's Company. The medical team usually consisted of a Chief Pharmacist Mate and his assistant. Normally, one doctor was assigned to each escort division (CORTDIV) consisting of six DEs. He would rotate between the ships as needed.

The size was ample, approximately 10x12 feet. The equipment included a folding operating table, lamp and sink.

The regular routine consisted of sick calls three times a day. The mess cooks were inspected daily for clean clothing, clean hands, especially finger nails. And a trip was undertaken through the ship observing anything that was or might become a health problem. Periodic inoculations were given (shots for typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, etc.).