THE REASON WE HAD MM HELPING OUT ON THE GUNS WAS WE NEEDED THEM, MY FIRST SHIP WAS THE SS VERA CRUZ A TANKER,on JULY 1942. THE AG on BOARD CONSISTED OF A COXSWAIN IN CHARGE WHO ALSO WAS ACTING GUNNERS MATE, A SIGNAL MAN AND THREE SEAMEN 1/C, SECOND SHIP WAS SS HENRY D WHITON SEPT 1042 AN OLD HOG ISLAND SHIP TWO WATER COOLED 50 CALS. AND A OLD 5"51 I was a new coxswain in charge with a signal man and 3 first class seamen, that gave us one man ea. to man the 50 CALS, the signal man stayed on the bridge I WAS GUN CAPTAIN AND MANNED THE BREECH and the two seamen were pointer and TRAINER. SO WE NEEDED ALL THE HELP WE COULD GET