The Chain of Command

In order to "get the job done," NORTH CAROLINA had seven departments consisting of 23 divisions.

The Commanding Officer, the Captain, was responsible for the ship and her crew. However, it was the Executive Officer, second in command, who managed the ship’s general operation through the department heads. All routine daily operations cleared through him. He was the general manager who saw that the ship functioned smoothly, that all of the Captain’s orders were carried out, that the department heads had what they needed to run their departments efficiently, and that crew morale was good. One way that the Executive Officer managed the ship was by issuing a plan-of-the-day, a printed schedule of the ship’s daily activities and duties. The plan-of-the-day was given to each of the ship’s department heads and chief petty officers prior to the start of the working day.

The Ship’s complement varied from 121 to 144 officers and a crew of 2,134 to 2,195 enlisted men, which included a Marine Detachment of three officers and 83 enlisted men and an Aviation Detachment of three officers and 20 enlisted men.

The Ship also had a chaplain and assistant chaplain responsible for spiritual needs that could include divine services for those of Protestant, Catholic or Jewish faiths, Bible study, Catholic confessions, and burials at sea. In addition to these duties, the chaplains maintained the Ship’s library, offered counseling, and assisted with keeping up morale.

• Commanding Officer
• Executive Office with EX and X Division
• Communications Engineering Gunnery Hull Navigation Medical Supply
• C Division PA Division F Division R Division N Division H Division S Division
• PF Division I Division
• A Division 1-7 Divisions
• E Division V Division