A  special  general  degree  of  readiness  applies  only to certain ships. It provides for maintaining armament ready for immediate action for prolonged periods of time such as extended periods of shore bombardment. Condition watch II provides for the special degree of readiness. The  third  and  fourth  general  degrees  of  readiness are similar. The third requires a part of the armament to be ready for immediate action and the remainder on short notice. The fourth requires apart of the armament to be ready for immediate action and the remainder on prolonged  notice.  Condition  watch  III  provides  for either the third or fourth general degree of readiness. The  fifth  general  degree  of  readiness  is  generally referred  to  as  peacetime  cruising  and  requires  no manning  of  armament.  Condition  watch  IV  provides  for the  fifth  degree  of  readiness. The sixth general degree of readiness applies to the ship in port under peacetime conditions and requires no manning of armament. Condition watch V provides for the sixth degree of readiness. The administration of condition watches III, IV, and V  requires  the  particular  attention  of  the  engineer officer and his division officers. The watch station of the other condition watches are prescribed, by billets, in the  ship’s  battle  bill.  The  engineering  department requirements  are  the  same  for  condition  watch  III (wartime   cruising)   and   condition   IV   (peacetime cruising)  in  most  ships.  Therefore,  only  condition  watch IV and condition watch V are discussed in detail in this publication. To ensure a smooth transition from one of the three watch conditions (III, IV, and V) to another, each watch is divided into three sections. Each section is trained to fulfill all the duties for wartime cruising and peacetime conditions in port. With a properly trained crew, the ship may, as a matter of routine, enter port or put to sea without special adjustments in watches and without requiring abnormally long watches for key personnel. The  three  sections  become  watches  1,  2,  and  3 during condition watch III. Such watches normally rotate  duties  underway  in  successive  4-hour  periods. Where practical, personnel should be assigned the same watch stations for condition watch III that they will man for condition watch I. In  port  at  anchor  where  condition  watch  V  is permitted,  each  section  in  succession  assumes  the watches  and  duties  for  a  period  of  24  hours.  Each section, where practical, may be divided into three watch units. The  three-section  watch  is  easily  modified  to conform  with  special  or  local  conditions.  For  example, if 50 percent of the ship’s crew is required to remain on board at all times in a certain port, one of the sections can be split. Personnel of that section can be evenly assigned  by  rates  and  numbers  to  the  remaining  two sections. When modifications are necessary, division officers should maintain as much of the original three sections  as  possible. UNDERWAY WATCHES The  watch  organization  for  condition  watch  IV must  provide  qualified  personnel  for  the  normal underway operation of the ship in peacetime while ensuring the best economy of personnel in assignment to  watches.  Condition  IV  calls  for  the  following conditions: l l l l l l No weapon batteries are manned. The engineering plant is ready for power and speeds when they are ordered. Material  condition  Yoke  is  set  and  may  be modified for access during daylight hours. Complete  surface  and  horizon  lookout  coverage is provided. Air lookouts are stationed when flight operations are in progress in the vicinity. The  combat  information  center  (CIC)  is  manned for  routine  purposes.  Interior  communications are manned as necessary. Exterior communica- tions  are  manned  as  required  to  cover  the communication plan in effect. Aircraft are in the condition of readiness required by  the  flight  schedules. Figure 1-6 shows the condition watch IV watch organization of a typical ship. The XO may relieve the OOD in times of danger or emergency as prescribed in the U.S.  Navy  Regulations,  1990.  The  navigator  may relieve the OOD when authorized or directed by the CO.   The   lookouts   and   CIC   watches   report simultaneously to the CIC watch officer and the OOD. The  steering  aft  watch  is  under  operational  control  of the  OOD  but  under  the  technical  control  of  the engineering  officer  of  the  watch  (EOOW). Watch officers are in charge of the watch to which they are assigned. The watch officer supervises and controls the performance of those on watch under him 1-16