What would a Marine tail gunner have done during WWII?.Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps - Retired

Best wishes in your chosen, ancient profession (Navy doesn't go close enough to shore anymore to shoot at anything on land plus very few bad guys want to duke it out with a US Navy cruiser or destroyer!). Getting sea sick is no fun (only been sea sick once and that was on a small fishing boat!). For that, my hat is off to every one of you. For those poor souls on the 'small boys' (as compared to a carrier), they spent most of their days throwing the guts up with each giant swell that often collapsed over the entire ship (looked like a cork that pops up every time a swell covered the ship). I flew off of it 2 to 3 times per day unless we were in really severe weather. The at-sea period were long and fortunately for me, not as boring as the Navy enlisted who couldn't get off the ship. I spent too many months as a Marine aviator on a Navy aircraft carrier (more than one).

Most end up steaming around either the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Some even go through the Suez Canal (Egypt). Some are lucky because they get to go through the Panama canal - a great experience. Where you travel depends on what ocean that your ship is assigned. When that is done, you will get liberty in some very good ports of call (the giant plus to the rating). When in port, you will be cleaning your weapon system (a very big one) and doing anti-corrision control. There is no place else for a gunners mate rating! YES, absolutely, you will be deployed onboard a cruiser or destroyer ship. Gunners mates typical day? Do they get deployed? Where do they travel?

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