silentflyer
Member
Do I understand that some salors are inclined to drink? No never....
Navy Men: What's a Bo'sun?
- Thread starter Texas Star
- Start date
Straightshooter2
US Veteran
Bo'suns Mates are also responsible on most carriers for handing out cleaning supplies. Need an extra swab over your monthly allotment? You have to beg it from the bo'suns and you better have something to trade. You would be amazed what you can get in trade for a case of Coca-Cola. But then they also come to the Airdales (aviation) wanting things that only the squadrons could get. LOx boots were very popular with them (slip on boots with elastic in the sides). I was our squadron's Master at Arms for a while because I could usually find who had what that we needed and knew where to find what they needed to swap for it (I think the Army calls this "the scrounger.") I still have a set of semaphore flags that someone traded me for something.
My Company Commander in boot camp was an E-6 Bo'suns Mate. This was 1968 and his previous assignment before trying to convert us from a gaggle into a company was coxswain (driver) on a river patrol boat on the Mekong and other rivers in Vietnam.
I almost forgot. The modern Navy saying is that an E-4 Bo'suns Mate does nothing but smoke cigarettes and drink coffee. An E-6 does even less.
CW
My Company Commander in boot camp was an E-6 Bo'suns Mate. This was 1968 and his previous assignment before trying to convert us from a gaggle into a company was coxswain (driver) on a river patrol boat on the Mekong and other rivers in Vietnam.
I almost forgot. The modern Navy saying is that an E-4 Bo'suns Mate does nothing but smoke cigarettes and drink coffee. An E-6 does even less.
CW
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Stainz
Member
My ship, USS Fulton AS-11, was Sub Sqdrn Ten's tender and home-ported in New London, CT, although I left it in La Madelina, Italy 11/72 on an 'early out' to go back to college (Auburn U.). We tended fast attack subs, like the two original nucs Nautilus and Seawolf and more modern hunter/killer boats like Gato, etc. The tender has two sections: Repair and Ship's Company. 'Repair' is the ship's function - and if we couldn't fix something, with our motor rewind shop, carpenter shop, vast machine shops, electronics repair R-4 Division - of which I was a part of, etc, then our vast store rooms might have it new anyway. We carried food and supplies - and even 'warshots' (Nuclear tipped torpedoes, SUBROC, etc.). Dating back to 1939, when I was on it the only ship that had been commissioned longer was the USS Constitution, aka 'Old Ironsides', in Boston Harbor. We had no marines, using torpedomen for repell borders, etc. The senior boats' ran the torpedo launches, which also served as liberty launches when we couldn't get a pier, like in Bermuda. The ship was a dichotomy - named after the inventor/originator of the American steamship - it was the largest diesel/electric powered ship in the Navy. It was originally intended to be able to swap out engines, etc, with it's original conventionally powered subs. Fulton, like the nuc's she tended when I was aboard her, was scrapped eons ago. The uniform has changed drastically, too. I guess they had to amend the old saying, "175 years of tradition unhampered by progress!".
We had 5" .38's - they were LOUD.
Stainz
We had 5" .38's - they were LOUD.
Stainz
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I was a hospital corpsman, and my last tour of duty was at a large Marine base (Cherry Point, SC.) At the time, there were about 10,000 Marines stationed there. I stood duty in the ER on the weekends. About 9,900 of those Marines came through the ER on any given weekend...now, THOSE boys liked to fight!
I was a submarine sailor....I never drink ...unless I'm alone...OR with somebody!!!!
JIM................
Wow!! A GREAT string. Keep it going; this old soldier sure likes to read about how the other half lives.
RobertJ.
Member
I was a GMG (gunner's mate, guns) on a destroyer in the early 80's, stationed at Pearl Harbor. We were called "deck apes with a hunting license."
Frank46
US Veteran
Black gang (snipe) Uss Franklin D Roosevelt CVA 42. We'd had a 3rd class bosun's mate who was forever checking the coffee messes in the engineering spaces looking for coffee cups and silver ware (actually stainless). We'd climp up on the horizontal frame supports and stash our stuff there. Then call the other spaces and boiler rooms and warn them. We were lighting off the engineroom and had the blowdowns on one of the main steam stops open. Now normally underway the "Hole" as we called the engineroom is about 120 degrees. With one of three blowdowns open it really gets hot. Then you also had to blow down the sight glass for the deairating feed tank. Every space he went to we'd always blow down something to make it hotter. They usually didn't stay long especially wearing dress blues. We had 4 5"54 slow firing mounts were used for our class of carriers. Still have an ashtray I made from one of the cases. The snipes were kinda like rodney dangerfield as we got no respect. We'd pop up on deck while underway, get some fresh air and some sun and back to work just like a mole. We were at sea once for a dependent's day cruise. They's fire off a 5" starshell and shoot it down with a missle from one of the skyhawks. Was in the hole when they dropped a 500 pound bomb to show the folks what it looked like. Concussion in the engine room darn near blew a guy sitting on a trash can off. Some rather few choice words to engine control to the bridge made them increase the distance.
Been over 40 years since I wore the uniform. Thanks for the memories. Frank
Been over 40 years since I wore the uniform. Thanks for the memories. Frank
My FIL
My FIL was a Master Chief Bosun's Mate - He had some pretty hair raising adventures. He was on one of the Liberty Ships that cracked in half in a storm (They did that in the cold North Atlantic). They could only try to weld some members back when the ship was in a trough in the waves. Another time a torpedo got loose (in a storm of course) and was rolling around below decks which ever way the ship tilted and being the Chief had to get a crew to lasso it and get it under control. Could go on for hours about this stuff.
My FIL was a Master Chief Bosun's Mate - He had some pretty hair raising adventures. He was on one of the Liberty Ships that cracked in half in a storm (They did that in the cold North Atlantic). They could only try to weld some members back when the ship was in a trough in the waves. Another time a torpedo got loose (in a storm of course) and was rolling around below decks which ever way the ship tilted and being the Chief had to get a crew to lasso it and get it under control. Could go on for hours about this stuff.
Dennis The B
US Veteran
Before my duties were changed, I was a Disbursing Clerk. Early on, people knew they had to be nice to us.
Stainz is spot on. We usually paid Chiefs, and a few others (Corpsmen, Dental Techs), a day or so early. Most of them were laid back types, except for this one Equipment Operator Chief (I was assigned to a Seabee battalion). He would come into the disbursing office and raise hell on a regular basis. He especially took pleasure in yelling at a Filipino striker. Finally Rudy had it. One of Rudy's jobs was to send pay records to the Cleveland Finance Center for sailors who were separated from active duty status.
You got it. This chief's record got shuffled into a hundred others. When payday came around, and we had to prepare the pay lists, and type checks, this chief had no pay record. No pay record, no pay; no exceptions. The chief ended up going to the Navy welfare office for an advance. After that, EO Chief XXXXXX was the model of excellent behavior, and treated Rudy like he should be treated. The leading DK1 and disbursing officer suspected what happened, but the word got out. Four months is a long time for your pay record to be "misplaced". That was how long it took Cleveland to search through the pay records and return the right one to us.
Stainz is spot on. We usually paid Chiefs, and a few others (Corpsmen, Dental Techs), a day or so early. Most of them were laid back types, except for this one Equipment Operator Chief (I was assigned to a Seabee battalion). He would come into the disbursing office and raise hell on a regular basis. He especially took pleasure in yelling at a Filipino striker. Finally Rudy had it. One of Rudy's jobs was to send pay records to the Cleveland Finance Center for sailors who were separated from active duty status.
You got it. This chief's record got shuffled into a hundred others. When payday came around, and we had to prepare the pay lists, and type checks, this chief had no pay record. No pay record, no pay; no exceptions. The chief ended up going to the Navy welfare office for an advance. After that, EO Chief XXXXXX was the model of excellent behavior, and treated Rudy like he should be treated. The leading DK1 and disbursing officer suspected what happened, but the word got out. Four months is a long time for your pay record to be "misplaced". That was how long it took Cleveland to search through the pay records and return the right one to us.
CW Spook
US Veteran
I was a Cryptologic Technician and actually spent most of my time on Air Force bases working with the AF and/or the AF & Army. We didn't have many non-CT types in our detachments, but in Japan the barracks Master-at-Arms was a Chief Bosn' name Primus. I worked a Fire & Security watch one Sunday afternoon while he was on duty too. Nice guys as I recall.
OP
Texas Star
US Veteran
This sort of thing also happened in the USAF. I was a victim of "misplaced" pay records. I don't recall writing up anyone in the clerk's office, but someone who did get a ticket must have had a friend in there.
Yeah, best be nice to the DKs and the HMs. DKs, for the reasons you said. HMs, well, you could abuse them, if you didn't mind your shot record disappearing and having to get all of your immunizations done with that special square needle they kept for people they didn't like.
Old TexMex
Member
There are bosuns in the merchant marine as well. Matter of fact, there have been bosuns in the merchant marine since before there ever was a US Navy. The Senior unlicenced able seaman. He runs the deck department crew (ABs and OS) and answers to the chief mate, who is licensed. He's the guy that knows how to do everything, and how to actually get it done. Seems like he's also the oldest man on the ship too.
Delos
Member
A little History and assumptions
Okay, I thought I knew basic Navy History. Apparently not. During old sailing movies (the more accurate ones?) the Officers wore suits with large brimmed hats pinned up showing two corners. (One side was probably down in bad weather).
Then I assumed all the guys in T shirts with black horizontal stripes were Able Seaman. Now I read that it took a couple years to become an Able Seaman.
As we Navy guys all knew, the first boot camp rank is Seaman Recruit, then Seaman Apprentice, then Seaman. Then Petty Officer 3rd Class, Petty Officer 2nd Class, Petty Officr 1st Class, then various levels of Chief Petty Officer. One of our officers in the Electonics Gang, at one time, was a Warrant Officer. I once heard someone use the term War Warrant? I once ask him about his WWII Sub Sailor days because I was very interested in how dangerous it was to surface at night to charge batteries. If I recall correctly he responded that there was no radar or sonar in the first part of the war so Sub duty was really safe for awhile. Depth charges were primitive and needed almost a direct hit to sink you.
When JFK’s PT Boat was cut in half one night by a Japanese (?) Destroyer, I assume that was common before Radar.
All I know is the traditional Sailor Hat is a rain hat folded up. The square flap apparently can be put up under the hat to convert it into a hoodie so rain does not go down ones neck. The bell bottom trousers were for rolling them up for swabing (mopping) the deck. The Marines on board were for shore invasions or repelling boarders. The heavy leather collars were to protect them against saber blows from enemy on horses. Hence the name leathernecks.
Anyway, I assume in the original 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea movie Kirk Douglas’s T shirt with horizontal stripes denoted him as an Able Seaman ?
The old Galeons had the stearing and officers area on the back (stern castle) where the Officers could see all the rigging and all the Able Seamen at work, and navigate at the same time.
(With the Officers being Normans, and working Sailors being no doubt Anglo Saxon or Celtic - I am not sure about the man in charge of the deck force in those days). But Chief Petty Officers had their own mess hall when I was in the navy before 1962, and a lot of business decisions were made there (red tape cut). We needed a motor generator armature turned one day (on a growler?) and our Chief ask their Chief at the Chiefs mess hall at noon. It got done and the radio transmitter working before the paperwork arrived.
The English Galleon’s Forecastle and Stearncastle were elevated to be advantageous for archers to fire down on enemy boats. Later after the invention of guns they had gunports in the Captains cabin so to “clear the deck” when enemies boarded.
As cannons and other guns got better the lower faster schooner type ships took over.
Not likely there was ever any “Gregory Peck” style sword fights on deck because pikes were really good. (I once assumed the derogatory word “piker” had its roots in a well trained sword fighters disdain for a common sailor with a pike (spear) being really effective?). (Probably wrong).
On the old English Galleons boarders were repelled by pikes (spears). I am not aware of just when they got Marines on ship so us valuable sailors would not be lost in primitive fighting? Some of the old “shipwrights” (?) ships carpenters were really important to patch hulls from the inside when leaking at sea. The guys that loaded and aimed the cannon’s were pretty important. Even long ago it took lots of different trades to “float the boat”. If you had any good cooks you sure would not want to lose them in some messy deck fighting. God Bless Boatswains Mates and Marines for doing the cold dirty jobs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Seaman_(rank)
Okay, I thought I knew basic Navy History. Apparently not. During old sailing movies (the more accurate ones?) the Officers wore suits with large brimmed hats pinned up showing two corners. (One side was probably down in bad weather).
Then I assumed all the guys in T shirts with black horizontal stripes were Able Seaman. Now I read that it took a couple years to become an Able Seaman.
As we Navy guys all knew, the first boot camp rank is Seaman Recruit, then Seaman Apprentice, then Seaman. Then Petty Officer 3rd Class, Petty Officer 2nd Class, Petty Officr 1st Class, then various levels of Chief Petty Officer. One of our officers in the Electonics Gang, at one time, was a Warrant Officer. I once heard someone use the term War Warrant? I once ask him about his WWII Sub Sailor days because I was very interested in how dangerous it was to surface at night to charge batteries. If I recall correctly he responded that there was no radar or sonar in the first part of the war so Sub duty was really safe for awhile. Depth charges were primitive and needed almost a direct hit to sink you.
When JFK’s PT Boat was cut in half one night by a Japanese (?) Destroyer, I assume that was common before Radar.
All I know is the traditional Sailor Hat is a rain hat folded up. The square flap apparently can be put up under the hat to convert it into a hoodie so rain does not go down ones neck. The bell bottom trousers were for rolling them up for swabing (mopping) the deck. The Marines on board were for shore invasions or repelling boarders. The heavy leather collars were to protect them against saber blows from enemy on horses. Hence the name leathernecks.
Anyway, I assume in the original 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea movie Kirk Douglas’s T shirt with horizontal stripes denoted him as an Able Seaman ?
The old Galeons had the stearing and officers area on the back (stern castle) where the Officers could see all the rigging and all the Able Seamen at work, and navigate at the same time.
(With the Officers being Normans, and working Sailors being no doubt Anglo Saxon or Celtic - I am not sure about the man in charge of the deck force in those days). But Chief Petty Officers had their own mess hall when I was in the navy before 1962, and a lot of business decisions were made there (red tape cut). We needed a motor generator armature turned one day (on a growler?) and our Chief ask their Chief at the Chiefs mess hall at noon. It got done and the radio transmitter working before the paperwork arrived.
The English Galleon’s Forecastle and Stearncastle were elevated to be advantageous for archers to fire down on enemy boats. Later after the invention of guns they had gunports in the Captains cabin so to “clear the deck” when enemies boarded.
As cannons and other guns got better the lower faster schooner type ships took over.
Not likely there was ever any “Gregory Peck” style sword fights on deck because pikes were really good. (I once assumed the derogatory word “piker” had its roots in a well trained sword fighters disdain for a common sailor with a pike (spear) being really effective?). (Probably wrong).
On the old English Galleons boarders were repelled by pikes (spears). I am not aware of just when they got Marines on ship so us valuable sailors would not be lost in primitive fighting? Some of the old “shipwrights” (?) ships carpenters were really important to patch hulls from the inside when leaking at sea. The guys that loaded and aimed the cannon’s were pretty important. Even long ago it took lots of different trades to “float the boat”. If you had any good cooks you sure would not want to lose them in some messy deck fighting. God Bless Boatswains Mates and Marines for doing the cold dirty jobs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Seaman_(rank)
Dennis The B
US Veteran
Yeah, best be nice to the DKs and the HMs. DKs, for the reasons you said. HMs, well, you could abuse them, if you didn't mind your shot record disappearing and having to get all of your immunizations done with that special square needle they kept for people they didn't like.
HM's had more than one way to get even. I've seen them tap the hypo on a table, and give someone a shot afterward. Amazing how badly a tiny barb will hurt.
One of the more humorous events was when we were prepping for ship out to 'Nam. One of the shots is the Gamma Globulin vaccine. It's about as thick as wood paste, and it takes a bit to get the vaccine through the syringe.
Our supply officer had everyone get their GG the same day. He told us we could have the rest of the day off, as soon as we got our shots. Wow!! Early liberty.
Got the injections, and the only thing I felt like doing was hit the rack. My backside was sore for about three days!
Straightshooter2
US Veteran
Here's a little bit of history to add to Delos'. The junior, junior officer trainees were used during battle to carry messages from the officers at the helm (located aft) to the officers located forward. Since these officer trainees ran back and forth across the middle of the ship, they were called Midshipmen. And of course, they still are.
CW
CW
1911a2bphil
US Veteran
I was a BM3 when I got out of the Navy. Deck Dept. did preventive maintenance on the topside equipment in addition to the duties listed here. We generally were jacks- of- all, masters- of-none. I was on the USS Portland, LSD-37. If I remember correctly, I might have had a drink or two in my time but never more When I went through small boat coxswain school, the instructors told us that our life span in an actual beach assault, was 10 seconds after we got in range of the shore guns. Not a warm fuzzy feeling.
When I went through small boat coxswain school, the instructors told us that our life span in an actual beach assault, was 10 seconds after we got in range of the shore guns. Not a warm fuzzy feeling.Similar threads
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