MESS CALL 2025 COMMANDERS INTENT 

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Mess Call 2025 will be organized as a completely immersive experience where each sailor will fall into a chain of command, have a rotating interpretive schedule with off time during public hours.  

There will be a morning and evening all hands meeting on the fantail of the USS Little Rock.  There will be no exceptions for missing an all hands.  Sailors will line up by division and all pertinent information for the day will be put out.  

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Each sailor will be expected to maintain a period uniform and bearing after hours as well.  The majority of after-hours time will be considered off duty hours once all cleaning and administrative tasks are complete.  

The chain of command is always present, and all sailors will be accounted for at all times.  This is not only to maintain a period atmosphere but because the ship will be locked and entry back on board is controlled by the watch stander.  Liberty call will be held, and each sailor must apply for and bear a pass if on liberty.  Liberty hours are to be adhered to, and each sailor must check in and out with the watch stander leaving and returning from liberty. 

 There will be period re-enactor only events held after hours such as movies, games, competitions between the divisions, promotion and award ceremonies etc..  

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Duty Day/ Interpretation

At the time of the publication of this document the spaces we are currently going to focus on for interpretation this year are listed below:

There will be a passport booklet issued to each paying public that will guide them to and encourage them to get ink stamps in their books at the highlighted areas we wish to focus our interpretation on.  Each location will be identifiable by a poster of the “kissing sailor”.  Each location will have an ink stamp and pad where they will stamp the pad of the public upon completion of their interpretation and or a successful public participation activity.  

 Each Division will have four, two hour blocks they will rotate their sailors through.  Each division may choose to break those blocks up further to better focus on their interpretation as they see fit.  

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Each division will have at least:

• One, two-hour block of KP duty, where they will send the sailors in that rotation to the galley in the USS Little rock to assist in cooking, cleaning, and serving food to the public in the galley of USS Little Rock   

• One, two-hour block of off duty hours.  The intent for off duty is as it sounds with the subtext of encouraging guys to take their break doing period off duty tasks like playing cards, reading, interpreting in their berthing area, sewing , studying for advancement etc.. 

 

1st Division:

• Two, two-hour blocks to focus on All Deck guns and ordnance, “40mm, 5in, 20mm, depth charges, hedge hogs” all on Sully

 

S Division:

• Two, two-hour blocks to interpret in the Post office on USS Little Rock, Tailor shop on USS Little Rock, Signal lights on USS The Sullivans, Signal flags on USS The Sullivans and Lookout/ Watch on USS The Sullivans.  Full time Sc’s will fall under S division.

 

Division Competition: 

• S division will compete against 1st division in a competition.  The winner will receive a prize TBD by the Senior Chief.  At the post office S division will be trying to get as many public as they can to write letters to all our sailors present.  Letters will be delivered to sailors every evening at all hands mail call.  

• 1st Division will be competing to see how many members of the public they can get to take photos on the deck guns with a helmet and or kapok and share the #messcall2025 

• There will also be inner division competitions TBD by DIV O/ Chief

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Battle Stations/ GQ:

• General Quarters will be conducted at 4 scheduled times throughout the day

• Each sailor will be assigned their General Quarters upon arrival

• Alarm will sound, all hands (Except Sc’s) and S division bridge personnel will run to the guns on USS The Sullivans

• 1st Division sailors will man their respective guns they have trained on and are assigned to 

• S division will run to the guns they have been assigned and assist as ammo bearers, and additional crew to fill all required guns

• All sailors will be in life jacket and helmets

• S division on bridge of USS The Sullivans will don their helmet and vest and stay put to interpret their role in GQ

• 1st division will interpret their role as GQ

• S division will interpret and discuss Damage control as well as the role below decks feeding ammo to the guns S division will provide DC talks at this time about battle stations below decks, water tight doors, electrical relays, firefighting , breathing apparatus, etc.

• Chief Fought will dismiss all hands upon completion of GQ drill

 

• Post office: S Division (talking about importance of mail, WWII sensors, ship specific post ect.  This is a stop on the program where our crew manning this will stamp the public’s passport book. We will also hold a copy of the ships company roster (actual reenactors on board this weekend) with each sailor’s rate and hometown on it. The watch stander at the post office will then encourage as many public as they can to write letters to the lonely fighting men abroad.  We will have a table and letter writing material available.  The watch that collects the most letters wins a prize to be determined. Letters will be distributed at the evening all hands.  

 

• Tailor Shop:  We have been asked to restore the original post office and tailor shop.  Upon completion we will fill the tailor shop with a sewing machine, uniforms, etc..  

 

• Sully’s Bridge : S division: We will have the bridge manned with three tasks for the public. A fun simple signal course where they will be able to send a Morse code signal with the lamp, send a flag signal by raising select signal flags on her yard arm, and spot plywood silhouettes through binoculars of Japanese ships and aircraft we place around the park 

 

• 5 inch 38 cal mount 55/54 :1st division (wartime forward facing 5 inch has been removed) :

       Interpret loading, firing, dredger hoists, what lies below decks, gun directors, ammunition types , (3d printed items         wanted ) 

 

• 40mm bofors between funnels: 1st Division: interpret loading, firing , ammunition handling, AA responsibilities of Fletcher class . 

• ADDITIONAL: 1st Division:  20mm, hedgehogs, torpedoes, depth charges

 

•  Galley: S Division (all divisions rotate through to support) 3 meals a day will be served. Food samples will also be served to the public all day. Baking will happen all day. Head cooks are SC1 Sternad and SC2 Tabor. 2-4 sailors will rotate through the galley on their 2 hour shift.

 

• Off duty:  ALL Encouraging sailors to take their break on mess deck or in berthing or topside.  Interpret letter writing, reading , sewing, polishing shoes, listing to music , playing instruments, singing, ect.

 

Buffalo Naval Park 

USS Little Rock & USS The Sullivans 

August 1945

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The MHPGs partnership with the Buffalo Naval & Military Park strives to create a event in which both re-enactors and general public can have beneficial experience. 

If you’d like to become a member of the MHPG, Joining is easy, and can be done here at https://www.mhpg.us/become-a-member

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Please read this event guideline in full so everyone is on the same page. If you violate the authenticity guidelines, you cannot participate until the issues are corrected. Please note this is reserved for egregious violations (wrong uniform without any suitable replacement, incorrect weapon without a suitable replacement, etc..) and should not be an issue if you read and follow this document:

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All participants must be over the age of 18. 

If you aren't sure about something or need direction, PLEASE ASK, no one wants to buy items twice. 

Hair/grooming: Must be in an acceptable 1940’s military style. Facial hair should be kept to a minimum, but Mustaches are permitted 

Glasses: If worn, must be of a 1940’s style. Reproduction and original frames are relatively inexpensive.

Uniform:

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Shirt: Standard Navy Chambray shirt in light blue 

It must be the wartime style without any postwar “US Navy” markings  

○ At the front 

○ WWII impressions 

○ SM Wholesale 

 

Undergarments: US Navy white boxer shorts/ drawers 

• WWII impressions 

• What Price Glory

Dixie Cup: - US Navy White Hat - Handy guide to wartime hats

○ White 

○ Light blue 

○ Dark blue 

○ Original caps preferred, avoid Bronson reproductions and At The Front reproduction caps. Avoid modern issue                 caps and cheap “party store” reproductions. 

Socks: 

○ Gray, white, dark blue, or Period correct civilian 

○ At least Two pairs per person are suggested. 

• Machine Knit Cotton Socks - South Union Mills

Boots: 

○ Black Oxfords - leather soles, no cap toe. Avoid the oxfords offered by At The Front as they have a high failure                rate. 

• SMWholesale

○ Navy Boondockers (must be black) 

• SMWholesale

- Note: Boots are one of the most important things you will buy as a reenactor. Make sure you get a good boot AND they are your size. You're going to be walking on steel decking the whole weekend so having good footwear is key.

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Belt: 

• Black web belt with a closed face brass buckle  

• Civilian belt 

Seabag: 

• Original

 

Whites:  Undress white jumper, trousers, and cap with a black neckerchief. Modern US Navy whites are not acceptable. 

• What Price Glory 

• WWII Impressions

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Berthing Gear:

• 1 Pillow with white cover 

• At least 1 plain white sheet 

• 1 White/cream-colored US navy wool Blanket 

Note - Modern reproduction US Navy blankets are not acceptable. 

• Plain white towels and washcloths

General Quarters Gear: 

 

Helmet: (Original front seam restored shells encouraged) 

○ Fixed Bale preferred 

○ Swivel bale acceptable

○ Over sprayed in navy gray preferred 

○ All helmets must be in the correct configuration with cork texture paint

Life Vest: 

     ○ Kapok Life Vests

• Standard Parachute Company

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