Did the crew of WW II U. S. navy ships (particularly battleships)
sleep in hammocks in the mess (dining) area of the ship, or did they
have bunks?

Dear squareroot1-ga;

Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question.
Generally speaking a World War II battleship?s sleeping quarters for
the crew consisted of uncomfortable box-like beds that were stacked
(affixed) three or four-high from deck to ceiling. These slim canvas
bottomed cots or bunks known as ?racks? were given the nickname
?coffins? or ?coffin racks? partly because that?s how they felt when
one laid prone with the bottom of the upper bunk right in your face,
and partly because it was widely taught to get out of the bunk if the
ship started sinking or came under fire lest the sailor find himself
in his own coffin.

You can see several typical examples of coffin racks here:

USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY JR.
http://www.ussjpkennedyjr.org/850racks.jpg

BATTLESHIP TEXAS BB35 - ENLISTED BERTHING
http://users3.ev1.net/~cfmoore/images/photos/2nddeck/mainespace/3full.jpg

BATTLESHIP TEXAS
http://txbutterfly.com/gallery/2004-03-sj/pic-016.jpg

USS NEW JERSEY
http://ussnewjersey.com/images/rect62-22.jpg

While battleship crews did occasionally have the need to utilize
hammocks in any available space (including perhaps the mess hall),
especially when the ship had more than it?s normal compliment of
soldiers being transported from one place to another, as a rule the
crew had their own enlisted sleeping quarters and berthing
accommodations.

I hope you find that my answer exceeds your expectations. If you have
any questions about my research please post a clarification request
prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher



INFORMATION SOURCES

LIFE AT SEA
http://www.ussmissouri.com/Press/2000/29Jan.htm

A GRAY WINTER'S NIGHT
Why just tour the Battleship New Jersey when you can sleep aboard?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14517-2004Jan13.html



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Battleship

Crew

Enlisted

Sailors

Sleeping

Berthing

Quarters 

Hammocks

Mess

Currently (and in the past) some overcrowded shops engage in "hot
racking" whereby a rack is used by two crewmen, one sleeping while the
other is on duty. This is an unpleasant condition for long but is a
very efficinet use of space and is sometimes necessary.

To my knowledge, it is more common on submarines than ships because...
well, maybe I'd better not say.