While stationed on board the USS Underwood FFG 36. I was assigned to work in Auxiliary Machinery Room number one. This space was the smallest engine room on the ship it contained several vital pieces of equipment to the ships operation. This space was located two decks below the main deck. To enter it you had to climb through a scuttle which was not very big only about fifteen inches in diameter. Then climb down a stainless steel ladder which was not easy when the weather was rough out side. When you entered the space you could always smell the distinct smell of the diesel fuel and lubricating oil mixture that always sloshed around in the bilges. You could also feel the heat coming from the equipment that was operating in the space. It was always about ninety six degrees down there in the summer time. It was well ventilated by natural ventilation so if it was hot outside it blew hot air inside. So if it was cold out side it was cold inside.
             The first thing you seen when entering the space was the valve handles main fuel oil distribution manifold that were painted yellow to help identify what they were used for fuel. To you left was the port side fin stabilizing unit it was painted gray the valves handles in this system were orange for hydraulic oil. This unit helped the ship stabilize in rough weather. To the right a small deck was located that lead you to other pieces of equipment that was located in the space. The operating panel on the right was the local operating panel for the ships number one ship service diesel generator. On this panel you could monitor the engines rpms, cooling water and lube oil temperatures by gages. You could also start and stop the engine at this panel. This panel was gray the gage faces were white the needles in the gages were red. On the other side of the ladder there were two refrigeration units that compressed refrigerant from a liquid to a gas that was used to cool the three freezer
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