Captain’s Mast

"When someone did something against regulations, appearing before Captain’s Mast and being sent to the brig was only for the worst offenses. There were numerous ways to see that military justice was served. The division first class petty officer could sentence you to extra duty or hold your liberty card. Next up the ladder would be the division officer who could sentence you likewise, but the extra duty might be more severe and it was he who decided if you needed to go up to Exec’s Mast. If the offense were this serious, the Executive Officer was likely to take you up before the Captain for Captain’s Mast. The Captain had a variety of punishments to choose from such as extra duty, withholding liberty, leave and/or pay, reduce your rank, place you in the brig, or in the brig with bread and water, or even kick you out of the Navy. On a ship, the Captain is the ultimate law and there is no appeal. His decision is final."

- Paul A. Wieser

"The whole crew. We were all family. Very few squabbles. If there was any grievance you settled it with gloves (boxing). I had to put a few in the brig, but not my doings. I was told to do it. So I had to lock them up. The chief master-at-arms would be with you. He is the one that files the report of what happened. They may give him some back talk or lip or something. Until they had their courts-martial or whatever, they would be in the brig. Except if you were in the war zone. If you were in the war zone, you had like a cage upstairs on topside on the back of the ship where we put them. We wouldn’t leave them below deck." Note: the brig was several decks below the main deck

- Thomas M. McAlone, master-at-arms