Bless me WAN, for I have sinned...
I have used explorer in order to open your attachments. 
How was your father's hearing after the war? Did they provide much in the way of hearing protection back then (did the sailors actually use it- or figure it was just "new fan dangled safety crap?"
AFAIK US Navy sailors never wore any sort of ear protection at all. I think it would have been prohibited as you would have to be able to hear orders and such and the
technology of the time would have blocked everything out. I believe those that sat topside were supposed to wear Flash Cream to protect from excessive
heat and burns from the guns.

If worn it would look like this:

I've never seen any WWII photos with actual sailors wearing it in action. I think the closest is a scene in
The Caine Mutiny where Queeg is wearing it when he gets those Yellow Stain Blues and hauls ass and runs away.

Dad took part in 5 different invasions where a great deal of shore bombardment was done. His hearing was never good and really got bad as he aged. Mom and Dad moved down from Northern Michigan to NC in the late 90's so I could look after them better. I'd often go over to their Condo and you could hear the TV blaring outside. I'd go in and it would be cranked to 11. Dad would be sitting there with a hearing aide in each ear with dead batteries. So essentially an ear plug.
