Food for some 275 enlisted sailors aboard the Destroyer was prepared by the ship's cooks in the galley. This small space provided the meals to sustain the fighting men for long months at sea, and for periods of time, without fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, or milk. In this space were three large steam kettles on the forward part of the galley to produce, soups, oatmeal, and other food items while a fryer along the same bulkhead was used to fry potato and other staples. The after bulkhead had three large ovens for baked goods and meats along with a table top griddle. The Starboard bulkhead had a deep sink as well as a large dough mixer. Fresh bread was put in the bread locker directly across the passageway to cool and the smell brought many a sailor by to seek a quick snack or even Midrats (Midnight rations).

All food ,once prepared, had to be brought down to the serving line one deck below. Heavy pitching and tossing seas made it very dangerous for sailors to not be scalded or burned in the galley or by passing down the food to the steam line below.

Many a veteran sailor had fun teasing young seasick sailors by eating greasy porkchops and other heavy foods in front of them. By the time a ship was at sea for a month or so, powered eggs, milk, and instant potato foods were a given and sailors craved a fresh apple. Just aft of the galley is the vegetable prep room that had a potato peeler and space to prepare these foods for meals.


850 Cook working griddle in Nov 1967


Looking to Starboard


Looking Forward