Officers and the Officers’ Wardroom

The Ship’s 144 officers were responsible for running the battleship according to Navy regulations and the captain’s orders. The most senior officers served as heads of the battleship’s seven departments. Many were Navy Academy graduates and all were college graduates. Some were well liked by the crew and others were not. On a vessel as large as the battleship, the reality that rank has its privilege could be very evident.

The officer’s lived in staterooms in the forward section of the ship called ‘officers’ country’. The staterooms had bunk beds with mattresses, a chest of drawers, wardrobe, and desk. Higher-ranking officers might have a stateroom alone or have a roommate. Lower-ranking officers shared suites with several other junior officers. Suites had sinks. There were also separate heads (bathrooms) in officers’ country.

The Ship’s 144 officers dined separately from the crew in a large space called the Wardroom. The officers paid extra money each month so that they could enjoy a more elaborate menu than the crew. The cooks prepared the food in the officer’s galley one deck below the Wardroom. It was sent it up the dumbwaiter to the officers’ pantry directly above for final preparations.

Steward’s mates served the food to the officers who sat at assigned seats according to rank. The officers also enjoyed china and table linens. A small musical combo, formed from the Ship’s band, often played during dinner.

The steward’s mates were enlisted men, but they were almost always African-Americans. Since segregation was the norm at the time, occupational opportunities were limited. Nonetheless, stewards had battle stations like every other crewmember.

"My commanding Officers were, without exception, fine, excellent men. I only got to know them for about six months, because at that time, they were always detached and went on up to flag ranks (admiral), with the exception of one man who didn’t make it. I don’t know why he didn’t. But every one of them went ahead and had distinguished careers during World War II as flag officers. All commanded the respect of the crew. I was always very happy to be with any of them.

However, the Captain never knew what the hell was going on. I never allowed the Captains to know too much. When I got a new Captain on that ship, I would go up and talk to him in his cabin, and with a twinkle in my eye, I would say, ‘Now Captain, we’ve got a pretty good ship going. If you will kind of let us alone and let us run this ship the way we have been, I will guarantee in six months that I will graduate you number one in your class for flag rank. Any change you want to make, you tell me and I’ll make it; but we don’t need too many."

- Rear Admiral Joe W. Stryker, USN (Ret), Executive Officer

"My recollection of all my ships, you know, I served on a lot of ships. But the NORTH CAROLINA, honestly, was the happiest ship I ever served on. I think it was because of the officers, because everything starts at the top. We had a taut, happy ship. Everyone knew what to expect. Our Executive Officers, both Commander Shepard, and later, Joe Stryker, were very, very well liked, and the Captains were firm and fair. I don’t know. Everybody just liked what was going on. We had a happy ship even though we were underway for months and months."

- LCDR Douglas Blancheri, USN (Ret)

"The chiefs and officers made out the best. They had their own cooks. Their food was better prepared in small quantities. Enlisted men lived in their world. The officers and chiefs in their world. There is an unwritten rule that officers don’t go into enlisted quarters and the enlisted men stay out of officers’ country. No one could mistake officers’ country as the bulkheads (walls) were painted light green."

- Leo O. Drake

"Some officers were real good, real close. You could kid. You liked them. Most of the time you didn’t see them. Especially at sea, you didn’t see too much of your officers. In port, it was more so. They would stand around checking to see if your shoes were shined and this and that. Especially for liberty, they were real persnickety."

- William A. Schack