Who would make the "best" Kaleun?

[Henry Wood]

And "best" is very subjective. I'm not really looking for definitive answers, more, just thoughts on prospective commanding officers:

Who would make the "best" Kaleun?

Would it be a man who could sit at a periscope (or Uzo!) and check and re-check every one of his own personal calculations then read out correct instructions to the firing party?

Would it be the man who can see what is laid out before him in his binoculars (or periscope) and then gives quick and correct orders based on his observations?

Would it be a man who could take one instant glimpse at a chart and the contents therein then reel off correct course, orders etc., depending on the situation?

OK, look, this is not a serious question at all, but I am a Kaleun who has mighty mental handicaps when it comes to calculating measurements and then the results from AOB, mast heights, target speeds and whatever else I have missed out mentioning.

From what I remember of most U-boot movies I have seen, the commander looks through the periscope then gives off readings to someone else who then gets the results computed and ready for a firing solution. I am very capable of doing this but fall down if expected to give the answers to the questions!

As a result I can no longer hold my head up high when I get all them medals they keep giving me. What shall I do?

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Henry Wood

As a result I can no longer hold my head up high when I get all them medals they keep giving me. What shall I do?

Keep your mouth shut and polish your medals. And be really, REALLY nice to your crew.

[Henry Wood]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Keep your mouth shut and polish your medals. And be really, REALLY nice to your crew.

Oh Ja! even so! I not only have excess Brasso (captured from sinking Britisher) but also plenty extra Becks for my most efficient, wunderbar and sometimes most thirsty crew. Perhaps I will study trigonometry on my next leave.

[Sailor Steve]

The best kaleun is the one who does all of the above and acts like a father to his crew, in both love and discipline.

I let the WE do all the calculating for me. He's supernaturally perfect.

[Henry Wood]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

The best kaleun is the one who does all of the above and acts like a father to his crew, in both love and discipline.

I doubt if I shall get a better answer!

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I let the WE do all the calculating for me. He's supernaturally perfect.

Wow! I never, ever knew that long term guys like yourself relied on the WE for results. I always assumed that to be in the "top league" and a "top gun" you had to be a self calculator!

Your reply has made me so much happier and it also makes me feel a little more like a real Kaleun that I am not the only one to use this assistance.

[frau kaleun]

Rank has its privileges, i.e., somebody else has to do the math.

Truly, though, every commander came up through the ranks just like his 1WO and 2WO are doing under his care and, at least early on, had no doubt spent plenty of time doing all the things that he would then rely on them to do once he was in top spot. So in theory he would have to have acquired those abilities AND considering that in combat anything can happen, including the loss of those you rely on, he'd have to retain proficiency in them.

The biggest thing I see is the multi-tasking aspect - the kaleun has to be aware of EVERYTHING. That he relies on others to provide him with necessary information and assistance is to be expected, he can't be everywhere doing everything. His biggest responsibility IMO is to know how to take that information and assistance and decide what needs to be done and when in any critical situation.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Henry Wood

IYour reply has made me so much happier and it also makes me feel a little more like a real Kaleun that I am not the only one to use this assistance.

Glad I could help. The biggest problem is his perfection. It would be nice if his projections were off, and got better with repeated sightings, just as they do if you do it yourself.

Me, I'm just terrible at anything beyond basic math. So it's funny that my daughter teaches High-School level math, and is working on higher degrees.

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by Henry Wood

And "best" is very subjective. I'm not really looking for definitive answers, more, just thoughts on prospective commanding officers:

Who would make the "best" Kaleun?

Would it be a man who could sit at a periscope (or Uzo!) and check and re-check every one of his own personal calculations then read out correct instructions to the firing party?

Would it be the man who can see what is laid out before him in his binoculars (or periscope) and then gives quick and correct orders based on his observations?

Would it be a man who could take one instant glimpse at a chart and the contents therein then reel off correct course, orders etc., depending on the situation?

OK, look, this is not a serious question at all, but I am a Kaleun who has mighty mental handicaps when it comes to calculating measurements and then the results from AOB, mast heights, target speeds and whatever else I have missed out mentioning.

From what I remember of most U-boot movies I have seen, the commander looks through the periscope then gives off readings to someone else who then gets the results computed and ready for a firing solution. I am very capable of doing this but fall down if expected to give the answers to the questions!

As a result I can no longer hold my head up high when I get all them medals they keep giving me. What shall I do?

I think the best Kaleun is one who puts forth their best efforts, regardless of their inherent shortcomings. The medals are a potential byproduct of those efforts... so whens yer gits 'em, polish them and wear 'em with pride.