The Navigation Bridge is the steering and control center of the ship during underway conditions and the command station for the Commanding Officer (CO) or Officer of the Deck (OOD).

The Navigation Bridge contains the Pilot House, Command or Conning Station, Chart House, Meteorological Facility, and the Captain’s At-Sea cabin.

The windowed Pilot House at the forward end of the Navigation Bridge is the ship’s normal Conning Station where the CO or OOD were stationed while underway.

The central armored Conning Station, commonly called the “Citadel” because of its 17” thick steel armor, is the helmsman’s station. Under combat conditions the Citadel becomes the ship’s Conning Station where the CO and all other personnel gather. The Citadel is multi-level and includes the Fire Control Station (Spot 3) on the 05 Level above, with a vertical escape shaft called the “Conning Tower Tube” that extends all the way down to the Third Deck.

The Captain’s At-Sea Cabin, located on the starboard side of the Navigation Bridge, just aft of the Chart House, allowed the Captain to be in close proximity to the Conning Station and available at a moment’s notice while underway. This cabin is very confined compared to his In-Port Cabin on the 01 Level, with only a desk, convertible couch, and head (toilet).

While the 04 Navigation Bridge was the steering and Conning Station for normal underway steaming, there’s also a secondary steering and conning station in the 08 Level above.

DID YOU MO?: On January 17, 1950 the Mighty Mo ran aground on Thimble Shoals in Chesapeake Bay, outside of Norfolk, Virginia. It took 15 days before tugboats could free her with only minor damage, but not before she earned the temporary nickname “Muddy Mo.” While this is a significant event in the ship’s history, it’s definitely not the proudest.

The Chart House is located just aft (behind) the helm. This is where the ship’s navigators use maps to plot the ship’s position and course according to directions provided by the Captain or Officer of the Deck.

Working with the ship’s navigators, the ship’s aerographers constantly monitored weather and ocean conditions from the meteorological facility located just aft of the Chart House.