Today, our training aboard Q-Boats starts about the practical application of the academic theories, principles, nomenclatures about torpedoes we learned at OSP School. The maintenance, preparation for firing and actual firing of this intricate powerful weapon (only dummies will be used in actual firing) from Q-Boats will be covered. So far, our PMA Academic training helped a lot in preparing an OSP officer for Q-Boat duty. We have to learn many things, from the intricacies of navigation (extensive use of sextants as our boats are only equipped with magnetic compass, no gyro compass nor satellite navigation facilities then) to Naval Ordnance.
Chief Torpedoman William Mooney, USNR on loan from the USN working under the direct supervision of Lt Sidney Huff, our Naval Advisor from MacArthur’s staff, is the Head of our Torpedo and Depth Charge Depmt. The extensive torpedo facilities at the USN Cavite Navy Yard is also available to us. lst Lt Simeon Castro ’35 of Bulacan and 2nd Lt Alfonso Palencia ’38 of Iloilo were selected to undergo specialization training in torpedoes at USN Torpedo School, San Diego, California.