"Sheet home the mainstay," the stoic voice of the sailing master calls out from the forecastle. "Sheet home the mainstay, aye," responds the foremast jack in metered turn. Turning to his crew, he bellows, " All right, when I give the order to haul in the downhaul - I need you to put your backs into it!" With that order, eight men pull in unison, the full weight of their bodies pressed against the line. "1... 2... 3... heave!" calls out the sailor at the lead as strained arms and blistered hands try to pay out any extra inch of slack for the equally fatigued hands at the mainmast. When at last the mainstaysail sheets home and the downhaul is cleated, the aged ship rewards the crew with a satisfying yaw and a groan of tired oak as the wind fills the newly-set sail. 

A tale from days of yesteryear, when sailing vessels roamed the seas and able seamen in bell-bottoms clambered up the rigging to the yardarms to unclew the gallants? Hardly, for the date is 24 June 2000, the vessel is the USS Constitution, and this crew is dressed out in Y2K coveralls with dolphins on their chests. This force of seamen hoisting sails is the crew of the attack submarine USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705). 

Teamwork. Unit cohesion. Pride. Purpose. Sense of community. These are all attributes and attitudes that every command strives to attain. When properly developed and nurtured, they come together to create a special bond among the crew - esprit de corps. Building and maintaining esprit de corps takes a strong commitment at every level of the command. Day in and day out, a successful command must look for opportunities to create that climate and seize them. On board USS City of Corpus Christi, esprit de corps is a way of life. 

Teamwork is the fundamental key to success. In a successful, vibrant command, the crew feels encouraged to work together to accomplish their mission, and with teamwork comes a synergy and a common sense of purpose that cannot be quantified. 

Having completed a successful deployment and overcome significant operational challenges, the crew of the City of Corpus Christi was a solid team that had been awarded the Commander, Submarine Squadron FOUR Silver Esprit award for 1999, but looming ahead was the additional challenge of a two-year refueling overhaul. Going into overhaul, the tough question facing the command was how to keep the crew working together as a well-oiled machine, and how to get them to recognize daily that they were still a crew and still the life blood of the ship. To maintain a high degree of esprit and teamwork through the overhaul, the command decided to emphasize a two-pronged approach, comprising dedicated esprit events and a strong emphasis on unit military pride. In the first initiative, the crew comes together each month as a team and develops, plans and executes an event designed to encourage the development of esprit de corps. The activities typically pose athletic or mental challenges, foster our naval heritage, or incorporate leadership development. Each is carefully planned to give each crewmember a sense of purpose and personal value in completing the challenge. One of these events took place onboard the USS Constitution. Set up by FTC (SS) James Moore after his experience in running last year's Northeast Area Chief Selectee orientation aboard the Constitution, the officers, chiefs, and crew of the City of Corpus Christi provided the "linehandlers" for the ship's pre-OPSAIL 2000 shakedown cruise. In an instant, the crew was transported back over one hundred years to a Navy long since supplanted by ships of iron, steel, and nuclear power. Through this experience, lessons were forged that could never be taught in a classroom, or a trainer, or even onboard a submarine. The men learned first-hand that the timing, coordination, and strength of nearly 100 men working as one were necessary to bring this ancient ship to life. In the truest sense of the word, they experienced once again the value of a team. More importantly, they developed an unparalleled sense of pride in themselves, pride in their fellow shipmates, and pride in the Navy as they got this historic vessel underway with eleven sail for the first time in more than a hundred years.

Voices from the past - 16 June 1944. Time 2141:

"Hey, Captain. We got a problem!" Swish called from the deck aft. "Not so loud. We have four sampans at about 3000 yards. Come forward." "Sir, this net is wrapped tight around the propellers. We can't pull it loose. Someone has to dive over the side, follow the net down, and clear the screws." "Wow! In this 34º water. Who's our best swimmer?" "Traville Houston..."

Superior commands have a sense of pride in themselves. Pride comes with success, and superior commands do several things to build a sense of common purpose. It starts as soon as someone comes into the command. It continues every day in the standards of professionalism the crew maintains - the pride they take in their uniform, the cleanliness of their spaces, and the can-do attitude of the watch team. Watch again the transformation of a unit through success as portrayed by Gary Cooper in the movie, High Noon... or in WWII.

"I can do it, sir. I need to put on my flannel underwear and a diver's belt with a knife. Swish can handpump air to the face mask. The props are 15 to 18 feet below the surface." In jig time Houston was over the side and clawing his way down the net to the props. Five minutes later, his head bobbed up. He was hauled on board. Trouble! ...

Our submarine heritage and all the battles that have been fought on and beneath the seas - and in bureaucracies across the nation - provide the legacy for submarine success and the foundation for the Sailor's pride as a submariner. Remembering the deeds of past submariners and aspiring to their commitment and sacrifice can foster that same spirit within any command and develop a sense of belonging to an organization with a common and noble purpose.

Houston had now been in the water almost thirty minutes. Down he went for almost five minutes, came up, gulped air, and went down again. I sent for Doc Donnelly. "Doc, get down on deck and get Houston aboard." As Doc headed aft, Houston emerged holding his fingers on high in a 'V,' but he was too far gone to climb aboard. The men on deck formed a human chain and lifted him up bodily. He was shaking so badly he could hardly move....

With these excerpts from Thunder Below, by Medal of Honor winner RADM Eugene Fluckey, USN (Ret), and the simple words, "Men, today you join a fine tradition of naval heritage and submarining," Commander Leo Goff, Comman-ding Officer of the City of Corpus Christi, welcomed STS3(SS) Sean Murphy to the brotherhood of submariners. These words, recalling the heroism of World War II and delivered with energy and passion, instilled in all those men present an exceptional sense of purpose. But to truly understand real esprit de corps, you'd have to witness what happened next. After the dolphins had been pinned ceremoniously on Murphy's chest, and in the fine tradition of the Constitution and sailors of old, every member of the crew welcomed STS3 (SS) Murphy with an overwhelming round of "Hip…Hip…Huzzah!" with cover held high or fists punching the air in unison on each round. At times like these, a chill of pride and a true sense of belonging overcomes you, and the hairs stand-up on the back of your neck. And not a Sailor left the ceremony without a profound and moving sense that he was part of USS City of Corpus Christi. 

At dawn, before my customary trip to the bridge at the end of the navigator's twilight, I dropped by Houston's bunk to see how he was doing. Doc was resting in a chair next to him and motioned for me to be silent. Then he gave a thumb's up as our diver slept. I tiptoed away, happy...

Taking care of your people. Instilling in them a sense of our fine naval tradition. Giving them a reason to serve. Emphasizing unit pride by celebrating successes. It is these simple acts and the commitment of the command to supporting them that enable the crew of USS City of Corpus Christi to embody esprit de corps.

LT Crowley is the Navigator onboard 
USS City of Corpus Christi.