USS Jouett Deck Logs

I captured these documents from the National Archives on 21 May 2025
It was stated that the project to digitize documents is still taking place

Here is the link to where I started my search:
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10661980

The title page, which precedes all entries for a given month, contains spaces to enter the name and/or hull number of the vessel; the name of the commander; the division, squadron, flotilla, or fleet to which that particular ship was attached; the beginning and ending dates of that particular log; and where the ship was located on those dates. The list of officers typically provides the name, rank, date of reporting on board, primary duties, and name and address of next of kin for each officer assigned to the vessel. Officer lists were sometimes omitted in logs of smaller ships and vessels.

The remarks sheet contains a chronological account of events or other data that was considered important, including when changes in course and speed occurred; important landmarks were sighted; boilers were engaged or shut down; exercises were conducted; provisions or fuel were received; and personnel were transferred, received, or returned from leave. When appropriate, the logs may also briefly describe actions engaged in and list crewmen wounded or killed in action. Logs also contain information on disciplinary actions that occurred on board the ship, such as deck courts and courts martial. The logs also usually contain an entry when a report of an injury to a crewman was received, with a brief description of the injury, the initial treatment, and whether or not the crewman was immediately returned to duty.

Entries on the remarks sheet generally appear in four-hour blocks that correspond to the major "watches": 0400 - 0800, called the morning watch; 0800 - 1200, the forenoon watch; 1200 - 1600, the afternoon watch; 1600 - 2000, the dog watch; and 2000 - 2400, the first watch. Each block of entries was signed by the officer of the deck, usually a junior officer (often an ensign or lieutenant [junior grade]), and approved by the navigation officer.

Columnar sheets contain spaces for filling in the name and/or hull number of the vessel, the date, and detailed meteorological, hydrographic, and navigational data. This data includes wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, air and water temperature, cloud type and altitude, visibility and overall weather conditions, as well as latitude and longitude, amount of fuel and water expended and remaining on hand, the hull's draft, and temperature in the ship's magazines. Columnar sheets were not always filled in, however.

Some smaller vessels, usually unnamed, submitted small-format "patrol logs" during World War II, and these small volumes typically include a title page, a list of officers and enlisted personnel, and remarks pages that feature spaces for filling in weather information at the top of each page. This data includes wind direction and speed, barometric pressure, air temperature, state of weather and clouds, and general sea conditions. The personnel lists typically contain notations indicating when each officer or enlisted man reported aboard the vessel, and, if it occurred during the period covered by that particular log, when they transferred.

For the period 1959-1964, many logs were produced in a revised format, with slightly truncated columnar data immediately preceding the remarks instead of on a separate page. Columnar data during this period includes wind direction and speed, barometric pressure, air and water temperature, general state of clouds, weather and waves, latitude and longitude, number of miles steamed, and fuel consumption.

The remarks changed format again in 1965, with spaces for filling out the ship's longitude and latitude at three different times during the day appearing at the top of each day's remarks page (often these were not completed) and discontinuation of the columnar pages.

Click on the year and month of the log file you would like to open

I had to compress the files to get them on the web site. That may have caused resolution or clarity issues in viewing.
I have the original files from the National Archives. Let me know if you need to see them.

1966 - 12
1967 – 1 1967 – 2 1967 – 3 1967 – 4 1967 – 5 1967 – 6 1967 - 7
1967 – 8 1967 – 9 1967 – 10 1967 – 11 1967 - 12

1968 – 1 1968 – 2 1968 – 3 1968 – 4 1968 – 5 1968 – 6 1968 - 7
1968 – 8 1968 – 9 1968 – 10 1968 – 11 1968 - 12

1969 – 1 1969 – 2 1969 – 3 1969 – 4 1969 – 5 1969 – 6 1969 - 7
1969 – 8 1969 – 9 1969 – 10 1969 – 11 1969 - 12

1970 – 1 1970 – 2 1970 – 3 1970 – 4 1970 – 5 1970 – 6 1970 - 7
1970 – 8 1970 – 9 1970 – 10 1970 – 11 1970 - 12

1973 - 1

1974 – 1 1974 - 2

1975 - 12

 

Last Updated 5/22/2025