OSPREY Sc The US Navy in World War IIMARK HENRY i Hone ute of mir star na Dn awpenencedre-anactar 1s Army as spats cor trom 190% to $00, Germany, 2A cores nity an ie ‘usyng for heMoters ‘lot working he US Army ‘museum sytem le speci ARO BUJERO, previously the astratr et Ovary Sniper ince 104, and Siperioned commercial ant, tative ety of Boones ies igen Wis protesion rokgrund nudes many commissions m2 fre Ianto and ip eartoonat {he Ameren, eluding many Inverts are tw pois an imitary stort europe CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CAMPAIGN SUMMARY arl Harbor * North Atlantic * ABDA, * Coral Sea & Midway © Guadaleanal + island! opping * Normandy # Iwo Jima & Okinava Kamikazes THE SHIPS ‘+ Battleships # aircraft carriers # cruisers * destroyers & escorts * USCG cutters frigates ‘PT boats © submarines * Convoys «The aircraft single-seat fighters dive-bombers ~ torpedo-bombers ORGANIZATION « Bureaux US Marine Corps US Navy Reserve # US Goi + female auxiliaries SERVICE ‘ Recruitment and training - officers & enlisted men race # liberty & shore leave Shipboard life « naval medicine « Special duties shore patrol - Naval Armed Guards — carrier deck gangs — underwater demolition imbered fleets el Seabees UNIFORMS: ENLISTED MEN * Blue & white jumper uniforms, undress & dress * hats «fatigue uniform (dungarees) ld & foul weather gea ia & rat ¢ stripes # ‘striking’ # shoulder patches * distinguishing marks « boatswains’ pipes * aviators’ wings « submariners badges + medals & ribbons UNIFORMS: OFFICERS + Officers’ hats # whites blues # khakis © greys ‘flying greens « officers" insignia ® CPOs’ uniforms “flying Clothing ¢ womens’ uniforms SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY THE PLATES INDEX 13 22 24 31 50 55 56 64THE US NAVY IN WORLD WAR | December 1044: ovching up the tatoos. hase wore normaly tuted wn on iber Incoud anlar sometimes oy the wake onthe ship the ‘mering str These mon are ‘Choe tin. bateahip USS ew ‘ese, whieh nea the Pot INTRODUCTION yee Roost, a former Undencretary ofthe Nay had Pim soire insr Nina a ne te a fecctine sen verce retained someting oft Word War f strength: The capita ipso the 1080 fet conse of 1 btesps tuto cae ith weal more soon Tobe devere. tn July 1980 the Cong aod reent Roose aed ne “Ive Octan Aa Easestigie Dey 6 sgpeealy spr iadpnacd mapesars Cover he Alan and Pate ocea, By 194, th wa imine the USN had 17 batleipy, four carer, and manpower lncladg tess reached 30,000 nen. The scorn of Supply convoy on the water leg of thir voyage to Brain meant at te USN a alec Eticg « quatwar in te North Ano ta cmt al i Werld War | foursuck detoyer for envoy excort dy or for Lend Tee wo the Br ter the shocking Koes suffered at Pear Harbor in December 194 the Ames shipbllding Industry went nt. everdre fo Tepale damaged hips and ay do ne bul, The Ney was clot corer ‘Asan Ute mena by 194 the Aled hanes had won a dete ‘toes Sd Ald dipping able cio to tune na Meise so last tio tree weep. Thewetal the Alles had decied on a ‘Europe fs rat bu, the Bae ft Aan ot withstanding there aso cour Hila naa hooting wear goingon nthe Paci from 7 Deen 141. Amal Even Ran the U8 Chet of Neal Oprtons (GNO), shifted the major of Nay Strengih and production nto tha tester nl the lent 194 Bap laeng a Erance demande vane baling af ever Jepance Aira Yinamoto had warmed hie gorrament in vain of Aste india might and manpower nservex By 1948 US yur were ming ot Liber cargoshipein ew tan 90 days and deaveje in 60 det US airerah song Jipanee forward arcay In TBH he nfs cvenareiched. ocean sips Hoes were sannghed. oy US tubcting, aod the Navy wanted Maine and Aroy ens to ‘Sie ora ae tl howghoen at considera con) Regards ties bowery he Ray come ences lator Prwe:n HSS the US military was abe sunain two mula‘cnoourape to elt ana serve tepetner on the some sip and ‘wou be hale during the tsk on heap at Pert arbor Recate from dyn ses laced n command oft drives for Japan: one by Adm. Chester Nimitz across the islands of the Gentral Pacific, the other by Gen. Douglas MacArthur across the South- West Pacific and into the Philippines. By 1943 the US Nay had approximately 99 carviers and 41,000 ft, and a strength of over 3.3 million men. The spent Imperial Japanese Navy was a skeletal shadow ofits former strength, and sacrificial delaying action was the only response a desperate Japan could muster ‘Shaken but undeterred by kamikez tactics, the American naval leviathan ‘weathered the ‘Divine Wind’ and braced itself forthe final struggle. two Jima and Okinawa were a preview of the bloodbath which the Battle of Japan would surely bring. Thankfully, the atomic bombs finally brought the war to an end in September 1945 — and thus saved many hundreds) fof thousands of Allied and Japanese lives The average I9yearcld US sailor who fought this war was generally brave, intelligent and quick to learn. After the first six months of hos- tiltes his leaders learnt to fight aggressively to adapt, take chances and) ‘embrace technology. With the industrial might of America behind the they created and wielded an unrivaled and unstoppable naval power CAMPAIGN SUMMARY Pearl Harbor In 1938 exercises in the Pacific showed the USN base at Peat! Harbor] Hawaii, to be very vulnerable to ai attack. In 1940 an admiral was fred] for protesting over the forward basing of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. By December 1941 the base and the fleet, including three] carriers and nine battleships (eight of them at Pearl), had been on a ‘war alert for some weeks; but although certain precautions were taken the Navy was still really in peacetime mode systematically scouring the ocean, and the new experimental radar sets were not actively looking for approaching enemies, The Pacific Fleet lost all eight of its battleships sunk or seriously Navy's cartier air attack on damaged 10 the December 1941 Secking Pacific hegemony to provide resources which their industrializin the Japanese had tried a daring gambit, They believed that the shock to the decadent and fragile Americans would convince the US government them with the imported home islands desperately needed, to seek terms. This misreading of the American national character was iecompanied by both bad luck, and an astonishing failure of nerve The first ensured that the their task force commander. on the part vital US carriers were safely at sea during the attack on Pearl Harbor the second, that no follow-up attack was made to destroy the Navy's fuel storage tanks, repair facilities and submarines which had been overlooked by the first wave. Hawaii would remain the forward base for the US fleet. The USA had underestimated the skill and aggressiveness ofthe Japanese; the Japanese had underestimated America's willingness The first mistake was costly ~ the second, fatal North Atlantic After embarassing shipping losses to German U-boats along the eastern seaboard in the frst half of 1943, the Navy steadily increased its ant submarine warfaré (ASW) assets and competence, and adopted the :nvoy system, With more naval and ai units becoming available early in 3, Adm. King instituted the 10th Fleet to control the approaches to the eastern US and to co-ordinate ASW ‘One edge the Allies enjoyed was the prewar development of both ar and radar by the British ~ the former to deweet submerged boats the later to detect objects fon the surface. Early in the war the pinging’ sonar had limited range; and all nar was direc tional ~ ie. it was used like flashlight, not for rapid circular sweeps of the compass. Escort ships had difficulty detecting the small contact of a surfaced a crowded ewoy for mation a night he Uo Ae the resved the’ US and Bish significantly improved thes ‘Ape 1043: he Treasury Case Spencer gepteharges UTS in ‘Depth charges (sh ca, progressed more powerful ‘charger were produced, end projection sytem using Wau K-pn launcher. Tey ould Sika be dropped by aeraand listening for submarine ye noise with hydro: phones was used in com- iy the middle of the war radar was becoming a escorts and long-range patrol aireraft, In 1943 the new centimetric radar sets could at last pick up the previously "invisible U-boats at night, when they surfaced to recharge their batteries, or by day in the thickest Atlantic’ fog old ied radio. dir cectionfinding and. signals intelligence was also used. The tight control Adm. Doenitz maintained over fashio his ‘wolfpacks’ demanded regular radio trafic; the Allies located signaling boats with directo ‘Huff/Duf?’, and “Ultra information from the compromised German naval codes was also judiciously used, finders codenamed Together with these new detection systems, the steady closing of the ‘mideAtlantic gap" by escort carriers and long-range land-based aireraft brought all surfaced Usboats under constant threat of air attack, while hunterkller groups’ with improved ASW weapons groped for them under water with increasing siccess. The tide turmed decisively in May 1943. By 1944 the combined efforts of the US, British and Canadian navies had made active U-boat operat Advanced U-boas with greater endurance appeared in small numbersin 10945, but they were too Few and too late, nsin the Atlantic extremely risky ABDA Under the Japanese onslaught of 1941 scrambled to evade the powerfal IJN and play for time. It linked up with surviving Dutch and British Commonwealth warships to form the ABDA (American, British, Dutch, Australian) squadton. On 27 February 1942 the ABDA ceased (o exist, losing half of is ships to superior Japanese gunnery and torpedoes in the Battle ofthe Java Sea, and inflicting litle damage on the enemy 42 the small US Asiatic Fleet Battles of the Coral Sea & Midway Alerted to Japanese moves on Port Moresby consequent threat to northern Australia, the US carriers stopped them in May’ 1942 in the Coral Sea. Each side lost a earrier, in the frst naval battle in history in which the opposing fleets never saw one another Although this was tactically Japanese victory, they withdrew after losing precious aireraft and pilots New Guinea, and the ‘edgeno’ By 1949 theve row of bigot mortars wth 268 {8 prejactie waren which suspected poston, instead of ‘eving to wat oop depth charges os pore overnad- towed sonar operator to say tn tate phone, ching he contact. A malo Deceived by their consistently poor naval intelligence into believing thavall the US carriers in the Pacific had now been sunk, the IN closed jnon USheld Midvay Island in Jane 1942. When the flees clashed, USN pedo bombers attacking at wavetop height were Japanese fighters, but this drew them out of positon to intercept the US nbers, which caught the IJN carriers refuelling and rearming imately the JN los four carriers, a cruiser and ne carrier and 130 aircraft. Japan no longer dived their atack squadrons. U 275 aircraft; the US lost held an advantage in carrier numbers or in pilot quali Guadalcanal Agaresively, in July 1942 the US seized the halFfinished airfield on Guadalcanal to forestall a Japanese build-up. Inthe narrow waters ofthe ted the invasion somewhat nervously Solomon Islands the fleet supp ‘antl a midnight action off Savo Island on 9 August cost it four cruisers. The Navy then withdrew, leaving the Marines to bring the airfield into operation by 20 August. Thereafter the opposing attempts to land reinforcements and supplies on Guadaleanal brought on naval engagements roughly every three weeks in the channel known as “The Slot, where the IJN’s superiority in night fighting told; daylight usually sav aireraft from both sides joining in, On 15 September the USN lost a Carrier and a destroyer. The fight on 11 October (Cape Esperance) cost US destroyer andl damage to others and a cruiser, but the IJN lost a cruiser, three destroyers and an"admiral. An action on 26 October a US than Learning Navy its use of lesons, the began to impr radar’. In an action on 12 November (First Battle of Guadalcanal) the USN lost two cruisers and. seven (58 Lexington C¥0) ring tuna, ane parte he On By the ate 19308 he US ‘aes when fing a astmonng tireret was meaty gueawors {hs new roxy or Yar Time V7 tte removed thedestroyers, the JN a battleship, a cruiser and two destroyers. After 10) more short fights which cost it another battleship, a cruiser and 10 destroyers, the IJN cut its losses and abandoned major attempts +o. reinforce Guadalcanal. Both its warships and its carrier and land-based) aircraft had extracted a heavy tol in these battles; but the Japanese were! ships and trained pilots which they could never replace. From now until V-Day they would remain on the strategic defensive (CVL/CVEs) in and the new Essex Class fleet carriers were} By mic-I043 the USN was receiving light carriers ‘numbers, ‘appearing, Fast (80 Knotsplis) ships were spit off to form Carrier Task Forces (CTFs) and condicted practice air raids on isolated Japanese Standard tactics now evolved for island garrisons amphibious landings, The fast CTF would approach the main enemy’ island/airbase in the area and launch multiple attacks to crater its runways and destroy its aircraft; the slower bombardment ships and transports would then hit the targeted island. Though the heavy USMC losses on Tarawa in November 1943 briefly cast the amphibious doctrine into douby, lessons were learned there! by both the Navy and Marines, and the evergrowing amphibious Guam, Ssipan and Tinian supporting] juggemaut moved on Marines help move suplos (toning ra, Ts ne (Landing hn, Ti) Beyond Seema 040 USTs, only 30 wore ‘ros boning to master the peratonal planning However, Dy ate 1844-enrty 1048 Navy ‘mptbious operations were © "Naw ay to projet power Of the Marianas in June 1944 the Japanese concentrated their carrier-and land-based aircraft fora last ditch conventional attack on the fleet. US fighters took on the poorly trained Japanese pilots in what became known as “The Marianas Turkey Shoot, destroying 480 enemy jineraft for the los of 104 many of its downed pilots Gen MacArthur's sweep of the SW Pacific had been aimed at the major Japanese base of Rabaul, but as he drew closer he decided 10 n-pass it and press on to the Philippines. Admiral Nimiv, is wake; without and unlike the Japanese, the Nay recovered too, had been leaving many Japanescheld islands i aircraft, and mostly starving, these toothless garrisons could safely be ignored. Nimitz favored Formosa as the next step towards Japan, but MacArthur finally won the argument Normandy ‘So many troops, tanks, guns and supplies were assembled for the frst, step in the liberation of NW Europe that it was said. that the barrage balloons were the only thing keeping Britain afloat. Before first light on 6 June 1944 some 5,300 Allied vesels anchored off the coast of Normandy. Since about swo-thirds ofthe force was provided by the Royal Navy, the British Adm. Sir Bertram Ramsey was in command of the The USN provided the aging seaborne phase (Operation Neptune), battleships. Texas, and innumerable smaller vessels. After a short but bombardment the frst waves of landing craft went i, The US Army's dh Division were landed on the westernmost Utah Beach, out of position Nrwada and Arkansas, three cruisers, 34 destroyers assive onehour ‘but successfully and for few casualties, The much more stoutly defended Omaha Beach was asaulted by the Istand 29th Divisions. Naval demolition engineers (NCDUs) took heavy losses and only partially cleared the beach obstructions for the following. infantry: The arement had inflicted litle damage on10 KAMIKAZE The US Navy took its firt panized suicide attacks (hemi Disine Wind’) on 25 Octobe 144 when a stragylng air attack fom the escort carers and ships of Fleet's Philippines task force was punctuated by the impacts of eight suite planes. The CVE 8, bi bya Zero carrying a 5001 bomb, seas wracked by mule sco Cxplosions and went dawn in 80 minutes, six other CVEs also absorbed Kamikaze damage Before the landings in Lngaven Gulf the 7th Fleet bombardment group and CVEs were hit again on 4 January 1945, Toning the CVE Oinmaney Bayan some 10 srs ‘The next day the cruisers USS Louise and HMAS Asai, the CVE Mania Bay and DE Stafford were all damaged by 16-20 tamikaes Attacked off the beachhead battleship Naw Mic was hit in the super siructute: the captain and 27 fthers were killed and 87 men Sounded. After ‘splashing’ three sireraft the DE Waller was hit bya fourth; severely burned, the captain stayed at his post on 6 January, the tint the danger pased, dying of his wounds that trening, A minesweeper, the batleship California and the destroyers Stoner and. Bari were damaged, and the minesweeper Long was sunk. The light cruiser alumi’ Geek. was, penetrated, kaocking out to tures. The HMAS Awialia was hit, with 40 men Killed or wounded: so was the USS Losi and an admiral and 31 other men were Hated as killed in The next day two minesweepers were lost to samikazes. On the third day off the beach the Austr swat hit twice and the CVE Kithun Bay ws dialed. On ‘9 January, dhe day of the landings, the USS Cambie ‘vas hi agai, losing 92 more men, Small sicide boats auacked the eet that evening, sinking two LCI and damaging four LST. tn the following days a DE, a CVE and four transports wee hit Despite ths Teswon, it would take disabling Aamitaze hits on the Srd Fleet's CVs Lang and Tondo (21 Jan) ad the Bh Flee’ CVs York, Wap and. Fnnitn (21 March) before the Navy fly > the implications of the Divine Wind. Off awoke ‘Te Ptchr lass destroyer USS rane (00-630 was ‘ebult romaining in US service unt ater the Vietnam War before being std to the Argentine May ‘Okinawa, the 5th Fleet wove a tight net of early ‘warning radar picket destroyers, carrie air pat AA ‘defenses, Mased conventional and) kamikaze stacks began on 6 April destroyers, transports and LST, Numerous ships wer maged. incuting the caries Hancock, Bunker Hill rise Ukimatel were unk and 6 i by kamikazes, which caused 9,700 sinking several picket Navy casualties incloding some 5,000 sailors killed. The Naty was shocked by the loss of life and the damage to sips during the Okinawa operation, and Adm. Nimitz censored the release of these figures Nevertheles the Nany's AA defenses had held, an the stack nally abated. The Japanese began husband, their Kamikaes to resist the coming inasion of thei home lands, the concrete bunkers whose guns commanded the beach in entilade; the infantry and the few tanks which got ashore were savaged at the waterline; and many landing craft came to grie ander enemy gunfire or on the ntstacles. Heavy smoke mined beach and dust obscured the defences; few radios or forward observers survived he landing, and the USN destroyer captains, desperate 10 strike back, were left blind. More than one destroyer seraped the bottom as it closed right in to the beach to spot and destroy targets tough the murk. The US destroyers fired an average of 800 rounds of fect fire 5in./38 ammunition; some Gls reported Sin, and 40mm, rounds fying just over their heads to take out German machine gun At the end of the day the senior Army general on the beach Thank God for the US Navy Nwsal support for the landings of October 1944 went like clockwork. As the US fleet closed in, the Japanese took advantage of its proximity t0 Japan and to their naval bases in Borne’ and Singapore. From the home islnds, what was left of the IJN carrier force was dangled as bait for the min US 3rd Fleet (Adm. Halsey), which was covering the 71h Fleets andings at Leyte Gulf. The fast cartiers and battleships took off towards his. prey JN surface group came up from its Indonesian bases Heading for Leyte, while another force did the same rom the north simultaneously a Alerted to the JN southern force, the US 7th Fleet bombardment oup of battleships, cruisers and destroyers intercepted andl destroyed them in a flawless night action in the Surigao Stats, The IJN northern force was also spotted, and was thought ~ incorrectly ~ to have been driven off by air attacks, But, a the 3rd Fleet was absent killing off the last of Japan's carriers, the 7th Fleets Task Force destroyers andl transports was surprised by this IN nerthern force. Hopelessly outmatched by the enemy cruisers and battleships (including the Sin. guns ofthe huge Yamat), the ‘jeep’ cariers and litle destroyer escorts made smoke and harged among the enemy, radioing frantic signals for help. Aircraft armed with depth charges, Tally 3° of escort carters, rope to merce Neti tat th ie reraing tangs ‘fade, weighed bel wan often ad tothe nd to get ‘a stance on he throw Later risers wore ose ‘hoigh in 1942 US erasers and destroyers ei prove Imhof the muscle and Hood in he wos shite Sem formas been up wel beyond re ot te Normandy beocher short far D-Dap tis LCT fanding Cra, cary vile sect onto the ‘ester the ining of aning wore lst due to inept boat ani n enone water By onsgerbi: the hawy was ae12 ground attack bombs and rockets also threw themshes on the hulking. Japanese warships. Convinced that they were facing the main US fleet, the Japanese turned away. Admiral Halsey hurried back; and the following. day US aircraft caught and gutted the retreating IJN ships ‘Kamikaze suicide aircraft putin their firs formal appearance off the Philippines, sinking an escort carrier and damaging several cruisers in a preview of things to come | wo Jima & Okinawa Admiral Spruance’s US island in the Bismarck Sea, some 650 miles from Japan. Despite a preliminary air bombardment its capture took more than a month's Savage fighting (19 February-27 March 1945), and cost 25,000 USN and USMC casualties including 7,000 killed. On 21 February one US carrier was sunk and another damaged by suicide pilot. ‘Okinawa, a much larger island in the Ryukyu chain, was regarded as testcase for the eventual invasion of Japan itself, and 1,457 US and British warships were gathered for Operation Iceberg. The 80,000-strong. garrison did not oppose the US 10th Army’s initia landings on 1 April, bt later fought back stubbornly from strong defensive postions inland: by late June, capturing the defended southern end of the island would cost almost 40,000 US ground casualties including 7,400 killed. ‘Starting during the preparatory air raids in late March, the kamikazes swarmed over the Allied flee; on 6-7 April alone 28 ships were hit and three sunk. In ironic contrast, the mighty Yamato, sling from Kyushu 10 attack the Okinawa invasion fleet, was sunk on the 7th by US carrier raft. The sticide pilots continued to take a toll of US picket destroyers, transports and LSTS in the weeks to come, and seriously damaged several carriers. The US Navy could only look forward to the coming invasion of Japan with afatalistic dread. th Fleet supported the invasion of Iwo Jima Teeday ‘Sundey 2 September 1046 ‘Adm. Chester Wim gn he ‘Sapanaensurencerdocuont ‘teen ne USS secur Tego ‘ams, Macey and Sherman sand Sein im. Amasngy he only ‘in-game m suppor Using les and radar range and ype Sparatay rom he gue is {elanaat, caret propellant {crows By the ater hal of he war radar wo the ey tthe Ute extremely fective fre nsoraing te gon whe ll the ‘hnking wae done by fre Segue Strate my October 1048, THE SHIPS There are many specialist reference books on US Navy vessels, and for space reasons only brief notes can be given here Battloships Three battleships came back into limited service within months of the losses at Pearl Harbor. In 1942/43 two new North Carolina and five South Dakota Class BBs came into commission; and battleships were divided between fast (28 knots-plus) and slaw groups. The fast ships, with heaty AA protection, escorted carriers in Fast Attack Carrier grote and provided gunfire support for island raids; the slower, older ships mounting lin. or 16in. guns were attached to invasion groups for shore bombardment. As the war progressed, ever more AA guns would be mounted on battleships, destroyers and cruisers in the fas attack groups. “The 83,000:0n USS California (BB-44) was typical of the older ships, with 2,900 crew and main armament of 12x in, guns, Refloated a year after Pearl Harbor, she participated in the Philippines, Iwo Jima and ‘Okinawa landings. The premier battleships of the war were the four 48,000-40n Towa Class ships, with crews of 2,800 and a top speed of 33. knots. Their complete armament was x 16in., 20x Sin, 19x quad 40mm, and 50x 20mm guns. Ironically, none ever fought a ship-o-ship action, Airoratt Carrio The first US carrier was the 1,20bton converted collier USS Langley, which served from 1923 until sunk in 1942, To save cost the 33,000-ton Saratoga and Levinglon used surplus battle-cruiser huis, Further experiments with size and flight deck design resulted in the 15,000- 1 20,0000 Ranger and Wasp and the 20,0000n Yorkinon, Entoprise and Hornet, the Yorktown Class could operate 85 aircraft. These carriers sustained the war in the Pacific until 1943, In 1940 ten Essex Class carriers were ordered, displacing 27,000 tons (83,000 tons loaded); the first was layed down in April, Making 38 knots and carrying 8,300plus crew and 103 aircraft, the USS Essex reached the 131“ war zone in March 1943, and 14 of this class would see action in the Pacific. Overloaded and riding so low thatthe anti-torpedo ‘belt’ was too deep under water, they were especially vulnerable to torpedoes. Initial AA vas provided by 8x Sin. guns in four turrets next to the island, Sx quad 40mm and 46x 20mm; by 1945 this had been inereased to 17x quad 0mm and 61x 20mm, The Nay received the fist of eight 11,000s0n Independence Clas GVLs in March 1943 and the rest later that year, They were based on ‘cruiser bulls and carried 83 aircraft a 32-knot top speed allowed them to keep up with the flee. Designed to provide air cover for convoys, smaller, carriers arrived in the latter half of 1942. The 15 Bogue Sangamon Class CVEs, based on cargo ship huis, made 17 knots and carried about aircraft; they were followed in late 1948 by the frst of the 10,0000n (Casablanca (Island & Bay) Class, of which 50 were in service by the end ‘of 1944. A 19-knot top speed kept them out of the fast carrier groups, but support amphibious landings freed up the big carries for offensive action; and their contsibution to ASW was important. The class lick of compartmentalizat the CVE USS Liscombe Bay sank with two-thirds of her crew their numbers and their ability pedoed. Produced in large numbers by the Kaiser Stee! shipyards, the CVEs were nicknamed by the crews Kaiser's Coffins’ and ‘Combustible, Vulnerable and Expendable’ cru Light cruisers (CL) carried Sin. or Gin, guns, heavy ernisers (CA) Sin suns; US cruisers on dispensed with their secondary torpedo tubes in ye of fing sl a row seve Us new Jersy. ne mort, ‘ower bteeehie pune were Jonge the bare te more ‘wert! the gun) Te in ‘rortad and repeat chro ‘ensure powder Doe laces ‘hen lowed primed ond ed (ue ad mechanical hlted tees fmery-grunds) to rmorplesing igh expanve cova on decker enor For btesips teen ett ‘maori om dapan won A Spnances cere foes it rls on Kru in prearaton ‘roundad, Athouph they ‘rere soverayhammare By heirs USS Langley and Syma bateshine Woshigton ‘The ty inland had esr an omatinghy capable fervor rep and ope eeedn ce being ranaterred trom hair gets a sunting = strana, ‘Sn wesidentcommoniy stored ‘ie single Sin/30 gun art of nto service. During the war six classes of DE were built, all entering rvice in 1948/44. The ypical DE was 140 feet long and had a crew of 200; it was armed with 8x in, guns, 8x 20mm, a twin 40mm, and depth narges/Hedgehogs, and top speed was 20- ‘nots, Twentynine DEs were sunk due to enemy action. Riding the giant swells of the freezing North Atlantic in these small ships was thankless duty. sailor on one 16 ‘dort ia proto the most ty the Maw (ain wae i ‘aber gum with ere nah ‘time enuber mali by 38, 490 inones). The sin /38 Me 2 ws speciaydeatgnes for use Dp tecroers, in beth ingle and ‘wn mount; the projet | ead 85 an the entre (Soe eerie 8b: manmam range wes over 18000 yards (ror an 10 mes) and rate | Snermdar-guided tre conto favor of more AA armament, The USN began the war with CAs primarily of the Northampton Clas and CLs of the Brooklm Class (both 9.400 tons). The Northamptons ~ known as ‘Treaty Cruisers’ built under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty ~ made 82 knots and carried 9x Sin, andl 8x Sin, guns. The last CAs to be built were the Baltimore Class, with 9x Sin, and 12x Sin, guns, and impressive AA armament of 12x quad 40mm and 28% 20mm. Two 12in. cruisers, USS Alaska and Guam, also sai service in 1944-45, The Brooklyn Class CLs made 38 knots and had 15x in. guns in five turrets. The Adanta and later Oakland Class specialized in AA defense, initially with 16x Sin. and. 1x L-lin. guns. The first 10,000on Cleveland Class reached the fleet in 1942; 27 of these workhorses were built, mounting 12x 5in, and 12x 6in. guns Destroyers mounted three n. guns, AA defenses, ASW equipment, torpedoes and smoke generators; unarmored, they were Known as ‘tin cans’, Fleet destroyers (DD) screened or led attacks, depending on speed and firepower to survive. Convoy duty didnot require speed or size and smaller destroyer escorts (DE) were used for this dury, OF several classes of DDs in service in 1941 the 3,00010n, Bé-knot Fletcher Class were the most important. With a crew of 320, they mounted five turreted 5in. guns, torpedo tubes, 14x 20mm AA, depth Charges and radar; by 141 the torpedoes were discarded and AA armament was 7x 20mm and 10x 40mm, Over 170 were built during the wear and they stayed in service around the world into the 1970, Half the Fletchers lost in the war were sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa in 1943. The even better Sumner and Gearing Class DDs began to join the fleet in 1944. In 1941/42 the need for large numbers of convoy escorts in the Atlantic brought the old World War I Clemson Class ‘fourstackers’ back convoys Im the Paci, Japanese submarines were directed antl empoyed. Inthe Atlantic, he US Navy at Happy Time” in early 1982 Since the outbreak of war in 1980 ranean convoys had heen British and Canadian nares off New ships prowided escorts even be rae by the land. US re Peal Harbor, from June 1941; orgimly they handed over convoys to the of the sane escorts throughout. US troop abrays esconed by US Navy vencls anks, and the most valuable transports in the oy eacort (and even “blimps” were found ns torpedoed no other ship could stop to pick them to ep sation and keep mowing, Rafte ane supplies wight be oeod cverboare but twas oly by daylight, when the attack was definitely over, that specific shipe might be assigned to return and search for survivor In the cold waters of the North Adantc many seamen did of exposure as friendly ship passed bx: During the war one in every 26 US Merchant Marine seamen was let = more than 8000 men. ‘untvors ere Coast Guardsmen bopn the process of Cleaning the loping. stoping a of one of hom.more than the briefest notes on USN the Orprey Apart om patrol and fescec teaders are directed to aire pes Fighters, die-bombers, and torpedosbombers The main combat types were Singleseat fighters Granman Fg Wildcat Delivered in December 1940, this small, robust, radiabengined fighter was te mainstay of the carier force in 1942, With a comparable top ‘peed of $80mphy twas less maneuverable and slower climbing than is adversary, the Japanese AGM “Zero and had a much shorter range but it could survive far and ies x Ocal MCs {gave ita heavy punch. The F4F proved iu worth atthe Coral Sea and Midway, and Li, Edward H.Butl (O'Hare of VFA? thing from the Langton became an n he shot down ive GAM Betty’ twinengined bombers near Rabasl on 20 February 1912, Although the FOF Hellcat took over is place with the fleet during 1918, the Wildeat Continued 0. serve effecnely on the small escort carriers until the end ofthe wr Grumman FOF Heat The longerranging. higher powered Hellcat began to appear on the Meet carters in mid1943. stop speed of 870mph, climb and div fates and ceiling were all superior to those of ite x -B0cal armament and_ good protection gave ica clear advantage despite the Zere's maneuverability. ts first action was with VES from the and by 1944 the main the Zero; these Yorkinen on 31 August 194, Acer carrier fighter groups of TFS8/58 used Helleats exclusively. Ie was credited with 4947 of the total 16477 aerial kills claimed by USN cartier piloss i ould ako carry a esefil rocket and bomb load (2,000tn) for ground attack. During the "Marianas Turkey Shoot’ of 19-20 June 1944 Helleats aecou for over 160 jopunese acral ought FyU Conair The PAU hada big engine and propeller and this tll landing gear although ised {o (or dumped on ~) land-based USMC and ater USN squadrons from February 1943, excessively “bouncy Tandings required modifications, preventing clearance for carrier we until spring 1941, With atop speed of 1S0mph, 1,600 range, Gx. al MGs an strong points for 2x 1,00015 bombs or 8x rockets and an extemal ‘drop’ tank, the gullvinged Corsi excelled in both the fighter and ground attack roles. ed Divebombers Douglas SBD Dountes In service before Pearl Harb, this purposcdesigned woseat_dve-bomber had a speed of 27mph and a range of 70 mils, Armed with {3% Seal wing guns and a win S0kal forthe rear gunner, it could carry 1,60 of bombs under the fsclage and 600tbs more under the wings. The early failure of USN burden of carrier attack missions squarely on the nd torpedo areaft put the Dauntless squadrons during the frst haf of America’s ver, and it was responsble for the majorty of Japan's Crippling carer loses at Midway. The ‘SpeedyD’ “Barge” or ‘Slow-burDeadly? was sadly missed when supplanted bythe Helldver Curtis S2C Helder Plagued wth teething problems this heavier woseat diveborber reached the eet in Tate 1943 ssl overweight, underpowered, and with wobbly airbrakes that compromised. hombaiming Diticul to ya slow landing speeds, wae nicknamed the Beas’ oF the ‘Son of a Bitch 2nd Clas and one [Nay pilot said it had ‘more bugs than an oriental lop howe’. With a range of 1,100 miles and atop spocd of 200mph and carrying a single 1,0001b bomb, it was an inadequate replacement forthe Dauntless, but by late 1044 it was the only dive-bomber in the feet Neverteleas, eventually destroyed more Japanese shipping than any other areraft ype ‘Torpedo-bombers Douglas TRD Devastator The USN’ frst monoplane, the theeman TBD entered fleet service in 1% speed was 20mph, range 440 miles, and armament 2 conn deal MG with a rearfacing ‘SOeal for the gunner: i could carey a Mk XI torpedo ora 100015 bomb. To drop the watload the bbombardier had w He on his stomach sighting through belly window behind the engine. The Devastator was Satecttheart in 1997; by 1842 it was ting on bbarowed time. Demstator torpedoes did help to ink Fogadese carer at the Coral Ses, but at Midway fs ‘crews were slaughtered, taking 90 percent loses Grumman TBE/TBM Avenger This big three-man torpedla/bomber airraft frst reached the fleet by Midwarr top speed sas 278mph and range 1,100 miles Armament was 30ca in the nos, another in 4 powered rear turret, ancl ca in a belly postion, Tis internal weapons bay caried a torpedo oF 200s ‘of bombs. Reliable and rugged, it became the fee's ‘workhorse bomber, partiipating in every subsequent fava air campaign of the war. Bad torpedoes, actics and loss hal soured the USN on lowevel torpedo attacks, so the TBF spent much time ava dive-bomber, ASW and longrange search plane. Armed. with improved torpedoes in 1944, Avengers sank the carrier Hie at the batle of the Philipines Sea: at Leyte Gull the battleship Musashi went down after aa impresive 18 torpedo Bits, and Avengers also put at Jeast 10 ih into the Hamat during ber final cruse on 7 April 145, ‘Top | Movember 184: wit engine a ‘ls fr he? ga rom deck USS Yoraton (E40. The Nay fev eternumber designations {© sgndron; end aot aera ‘ype the et tering ‘undron VE iw Gramma AF deat tore: mau 8 heaven than i era" hte, Dont carey, he USS Lexington (v2 An a wan har, tn ‘ol, manatactre by Gruman (ina) Names te Wheat ware (ren by the manutectrr, ‘ier design. catgut nance orb an hei armed ut ‘ity an range: Tey way ‘eotared armor forth cock bobbing DE, noticing the smooth ride of a nearby 33,00040n battleship, shouted to the battlewagon's erew to ask “How they liked shore duty? Proud DE crews sai that the “E’ stood for ‘expendable’ The Coast Guard operated a large number of smaller vessels including landing aft and landing ships, light "sub-chasers' and escort. The pride ff the USCG fleet was the Treasury Class cutter, of which seven were launched in 1936-37; 327f. long, they were sometimes called Equivalent to DEs, they were comfortable ships, well suited to ‘scort/ASW duties. Top speed was 20 knots, and porential range 7,000 ‘miles; they had crews of about 230, and were armed with 2x 5in./38, 3. quad 40mm, 4x 20mm and depth charges/Hedgehogs. in 1914 they were converted into amphibious ask force fagships for invasion com atrol Torpedo Boats The average PT (‘mosquito boat’) was an S0-foot wooden craft of abo 55 tons; powered by three aircraftaype engines, it could accelerate 1040 ‘nots in about 12 seconds, and top speed was loser to 48 knots. The all volunteer crew consisted of two officers and 12 ratings, who we Typical generally crosetrained in several jobs, especially. gunnery armament was one 40mm, 2x tin deal machine guns, ome 20m 37mm and four torpedoes; smoke generators, rockets and small arms were also carried. The USN received about 500 before led. OF a variety of wartime roles, the most notorious was torpedo attacks on he wareShip Designations Land! oxy ing Ships/Craft {ln Ga 8 {nara Gat Gan tunara Cat Uirang Oat nara. ‘ae bounced of the target Te Mi IV ane rutin! wandered od promsturty t= mst atresingly- crea beck towards the enemy vessels, in which PTshad limited success, Other missions included Search and rescue, scouting, picket duty and inshore fighting. In the: Pacific their work in destroying Japanese resupply crafts litte known ‘but was important in strangling the enemy's island garrisons Sponad er inning by ning 2 Sire Pippen: he sallor oar, om hit troupe ‘redun ata) ahs, to what Submarines The Navy leadership had wanted what they called ‘fleet boats’ with along, wer 21 knots, so that they could work in concert range and a speed with the main flet Three lange boats ~ USS Arg id protecting surface warships. Nerwhal and Nautilus were built, bat were judged too slow and converted into minelaying/transport vessels; they proved useful in deploying Marine Raiders and running supplies to the occupied Philippines. Though the failure ofthe “fleet boat” concept would allow submatiners their essential freedom to hunt the enemy and lie in ambush on his main supply it would be 1944 before the right boats, torpedoes and leaders came together to make a suceess of the USN's submarine arm, Tn 1941 the most common subs were the stall ‘Class (900 tons) dating back to soon after World War I, of which 55 were built. Partly intended for coastal defense, Sboats had a short cruising range and by 1941 should have been used only for traning; however, the shortage of subs sent 22 S-baats out on (undistinguished) combat patrols, until they were retired from combat in 1943, Based on the earlier *P” Class, the uistanding subs of the war were the Gato/Balao/Tench (Fish) Clas. These had radar, 6x forward andl aft torpedo tubes and a Sin, din. oF Bin. deck gun; top surface speed was 20 knots, and 9 knots submerged. The Siman crews of these 3118, subs had luxury aecommodations by the standards of other navies, with bunks, showers, some airconditioning and relatively fresh and high quality food. Unlike German U-boats, US boats wanted bigger and better deck guns; they would commonly sink Japanese shipping with gunfire, and the explosive Borneo il which enemy tankers transported would detonate with just one hit 2{he kapok Movest= see Pate ORGANISATION Bureau of the Navy The civilian Secretary of the Navy was the political head of the Navy; unlike today, he and not 10 the Secretary of War. The senior serving Navy officer was Commanderin-Chief, US Fleet (CINCUS). The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) held the next highest office re concerned with day-to-day operations, Admiral Ernest King served simultaneously in both offices during World War I The subsections of the Navy were broken down into Bureau: Navigation (1942 Medicine & Surgery, Judge Advocate General, Ships, Ordnance, Yards & Docks, Supplies & Accounts, Aeronautics, and the Marine Corps directly tothe Presiden ‘and. was. mi Personnel), US Marine Cori The Commandant of the Marine Corps answered directly to the CNO and Secretary of the Navy. His job was to raise, train and organize the Corps for ‘war under the auspices of the Navy. By late 1944 the Marines had six combat divisions in service and five Marine Air Wings of fighterbombers intended for island defense and ground attack; occasionally, Marine air squadrons served aboard Navy carriers. During the war members ofthe Fleet Marine Force served aboard the larger ships; normally, any ship larger than about 100 aboard, They were intended to sere as the backbone of any ‘a destroyer had aM landing force, and to provide security on shipboard; they normally ran the brig, but also manned some of the secondary or AA guns Leathernecks serving in the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) wore standard USMC combat/service uniforms and a seahorse & anchor patch, (See Elite 59, US Marine Corps 194145, for faller details.) Numbered fleets As the war progressed, fleet numbers were assigned 10 the rapidly growing naval deployments of the US Navy. The 10th Fleet controlled all US naval vessels in the Atlantic, The Sth Fleet covered N.Aftica and part the Mediterranean, and the 12th Fleet covered NW European waters, The naval forces assisting the Army in the Pacific (Gen. MacArthur) were assigned to the 7th Fleet Admiral Nimitz hit upon the novel idea of numbering the main. Pacifie fleet as both the 5th and the Srd. This was not intended 0 confuse the Japanese; rather, as Nimitz used two fleet commanders, he ‘assigned the command as the Sed Fleet’ to Adm. Halsey and as the “th Adm. Spruance. When Halsey Brd Fleet at sea, Spruance stayed behind with his staf to plan the next operation. When Spruance came forward to command, the fleet would be redesignated 5th Fleet. Subdivisions of the fleet were organized as Task Forces of Groups given decimal numbers ofthe flet ~¢., TF 38.7 or 34.1 of the panded the Fleet. “Divisions were two or more ships, ‘squadrons’ eight or more vessels, Destroyer squadrons were called Desrons. Navy Re Retired Navy men were usually carried on the Reserve lists for several years after their service. Prior tothe war, newly recruited reservist sailors ‘ould go through "boot eamp’ and perhaps advanced training. They then usually served a year on shipboard before being released back to civilian life. Though organized regionally for refresher training, wartime reservists Went to the fleet as individuals and not in unis In peacetime the Coast Guard (‘Cousties' or Freshwaters') area part of the Treasury Department, guarding and protecting the coastline of the ‘SA. In wartime they are attached to the US Navy. President Roovevelt ordered the USCG attached to the Navy in November 1941, and they were not returned to the Treasury Dept until January 1946. During the war they (with the USCG Auxiliaries) provided foot, canine, horseback and boat patrols of US beaches, and were responsible for port security The US Army handled coastal artillery ~ "Harbor Defense’). By the end {the war the USCG was manning approximately 351 ships and boats of ad a strength of 241,000. The major USCG vessels al descriptions, and ‘were cutters — warships equivalent to USN destroyers, They also manned ificant nurrber of transports and landing ships. A high percentage ‘of landing eraft were also manned in combat by Coast Guardsmen, The USCG wore normal USN uniforms except for the addition ofthe USCG shield to officers’ visored caps, shoulder boards and sleeves, Enlisted men wore “U.S. Coast Guard” hat ribbons fh woven shield fon their flat ceps, and a ck oo ‘opposite their rating badge on the uniform sleeve Seab In 1941 the admiral in charge of the Civil Engineers Corps (CEC) received permission to greatly expand the organization by directly recruiting engineers and. skilled between the ages of 18 and 50 years. Given a three-week Navy boot camp training, they were then given rank commensurate with their civilian skills, Liter, Seabees (CB, Battalion’) went through Nasy boot camp pls six ‘Construction weeks of militay construction schooling and ‘eapons and tactics training, Seabees were stally L000man Naval Construction, talions (NCB), divided into four companies of men cach. The companies were furthur divided into contruction, stevedore, blasting and excavation, ind pipes nks, and maintenance and operations platoons, There were 150 NCBs ‘operational by V-Day. Special stevedore (Seabee Special) battalions, maintenance and demolitions units were also ereated, Where multiple battalions supposedly taken overt ‘Man to Fgh Ho aie hatte ‘Satine colerapa shape the WAVES ond SPARS, taped ‘mall pecan version of = Petty et eS ‘vio is ecag ae.lor $90 ee * Sta Go tA $26 feng cro 3 Se PemOZO, este Peon 2 Set Soman zat 7 $3 Sepmntce Son ‘tarer cased wa py] irom or $20 moreno | [Brow ray ot Scrca 25 [er ser ayaa ues [earner Ate hs ct an “rom pay hc oo over ty Coss Datos Preoeenvon anand ‘worked together they were combined into regiments and brigades. After the capture of Okinawa in 1945 the island was inundated with no fewer than 35,000 Seabees (11 regiments in 4 brigades) The wonder weapons of the Seabees were bulldozers, float pontoons, steel (Marston’) matting, corrugated steel sheeting, and some brains land elbowgrease, Coming in right behind the Marines, the skilled hands land bulldozers ofthe Seabees proved utterly critical to the waging of the Pacific War. Acknowledging the Seabees’ ‘Can Do’ atiude, Adm, Halsey sai of them during the Iwo Jima operation that they had constructed three airfiekls on the iland’~ ‘and if island and put four or five more airfields there sailors served as Seabees during the war "The Marines lacked their own combat engincers, 6 Seabee units were attached to each of the six Marine divisions. Like Hospital Corpsn they could wear Marine service res, initially with a red °CB' cuff patch. cr they used Navy-tyle rating badges in USMC green andl red, ‘esiry, they'll build another Just under 325,000 Female ausillarie: Women were allowed to become US Navy auniliares in 1942, They were nlisted as WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). In the Coast Guard the term SPARS was used (from the USCG motto Semper Paratus, Always Ready’) In 1944 the WAVES became part Of the Naval Reserve, WAVES served in a large variety of support and Clerical positions in the USA, freeing more men for sea duty. To be tligible for service, women had to be 21 years old, single, high school igraduates, and volunteers. Black women were allowed to enlist in 144. Female members of the USMC Womens’ Reserve were referred 10 38 Women Marines (WMs); male Leathernecks joked that this actually stood for ‘wide-assed Marines’. In total about 82,000 WAVES, 18,000 WMs, 11,000 members of the Navy Nurse Corpsand 10,000 SPARS served in the Navy during WW2, (See also Men-ataArms 857, World War If Allied Women’s Services) SERVICE oftie: Officers were commissioned either through graduating from the US Naval Academy at Anapolis, or a kind of OCS training at college, then termed Midshipman’s School. The college men generally received 90) days’ military training before receiving reserve commissions. Some: promising enlisted men (e.g. pilots and technicians) received direct Academy graduates were commissioned received custom-designed gold ring for their year’s class upon grad: uation (an Anapolis graduate isa ‘ringevearer’ or ‘ring-knocker’). He: might receive some priority in the type of assignment he got, and was ays sent initially toa major warship (cruiser, battleship or carrer). He was in the Navy for the long, training, (Academy graduate aviators intially had to serve w for two years before attending flight school, though this was relaxed: during the war) The class of 1941 graduated four months early; the class nto the regular Navy: they. ‘Slatsetewrde, Oat thie ‘recent ‘gts ca'~ ben Commony sere at AA gunner of 1942 was commissioned on 19 December 1941, and later clases were accelerated to graduate full year earl: About 5 per cent of wartime naval officers were academy graduates; there was some resentment among officers in general that ring wearers received preferential treatment Eni Its surprising to note that conscription for the Navy was not introduced until December 1942, a full ye after Pearl Harbor; for the first year of the war all enlistees were volunteers In 1940, Navy recruits had to be unmarried, 17-25 years old and no less than 68ins. tall; if under 21 years, they had to have written permission from a parent or guardian, They had to be high school graduates, white or hispanic, of good moral character, with a letter of reference from their local police or high school principle The prewar ‘boot camp" training had lasted 16 weeks, and a full enlistment was six years During the war recruits served for the duration plus six months (US Navy Reserve) and the "upper enlistment age was raised to 35 years. Boot ‘amp was shortened to just four weeks in the rush ‘of 1942, though it was eventually lengthened to Tix weeks 19 Recruit Bowerman recalls that he and his fellow “boots were immediately issued “uniforms, underwear (skies), socks, shoes and Kerchiefs, a mattress, a hammock, seabag, dity bag and a Blue facet Manual We were then shown how to pack everything into the seabag and lash the hammock around the seabag. Instruction then commenced ‘on how to march with the seabag on one shoulder. We then dumped it all out and repacked it all over again training, mi Basics like marching, physical id ‘jumping to’ when the Chief wanted something done were drilled “until they became second nature Scrubbing and cleaning was seemingly the most common activity. Having, been tested before graduation, the new sailors were then detailed to farthur schooling in their ne specialities, or were forwarded tothe flet as unrated seamen, Race Backtracking after World War I, the Navy only allowed African. Americans to enlist as mess stewards and cooks until 1942. During the war the Navy slowly opened its ranks to black sailors, Twelve black officers were commissioned in 1044, and a handful of ships with black crews and mostly white CPOs and officers were put into service in that year, among them the warships USS. Mason nd USCG sub chaser PC1264, The Coast Guard seems to have been a bit more open to black enlistment, and the frst black officer to serve on an ocean going vestel joined it in 1943 (USS Srarloud). Four black eaptains commanded Liberty cargo ships during the war. The Navy had its first black Naval| november 1942 the pen’ on the UBs Yorktown (2-40, which andy forthe cow The term ‘eur meaning the canton, aby astenaion th es erm i erved varius explained te bsing a Chinese word fr \dhnens, 1920s crtoon stony ‘indy sor, or the sound made ‘yn anaing machine when ‘Sapenaing# nk no up. Academy graduate and first lack aviator in 1949; it would not see its First black warship captain until 1962. The Marine Corps envolled ts firs black Marine in 1942/48, (By contrast, the US Army bad black units ‘during the Civil War and after, had its first black Academy graduate in 187, and it first black general by mid-World War 1.) Most commonly, black sailors served in stevedore, ‘Seabee cook/steward and other support jobs. By the end of the war about 5 per cent of the Navy (167,000 men) were black or, when in Sailors were normally granted a day or two off their base harbor, their ship) om weekends, and this was known 3s sailor was to stay in uniform and keep his authorized ‘liberty card” in his salable for inspection at all times. Pre-war, some towns liberty". The jumper pocket hhad locker clubs where an enlisted man might keep a set of cian cloths, Men were sometimes granted extended leave Chris for visits home, fr from the USA, this was rare in (Of their ship were normally mas, et), but for most, serving ne, Sailors who survived the sinki granted 30 days’ survivors leave, counted from their return to the USA. Shipboard life: food, sleep & washing Navy food (‘chow’) was generally well prepared ane plentiful; galley facilities on carriers, battleships, cruisers etc. were extensive, though much less so on smaller warships. Breakfast commonly featured toast, coffee, powdered eggs Chen's fruit’), chipped beef and gravy on toast (CSOS'- ‘shit on ashingle’), pancakes or waffles (‘collision mats’), Other frequent shipboard fare included bean soup, beans in tomato sauce, and fried Spam, Catsup (Ketchup) seemed the condiment of choice nicknamed ‘red lead? after the universal naval primer paint ‘On Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays the cooks went all out, trying. to serve special menus featuring turkey. The enlisted men ate in large ‘messhals, while officers had their own wardroom. Men on critical duties OF at action stations often had to make do with sandviches and coffee Meals were served in stainless steel compartmens talized trays and white china bowls and coffee cups; Navy chinaware had a distinctive light blue Tine around the tim and were rather base-heavy for sta bility. Many” coffee cups were made without a handle, as they stored and veashed easier At sea, milk and eggs were soon replaced by the powdered version as refrigeration’ limited: ser shore in Pacific ports of call such as resupply oF vas always be seen gulping down fesh milk, During lon ses smaller ships some: pd and mes ra short off Army Kerations might be ved out, Submarines ere considered. to. have ne best chow in the Navy Most ships hada igedunk’ essentially a sonia fountain that served ice cream, soda pop and candy (pogey bate’) to all comers. Smaller | ships commonly couldn't keep im, $0 whenever they traded with possible vessels for this When des troyers or submarines rescued downed tircrew they 0 survivors back to their eariers for ice cream, commodity traded! these The US Navy has been “dry’~ teetotal - since 1914, Small amounts of alcohol were often smuggled aboard, however and sailors on long cruises fermented their own, commonly using raisins as the base (raisin jack’). As torpedoes were partly fueled by grain alcohol, ‘torpedo juice ‘was ako a common libation. The most important liquid on shipboard was certainly coffee, Many duty sections had their own coffee pots running 24 hours a day. As the Navy had been decreed dry by Secretary of the Navy Joseph Daniels, coffee was referred to as ‘joe’ in remembrance of that infamous act. The normal sleeping accommodation for enlisted ranks featured rwo- and threehigh bunks Cracks’) of various metal and canvas configurations; older ships still used the prewar canvas and rope hammocks. Sleeping quarters (‘berths’) came in many sizes to maximize the use of space on ships. Bach man usually had some form of locker for his personal effects. CPOs and junior officers shared theit tiny cabins With one of ‘others; only senior officers had single cabins At sea, fresh water was always a critical item. In order to conserve water, men taking showers would ‘wet down’ firs, then lather up with soap, and then rinse off, It was common in the Pacific and other warm seas for men to tr yaton deck with a bar of soap during a rain sual Naval medicine The Navy hada full array of doctors, nurses andl Hospital Corpsmen — ‘medical ordertes 10 serve its own needs and support the Marine Corps. Doctors were commissioned officers. Members of the Navy Nurse Corps actually served as quasiciiians tinder contract to the Navy, and wore their own white or blue Navy-stsle uniforms. (They were regularized and Commissioned as Navy officers only in 1948.) Female nurses only served at sea on hospital ships; on all other vessels the medical personnel were ‘men, and ‘Corpsmen’ served on all Navy ships aswell as with all Marine Watches of the naval day oan eae cance eneeeees man's ity section ora Usd a7Corps combat units. Small ships rarely had doctors, and the fabled sprehdccomics conducted by Corpuren really id occ Pon land, Corpsmen had a well-earned reputation for courage in fe wonded Marines inthe front lines: they wer east nicknamed “Doe, and the Leathemecks adopted thei Blogeekce meds with a Herce loyal. Hospital Corpsmen received waren Medals of Honor during the war, of which no ls than four were + nie on ve fa, is symbolically fing that among the recovering and treatin oearted famous fe seth spec green and red Naxpale rating badges hed to the USMC usually wore Marine green service SPECIAL DUTIES shore Patrol The Marine Corps normally provided font gt navy imsatatons, Sailors cempory designate exe trom crew im harbor and base pero, were sed for wwntown areas, ticketing or brig anel base security d Shore Patrolmen, thealy employed to maintain the peace in d apprehending the often rowdy sailors on liberty. Mlentiied by a dark tho same Swed cane tts the stander Wt BA “apon throughout he rth Sud force, tough with some {re wth tot ped. The “imp she cuter te gan ‘iron ratngs al at ‘ime and Weve, hough resnonded tothe peeled Sorte the war with ingeguste ‘A protection Shacing ee ‘Sade ak tropewer oy {42 snarcranged i. and fice Sane ‘nm connon in ge and 7 Aa gn, nein aun doers and deters were blue brasard with dull yellow ‘SP", worn on the sailor's rating badge, they also wore Armystyle Khaki canvas web belt and a nightsick (trunchec On shipboard, the brig was administered by the M Gf any) bat the top cop was a CPO designated the leggings, ine detachment Stilors in the brig were sometimes put on breadandwater rations, hough visitng shipmates would try to slip them extra food, Naval Armed Guards The decision was made in 1941 to arm some US merchant ships with both deck and AA guns. In addition to the merchant crewmen, US Navy ors were assigned (0 such ships to man these weapons, Signalmen might also be attached to help with were referred to as "Naval Armed Guards’, Such duty could be quit hazardous, particularly in the North Adantic during the war against the Usboats; six of these men received the Naxy Cross, and 1,800 of them were killed in action, mnmunications dtes. These men Flight deck gangs Running aircraft off the deck of a carrer has been aptly described as a sort of Ballet. A plane had to be fueled and armed down in the hangar deck, then moved by eleva sup wo the flight deck. There it would be positioned for launch, or shifted to an unused portion of the deck for temporary parking. AS all this was going on, other aircraft would be moving across the crowded, noisy, confusing flight deck, taking off or landing, crammed with aviation fuel and bombs ~ each one a potentially catastrophic expl designated the Carrier Air Group Commander (CAG). It was his job to plan and oversee al ight operations and, together with the deck officer, to control what was happening on the light deck, The urgent nceds of circling aireraft low on fuel, perhaps damaged or with wounded pilots, had to be balanced with the launching of others across the flight deck. Add to this seenaric on. The senior squadron commander on board was their movement rash-anding planes and the threat of Japanese attack, and the makings of a disaster always hovered over air Operations. When the worst did happen, the casualty figures could be appalling The numerous deck crewmen who mursemaided the planes were ever present, scampering among the meatgrinding. propellers of waiting aircraft. These men usually wore colorcoded shirs and cloth helmets so that their function could be determined at a glance (see Plate Cl). Also standing by were the ‘Hot Pappas’ ~ fire rescue crews in fireproof aver ‘Buck Rodgers’ suits. All US ships used the stme basic color code though each might have some minor vattaions: deck handling (pushers) ~ blue green: plane capt fuel purple; meical/afty~ white Supervisory officers &@ senior rates ~ yellow. ‘On the stern of the cartier deck was the Landing Signals Officer (180), a veteran pilot of one of the ship's squadrons whone job was 10 wave on of off the incoming planes. He normally used colored hand pales to motion pilots to change height or alignment. Ifthe plane was ‘out of position for a landing the LSO waved him off to fly by a again. Inn ordnance ~ ved; technicians & calapul/arresting gear handlers ~ Wy cases it was the LSO and not the pilot who could trulyThey carried pre-cut primercord//TNT demolition charges, though UDT men sometimes disarmed enemy mines by hand. In cold water the ‘swimmers greased their bodies for insulation, (tose ctng ae Lancing Signsie ‘ier 80} onthe stom of he Us entrpie (68) ring 8 plane for tanaing by shanti be and ext he wind protected cate would be tury mess an mot fhe Raye Nas Poeine and fame sonating conventions ercan sor, so hat hey ‘ring nt operations. ‘her Peart Harbor a Siosiman ‘scot is phtogrephed in harbor rela On ervey aut rae Shonce was the norms la fags ond sana ight were ured te commonest, The ster ‘erting tes tp of Atae Since his duis ore performed Sranoh Not the pet oicer ‘hing badge consequent, ‘rom on hat sews, ‘henrporating the forwar-acng ‘tite sop the oreccd loge o Sine re elagonal on his et UNIFORMS: ENLISTED MEN The dark blue Navy pullover (jumper?) was a dense ength garment of a smooth-surfaced 120 Pendleton-tyle wool, with a br collar; the Navy blue color was so datk as to appear almost black, The i sailor lundress or working jumper was plain, with a single inset left breast pocket ani no white tim or buttons. This was worn both in offices on base and on shipboard; as directed by the local commander, it was usually worn without the black slkeffeet neckerchiet. The dress jumper was very similar to the undress except for 5mm white ibbon iim on the culfs andl collar (it was sometimes known asthe “Crackerjack’ uniform, ater the sailor on the label of a wellknown brand of aramel popcorn.) Unlike the undress jumper, it had separ Sin-deep cuff bands closed with two black plastic ‘anchor’ buttons, The Towest ranking seamen reeruits and seamen had one, wo or three white cuff lines based on their rank, All pety officers had three cuff lines; but all silors below the rank of chief petty officer (CPO) had three white lines around the edges of the jumper collar, and a white star in each bottom comer. The black silk neckerchief was always worn with this uniform. White-and red-on-blue rating/rank patches and service stripes ‘were worn on both undress and dress jumpers. ‘The matching wool trousers had broad bell bottom cuffs and a ISbbutton fll flap atthe front rary to legend, these did not recall the first 13 colonies). The black plastic buttons bore an impressed anchor. The back of these pants had a drawstring for adjusting the fit; they had no pockets except for a small waist watch pocket They were simply cut so that they only (inside) seam. a l\4 Sh hh determine if a plane was ready to make its ‘controlled crash’ on the: dasingle raped brought cl : For hot climates or summer wear, a white fs his paddies brought them aboard Under Water Demolitions Meduatne te nutty for ling operations. Fist wed in the Se i donating and learng enemy. beach obsaces. The Un ater Done tan (UT) mere Men emplne a i je ute cost the Nay one gunboat LC, #4 en kil se ade Neverthe, they eta gon the eich welcoming ite fe eae of Marines hore in the ame ofthe US Nay. The mal Snawe ng was unopposed and the bscle cleaving went Hi SEES Uren commonly worked in swimming ea, he same Cech feet ued ere and landing rope ruber Sins and care teh wih perhaps tif or pt ens shoes of sme cotton jumper and pants were worn; cut similarly to the blue undress jumper, this also lacked the three rows of trim on the euff and collar. (The 1941 Navy regulations still showed blue cuffs and collar forthe dress whites, but they were dropped that year) The white jumper usually featured aan exterior left breast patch pocket, and a (rarely used) small sewn-down loop atthe V of the front to hold down the neckerchief. The black neckerchief was worn except for shipboard fatigue duty. The white pants were only mildly belkbottomed and had a regular fh-buttoned front; again, they had no pockets. Whites were worn both as. fatigue and a dress uniform. Black onwhite rating badges and service stripes were sworn with whites32 Overall, the EMs' uniform was worn tight, and sailors sometimes struggled to get into the pullover jumper. Some sailors had theirs even nore closely tailored than regulation demanded, with the trouser bell bottoms slightly widened, and perhaps a hidden pocket sewn into the pants or jumper Sailor rolled back the cuffs of their bue woo! jumpers fo cool off. This gave liberiymen ~ particularly veterans of the pre-war Aiatic Flect who had seen service in China ~ a chance to show off the smetimes embroidered or late D2). Sailors liked their dstnetive uniform, but the lack of pockets was always a problem: they sometimes wore their wallets under the jumper, opened up to hang, lover the trouser waistband “dragons or other fanciful designs which were sew onto the underside ofthe jumper cuffs (see Hats (‘covers’) The tradivonal sailor's fattopped blue wool “Donald Duck’ hat - hheveafter flat bat” ~was worn in full ress with the blue jumper uniform nis with a "U.S. NAVY ribbon tally. Generally considered as a winter fase, twas most commonly seen on US sailors in England, The preferred vite sailor hat was, however, worn universally with almost all orders of Tress: twas known asa inie cup’, die to its resemblance to white paper ups made by the Dixie company. It was commonly worn instead of the flat hat with blues, nl was sid to be safer to wear during blackouts. Worn retimes dyed dark blue from the midhwar years ‘might aso order it dyed in other colors for quick asa fatigue hat, it was 8 ‘onward. Ship's capt Shipboard identification of the sailor's duty station (eg, red for Srdnance).On fight decks orin cold weather a tightfiting cotton canvas Tined toque of cloth helmet might be worn at sea. Khaki or blue baseball sine caps were also worn, especially by offcers and aviation personnel At butte stations the MISIZAL ‘dishpan’ helmet was used in 1941/42 ‘unt its replacement by the rounded M1 helmet, finished in either the (continued on page 42) the ht souier seam of Seat the yuslonconee Shouior pata ot fs. Une many sors on ber, HAWAII a PHIUPPINES, 1941/42 5: Pty Ofer: shore party Phones, 42 1:05 Ny bos baton{esto of pct tweet ‘once onsbatonip ‘Scaputinunhed srt The fren surpass Cretan Proweritea Suse: original OD green or repainted Navy deck blue (Officers sometimes had their ranks and/or tiles painted on the fronts in white or red (e.g. CO, XO); usually short painted bars represented the ‘cuf rank stripes, though collar oakleaves, bars et were also to be seen. Much of this was at the Landing craft sallors sometimes had "USN’ or “USCG" painted ‘on their helmet fronts, Oversized “taker helmets! were developed for crewmen who had to wear headphones on duty (see page 62); 1945 version featured hinged metal earflaps By pre-war regulation, only sailors wearing whites fr blues were to be seen “above deck’ when in harbor; ‘below deck’ ~ i.e. in the turrets as well as the engine compartments — a common work uniform of blue jean/denim ‘dungarce’ trousers and a light biue chambray work shirt as authorized. After the first few months of the war ships captains allowed enlisted men to wear the dungaree uniform when ‘underway’, throughout the ship and into combat. The buttonedly dungaree trousers (named from the Hindi dunger, after an Indian town famed for this type of cloth), were made in a rather dark shade but soon faded with use and laundering to a salty medium blue. They had slightly lwouser cuffs and two hip front patch pockets; various narrow leather csilian belts were often substituted for the issue black web with 8 slidethrough brass buckle, A denim five-batton jacket was also issued, for fatique wear, bt it was not particularly well liked or widely used The thin cotton chambray shirt had long sleeves, though these were often seen shortened, or occasionally even seam. It was worn unbuttoned at the neck, with a white Tshirt or blue ‘sweater sometimes showing beneath, The two breast pockets had buttoned flaps, or in some cases were flapless button-hrough ‘pes. Brand new shirts showed fine white threads along the seams, but after & ‘washing these disappeared. No rank or other insignia were worn, though a silor’s name might sometimes be inked or stenciled above the pocket ‘oron the back. Sailors wore dungarees with the stor hat, andl CPOs with a (usally dirty) khaki or white visored cap as their mark of rank. The average board sailor wore his faded (and sometimes a litle ragged) ungarees with his sailor hat on the back of the head (instead of ‘squared’ as per regulations) shirt tucked in and sleeves rolled up. moved to the shoulder sti Cold and foul weather gear In the Atlantic/European theater, sailors supplemented their dungarees with additional clothing. Cooler temperatures called for the wear of short, wooblined cotton canvas deck jackets, initially of be and later OD. green. One early model was similar to the Army ‘tankers jacket’ and! featured knit cus, collar and waist; it was usually seen in medium blue ‘ava with patch handwarmer pockets. Another was.acopy’of the Army's Parsons’ field jacket ("MI94I) in sige/OD green: this was a short Zippered jacket with a fivebuton fly flap, and inset ‘slash’ handwarmer pockets. Unlike the Army jacket, the Navy version had no epaulets, ant ‘eas usually stamped ‘USN’ on the left breast. beefed-up version (NI) ‘of the Parsons jacket was aso made, of stouter canvas with alpaca lining and collar, WooHined bibsfront overalls were sometimes worn with deck jackets, likewise with “USN’ stamps. Navy beach personel and Seabees alo used USMG/Amy issue green and olive drab clothing, usually prominently marked "USN In cold weather the heavy double-breasted pea coat of 1802 wool was authorized for wear both aboard ship and on liberty. (The name derives fem ‘peak coat’ ~ the coat worn by lookout in the peak or bow of the ship.) This plain thigh-length coat was closed by six Tin, plastic anchor boutons; during the war no rating badges were worn on it. Of 1 helow-theknee version termed a watchcoat, with brass Navy buttons and their rank displayed by black mohair culf trim, Special foul weather clothing was issued as ships stores for service in cexireme weather, eg North Atlantic convoys. It usually consisted of a lorg or short waterproof oilskin coat, bibronted overall trousers, and a vroacHbrimmed sou'wester hat with ear flaps fastened by a buckled chinstrap. Both coats had deep fly flaps and standup collars; the long ersion had buttoning wrist tabs, andl two large flapped patch pockets at {he hips. This gear could be supplemented with long woolen underwear, sweaters, a parka, peacoat, gloves, rubberized shoes or ‘arctic’ boots March 1943 Cpt Mansargh of ‘he Royal New Zealand Navy light ence nes Leander ste pst the teed ‘iaboy noes guar ofthe USS [nterise. The On ofthe ‘eck Gott wears Khakis i 3 tos abot f badge ot ofce ot {he oteer whe pled temporary tty othe 000. A boats ‘oid as be atndingnerby pe the veo soars.February 1944: scean-geng Satori raray without Ne ‘nope ths man techy has his hanging trom hi bel ferwork in hembra si, (jee aecup earl a (US miter stide-tough Buca. goggles, face mask, and dark blue toque (padded cloth helmet) or black Knitted watch cap. The Naval Officer's illustrates ‘submarine clothing, outer’ as shorter hipength jacket with a fly flap extended upwards into a buttoning stand collar, loose drawstring overtrousers fastening at the cuffs, and a sou'wester with a full face and neck section. ‘Submarine clothing, winter woolen’ is "so illustrated short coat with two butioned-ap patch pockets at the hips, stand collar and Six-button font flap, and matching trousers with belt loops and fastening cuffs Insignia & ratings As noted above, the recrui Class and Ist Clas were identified by one to three ‘white ribbon lines on the blue dress jumper cul. They also wore a $mmavide stripe around the jumper shoulder seam, sometimes known as a ‘watch mark’. Seamen wore a white stripe round the right shoulder on the blue jumper or a black stripe on whites, except for those who worked in the engine compartments, who wore a fireman's red stipe round the left shoulder seam, ‘Upon qualifying for a certain job by schooling. for ‘striking’, a seaman was usually raised in rank to petty officer and given a tile appropriate o his job, eg. Gunnersmate. The US Army had experimented with combining both rank and job assignment, but sgenerally made these two areas distinct. The Navy, with its heavy femphasis on technical skills, combined ranks and ratings (jobs). So a sailor would say that his rank was Petty Officer Ist Class, but his rating twas Gunnersmate. His sleeve badge would show both his rank and rating symbol, and he was formally called by his combined rank and rate = Gunnersmate Ist Chase. All petty officers’ arm patches featured a forward-looking eagle crow’) with wings outstretched, a rating symbol, and one to three red chevrons, The patch was worn on one sleeve only, between the shoulder seam and the elbow. Pre-1941 rating badges, with the eagle sometimes facing rearward, were to be seen well into the war. Unlike soldiers, Navy men had their sleeve patch placed slightly forward of the outside center of the sleeve. Sailors in the Seamen's branch wore their patch on the right an These were the men who served the guns or on deck, and ratings included Boatswain, Quartermaster, Signalman, Gunnersmate, Turret Capain, Fire Controlman (Rangefinder), Torpedoman and Mineman, All other sailors wore their rating pateh om the left arm, with the ‘cov still facing forward. Thus, eg, a Signalman (Semaphore) worked on. deck, was a member of the Seamen's branch, and wore his rating badge fof crossed flags on his right sleeve; but his Radioman counterpart ssho worked below decks wore his rating badge of lightning bol on the left sleeve. Aviation sailors also wore theit rating badges on the left arn Sailors used abbreviated titles; eg. GMIe or RMZc would be a and seamen 2nd June 1044: Normandy-bound ‘Army ofcer admires the ST ‘ates jacket aeons eae Ships were more rlaze sbut Gunnersmate Ist Class or Radioman 2ndl Class respectively: There were too many of these rating symbols to list here; a few examples are Gunnersmate (crossed cannon barrels), Turret Captain (gum turret in right profile), Torpedoman (horizontal torpedo in right profile Machinistsmate or Engineman (three-bladed propeller, two blades up), Boatswainsmate or Coxswain (crosted anchors), Yeoman (crossed quill), Storekeeper (crossed keys), etc; (see Rosignoli, Select Bibliography) Chief petty officers displayed a single overstripe (‘rocker’) and three chevrons on their rating patch. CPO patches were in black on white or [khaki backing respectively for the appropriate uniforms; on blues the cagle and rating symbol were white and the chevrons and oversripe red ‘Those CPOs nd petty officers who had 12-plus years of continuous good conduct used gold rank and service stripes and a silver/white embroidered eagle on their blue uniforms, The Navy found that its selection of ratings did not cover all the jobs that it would require. Diamondoullined specialist badges were therefore developed, with letters representing particular jobs. These ddiamond/leter designations were integrated into the 1-3 stripe petty officers’ badges (e.g. sce page 23). Some 26 were developed war, including eg. A= Athletics Instructor, (Seabee), F = Firefighter, G Operator, PS = Port Security, Q Airman, etc uring the CB = Construction Bn Aviation Gunnery Instructor, I = IBM ‘ommunications Security, V= Transport Sorvice strips Service stripes were worn by enlisted men on the left forearm only, ata diagonal angle; each repre sented four years’ service. On blues service stripes were in red, on whites they were black. Twelve ‘ears of continuous service and good conduct was, represented by the sailor's or chiefs rating badge and three-plus service stipes in gold; most sailors considered that gold stripes indicated undetected crime rather than unbroken good conduct. ‘Striking’ More than 50 per cent of new men assigned to ships would have no specialty: In order to gain a trade or specialty they would train and study in a particular field - e.g, a seaman who showed interest and promise in radio work would seek sponsorship by a petty officer or CPO in that section, where he would be reassigned, or allowed to spend some of his duty time training. He was then said to be ‘striking’ for a rating. If this ‘striker’ could satisfy the section leader and pass an exam, he would be awarded the rating badge (eg. ‘sparks’ ~ see Plate D1) of his new specialty and be reassigned permanently to eg. the radio section. A seaman graduating from an advanced school was automatically made a striker even ifnot Immediately promoted to PO 3rd Class,‘erat and aries manner at ‘rearing; the aungare uniorm. gain, the oalor ats seom | be od varity of shade The O'Bannon (Lite Mike’) woe atechip end einkng a ost Only four colored shoulder patches were authorized for wear on the enlisted jumper: those of Amphibious forces, PT boats, Minelayers and Seabees. These were all approved in 1944 for wear on the left shoulder: In addition, Navy engineers and Hospital Corpsmen were authorized 10 ‘wear the formation patches of the USMC units to which they were tached (see Plate D2). A handful of unauthorized patches were also ‘worn, of which the alligator patch or cuff insignia of amphibious forces Distinguishing marks Distinguishing marks were proficiency badges worn ~ in white or black depending on the uniform ~ on the lower sleeve, to show a special skill inet from the normal ratings. Examples were Marksman (a Submarine Qualification (see Plate G), Gun that was di circle within a square) Pointer (a gunsight graticule) and Diver (a diver's helmet). Soundman (Gonar operator ~ a pair of headphones crossed by a rightfacing arrow) ‘was originally one of these skill, but was made a rating in 1943, swainsm: The sailors assigned to the daily running of the deck and ship we the Boatswain's (pron. bosun's) rating. Peuy ‘officers in this rating were referred to as Bosunsmates or simply Bosuns. Bosuns in charge fof small boats and landing craft were called Coxswains (pron. cox'ns). The senior boatswain in charge of details and sections of sailors in the deck division (sometimes also called coxswains) were usually authorized to wear the traditional trmun's while (pipe or “call, carted in the breast pocket atthe end ofa white braided neck cord. Various calle were made by bugle and tomun’s pipe acon the PA soem of ship to ‘When senior officers or other diitares came o board they were also “piped aboard by an honor guard of sideboy'. The wearing of the bosun' Shite and cord vas by tradiion, and i not Aviators’ wings During the war officers. wore roidered badges on the left chest al ribbons or pockets, signifying qualified pilots observers, navigators, ‘blimp’ (airship) pilots and flight surgeons. In 1943 enlisted air gunners and radiomen were authorized silver aircrew wings also worn on the chest; this had an arc above for displaying up to three stars for combat engagements. Enlisted pilots wore the aviator wings in addition to normal rating badges featuring gold yellow pilot's wings. gold metal oF Submariners’ ba The Submariner’s Badge featured the bow of a sub running on the surface, flanked by dolphins, and was awarded to officers and men who had specially qualified as submariners. To qualify for the badge a sailor had to (1) serve for six months aboard a submarine; (2) present a notebook deniling his training on all pars of the boat, as specified by the Submarine Instructions (3) pass an ‘oral and practical test. Officers wore the badge in gold metal on the left breast on all uniforms including Khaki shirsleeve order. Enlisted men wore itasa cloth badge on the right arm midway between the cuff and elbow, in white or black depending on uniform. A submarine surgeon's bagge was created in 1944; based on the officer's badge, it featured an acorn on an upright oakleat in central oval the Submarine Combat Insignia was instituted in 1943 for award to all crew members after a sueressful combat patrol — success was judged based on tonnage sunk or equivalent missions accomplished. The jgunmetal badge showed a sub running on the surface in profile, with a botiom central are for displaying 18 bronze or ‘tar represented a successful patrol, and a silver star, five patrols, It was wom om the chest either above (EMs) or below (officers) any ribbons Medals and ribbons Medals are avarded in the US Navy for bravery, campaigns and service; medals and their associated ribbons are worn above the left breast In World War II deep ribbon bars were used, halEaninch high, s on ribbons represented multiple awards; stars represented particular campaigns, and letters had specific meanings. The precedence of medals/sibbons placed the highest bravery awards at the wea'er's top right, followed by campaign ribbons, service ribbons, and any foreign awards worn las. The Medal of Honor (MoH) is the highest decoration that can be awarded for bravery inthe face of the enemy. The Naval MoH is worn at the neck and can be distinguished by the suspension of the medal from the ribbon by an anchor. During the war 38 sailors, one Coast Guardsman and 66 Marines were awarded the MoH (of the $8 sailors, seven were Hospital Corpsmen). The Navy Gross was created in 1919 and is the Navy's second highest award for bravery. The Distinguished Service Medal and the Legon of Merit ate the two senior awards for distinguished service. The Silver Sar was ktanted for acts of heroism in the face of the enemy rated below those {qualifying for the Navy Cross. The Navy & Marine Corps Medalis awarded for heroism connected with lifesaving. The Bronze Star was created in 1945 to recognize acts of bravery or serice rated below those qualifiing for ie Silver Star. The Distinguished Ping Cross roughly the equivalent Of the Silver Star and is awarded for acts of heroism involv cither a combat or non-combat nature; 1g aviation of twas first authorized for award ‘ctober 1043, North Aan: 8 lookout abard the USS Hosta ‘cane the ecean for Uoetn England ye fut weather ‘Shop one ofthe new jon ‘aor (Bogue Close CVECh, ‘uty batt on «merchant tip Pu which ployed ey role Protecting convoys en wining the Ubon war One datroyer ‘Four hours on and wight hare Interminay A the ond of he Ireaing colt Sa army sung the tps, erchoa bythe cold crane ton” a7etry 1044: thie Paty Ofer (ots wom a TF Avenger ‘nhs right upper sleeve le {he white winged machine gun ‘datinquhing mark o an sera (unnerving Budge fa he wears the metal wings of ut of heme aie books ing hs re wt ti Sarees jumpers aboard te USS fad white cor. Th Ary wos omangy. te South of France toning, te Jima and Okina, ruceor weapons tree by the Navy in 1942, retroactive to December 1941, The Air Medals roughly the equivalent of the Bronze Star and is awarded for acts of bravery volving aviation of either a combat or non le Heart was insted in combat nature, The Ps 1992 to recognize wounds received in combat: rkleaves represent additional wound different actions ~ three wounds in one action would gain only one Purple Heart. The next of kin of those killed in action receive a Purple Heart. The Good Conduct Medal was awarded for ceived in exemplary conduct (a ‘clean rap sheet’) during an enlistment; additional awards were shown as slides tothe GCM ribbon. The Navy Presidential Unit Citation was a unit avard given to all personnel of that unit for its superior service in combat. The Ist Marine Division received this award three times di the war, for Guadacanal, Saipan and Okinawa. An centre destroyer squadron commanded by Arliegh Burke (DesRon 23) received it for actions around Guadacanal, Its blueyellowred ribbon colors, distinctively, run crosswise instead of vertically. s epresent multiple awards, USN Officers’ & Warrant Officers? (Cuff and Shoulder Insignia Sailors serving on duty between September 195 were authorized the American Defense Medalin 19 and Peael Harbor day hose serving overseas recognize service in the Atlantic during the quasiwar against the German U-boats prior to Pearl Harbor Hawaii) wore a star on the ribbon. T bronze ‘A’ was worn on the ribbon to signify Atlantic service from June to December 1941. The American Theater Medal was instituted in 1942 for war service in the USA including Alaska; one battle sar was authorized for ASW/convey work. The European-Africon-Middle Easton (ETO') Medal was instituted in 1942 for war service in tho theaters, and nine bronze battle stars were ized for different actions. The AsiaticPacfic (AGP) Medal was instinuted in 1942 for war service in that theater, and 43 battle stars were eventually authorized, A silver battle star represented five bUNIFORMS: OFFICERS Officers’ hats crs wore ithervisored caps or overscas hats (sidecaps) in all orders ss. The visored cap frame came with white, dark blue or green top covers, interchangeable as required; Khaki and grey tops were later added. The cap had a black leather visor and a black cloth headband, The officer's or warrant officer's badge was worn on the front with a black backing: the former was silver eagle and shield superimposed on gold crossed anchors, the latter a pair of gold crossed anchors only Though a black leather chinstrap was authorized for sea duty the gold braid chinstrap was invariably preferred. Full commanders and captains hhad gold embroidered oakleaves and acorns (‘scrambled eggs’) around, the edge of the dull leather visor: admirals had a second, inner row of this braid. Chiefs wore essentially the same hat, with a black Teather chinstrap, and the CPO badge ~a vertical gold fouled anchor, the cable forming a circle, surmounted by “USN' in siler — without the black backing. “The overseas hat was available in khaki, green, and later blue and. grey. Rank was worn on the right front and the USN crest (or, briefly ‘miniature aiator’s wings ~ see ‘Greens’ below) on the left front. Blues The traditional nautical doubled-breasted, aperapel “reefer jacket with matching creased trousers, was the normal dress uniform worn ashore, and was also common shipboard wear in northern waters. The jacket had six brass front buttons in two rows, slash sktt pockets, and a single inset left breast pocket; it was available in both a lightersvearing ‘cotton synthetic mixed material and a somewhat heavier wool, A white shirt without insignia and a black tie were worn with this uniform; black shoes and socks were regulation wear. ‘Rank was displayed only by the use of wide and narrow gold cuff braid ‘officers were ide in straight rings. ‘Line’ or executive branc gold embroidered five-point star above the rank stripes on each cuff ‘with a single point downward. The staff corps and warrant officers used {gold embroidered branch symbols instead: e.g, the acorn and oaklea! for medical officers, or an oakleaf spray for supply officers; crossed anchors for boatsvain warrant officers, a three-blade propeller for machinist warrant officers, tc, Unlike the British practice, the US Navy made no. insignia distinetions between regular and reserve officers, “The visored cap was the authorized headgear for use with both blue and white uniforms, with dark blue (winter) or white (summer oF tropical) crown covers. In 1944 a dark blue overseas cap was also authorized with blues whites The standard summer uniform of the pre-war Navy was a white cotton) tunic with « closed stand collar and patch breast pockets, and matching trousers. (In 1941 it was supplemented by the wear of Khakis for normal shipboard use.) The white ‘choker" fastened with two hooks-&eyes at the: collar and five brass buttons down the front. Rank was displayed on dark. bblue/black shoulder boards. The uniform was completed with the Douglas Franks 3 USM) Speratians (Commande) he recowed permission t form Usk eceptonpayep unt ‘hoy apecatzed in laying smoke {nd atresing the Germans whitetopped vi the first few months of the war whites were only seen ashore or during special ceremonies wed cap and white shoes. After Khakis Khaki cotton uniforms were first authorized for use by submarine officers in the 1930s, and soon afterwards by aviators; by mid-I041 they were authorized forall officers and CPOs, The uniform consisted of a kh ki jacket, shin, trousers, and both a sisored and an overseas cap. The jacket was single-breasted, with open lapels and three brass front buttons; it had four patch pockets, and a distinctive integral belelike fe Rank was displayed only on the dark blue /black shoulder boards, as usually worn with whites ‘Though intended for shipboard and hase use, by mid.war the khakis complete with the jacket were considered a suitable walking-out uniform; fu ribbons and badges could be worn on the jacket. The khaki cotton shirt with a black tie and sma collar insignia were always worn with this jacket, 3s sare at the waist, were khaki creased pants The light khaki shirt had two flapped breast pockets but no epaulettes. The pants had both hip and rear inset pockets and were worn with a 1.2bin vide khaki web belt and slidethrough flat brass buckle. (Admiral Nimitz had a small submarine badge on his buckle; the wearing of ly after the war The matching khaki overseas hat bore a small rank badge on the wearer's right front and the USN crest on the left; warrant officers wore their crossed anchors on both sides. The standard Nay officer's visored cap was also worn, with a Khaki cover and gold braid or black leather chinstrap. A khaki short-sleeved shirt and berm hhelmet and knee socks, was also authorized but rarely seen, On pants were almost universally insignia on this buckle slowly eame into syle, espe ida shorts uniform con with pit shipboard, the long-sleeved Khaki shirt worn in the Pacific and were also common in the South Atlantic and Mediterranean, CPOs generally preferred dungurees to the khaki uniform, except when going ashore complete with the jacket. Black shoes were worn with this uniform, or ruset brown shoes by aviators, Aboard ship, officers also wore issue brown leather “rough-out ‘boondackers’ as used by the USMC Greys In 1943 the Navy decided that the officer's Khaki a sailor's whites and dungarees needed to be replaced. The reasons given were the need for shipboard camouflage, and a better fatigue wn which did not show up stains so easily, That a 33,000, Now Hear Ths, (Paragon House, 1993) Mason, T., Batship Sailor (US Naval Insite, 19 Morison, S., The Tiw-Orvan War (Litle, Brown & Co, 1963) Perret, G., There’ a Wart be Won (1991) Rosignoli, G. (Blandford Press, 1980) Naval and Marine Badges & Insignia of Wonld War I Smith, M., Essex Class Carries, (Squadron Signal Publications, 1997) Stern, R,, US Submarines, (Squadvon/Signal Publications, 1979) (Anon), Blue Jacket Manual, 1940-16 (Editors), National Geographic Magazine, 06/1943,| THE PLATES lass; Hawai, late 1941 9 age withthe fewer eae above esses nes oa seca fouryear sence stg on the left forearm, The Yee wat oy sg bat-btome st wo tan owe removing his neckerchief he woud be In noma summer wor unto. a Carpertasate (ps) he wd be He wou also pay aren Gamage contra By te md-nor | tis ror agressive poy lat saved ary om 42: Lieutenant; Hawal, 1081 Netragua and China on i ite Soe cess “cnocen ‘Reserve Ofcer (USNR) wo has ome back on ache ey | using the exoanson of 1900-4. sa cap badge has te re-1841 eagle, facing to la, which was si authored for woar ater te change. Hi naval offcs’s swords italy forces. Though the sword was retained in the 1941 regultions, he ofce’s ca ‘Gibert& ular" Joube The Navy eagle and anchor Brags butter (Ad) has iso remained essartaly the same since belre te Get War though is eagle also aoed about tots ght in 1941 AS: Petty Officer; shore party, Philippines, 1942 This sar woars the fatigue orn ef ehamtray st and ungaree trousers. Usualy, the ony personal equipment & salor would rave ea clepknte; th petty ofco as boas 'ssued an M9171 heme, web eld ger based on the an chet cartridge bet and an M1909 Spring box action ‘i. Marites ve sys Been concaed shout etn, Solr cn Midway tun Leatnerracks were chided oy roe [NCOs fr lasing the proiacton of ther entonetmert with tho warning that there were armed sales abeut). alors vomit tan on mary US lance ang te Ppp In ea 1942 and were detalles to jon the natty. Mot of the sar on Battan wore under he ineprional Comma favor Gr. Francie Jiggs. and infact gave good accout of themselves fing beside the dosed ha Mares’ tthe th Ragiment Bt: Lieutenant (du oea-as aloe gases cous app fr ofc canis stata ‘elute of the WAAC ~ wae ergnaly conser at tatary sles ory. tt 1000 ay oe ae frre io the Nay teh WAVES ener “hans ‘tect rrr at ta ce went ine rat lon stove A het te goes aa srt bow apo ‘re vary wom scp nhan o fe ay Make ap = nyo Haw and rt Bn 82: Erion, Aamials ste, USA, Oss) ‘uble shoulder cord in gold and bus which mara ims ‘of higher rank and would wear acktonal cord, an offices ‘ering as Prescot Aces wrtede msh ma sone egerrt Hs bore hretcan Sonics 8 EO ict tt he hs hed © on tar sed She Bae reassert. an has sowed the Alene oar ae ‘as cance any sniper andthe ree as tered tata Say op ae goa nae sources sas a Nove Aca rate Sos ‘nf’ oat wd tees a he anode citer Grade), WAVES; USA, November 1848: 9 LJ of he WAVES wth» grup of ‘ote women on 2 Might to Hawa ct Pate Bt he snrne ats a ws ie ven sme have oe {0 ue the stro tat coreininia onto cat 1543-44 though they bop thee Recor th Bue ct WAVES were rary alowed snyhere near he ot es 183: Yeoman 2nd Class: USA, 1949, ‘a Naw tanderd winter work trom was tis plan ‘lu wool undress jumper who whe in and maicing trousers wih a fal ont ang bel-botiom caf. Worn In the slighty more formal seting ofan otice or HO, ‘nockerhet might lao be wern his Yeoman wears a sion badge wth the crossed quit representing ts rating an fo red chevone denoting is rar of Pty Offeer 2 Glass. Yeoman was an acmnistatve rating: he mod ‘omon fila Yeoman shore bles forthe Navy using bah Word Wars lt was sad that us tothe corng wr the Navy "3 lhe rating Badge agi facing forward ster 7940 to ceca wey are c's a ai wa (C1: Ordnanceman, arcr Al membors of the deck gang were colercoded cloth ach stip might sue eter alongsiaeved ah or umper ot “hit A dock man's ty eacon ob or rumber mgt Be tencied on the back. Somat only the clored cloth cet was Uses, and some of he Jeep ears sem nt ave flowed tne system at all This red cloting marks an Ens Roland Here Li. Robert LKinger second Ia) nd ne. Ws toa gh reve 8 dog, rng, “hich to Zeros were cred to the VF plots whe {hey covre to rose rom Kagothime Bey of ble ‘eter pot, Le Semerie eecone at Knger whe ‘wear ne ofthe fet ‘au, wn sade the Many the way beck tothe Monn’ =the istingushed ing ‘roe. 'Sim Somer, who was acoped Yo sfety by at (052: Kingtaer tom the ener USS Astra wes the fight act wit a aquaaron patch onthe ight cheat Pots often srive baling out or itching, to fae8 an | certain fate. By mi-war the USN began fo eon sestroyers, PT bots, foatplanes and submarine slong the route of eutgong and returing sr shen ana the loweoe, nena vetren erro were snus redeoed: Thre Dots within rie ange of Rabaul and ltr from Tokyo Bey, Sutmarnes would partly srtace to gra thar belore returning othe stety of he deep: by Dy, 1380 yrs euding the fete Present George Bush x) X m0 37Imo mh eneqrce or nny aren oo ae Sst drapeicnt was pshesonr sas ‘Sve nenundoraes prefect oes ESeatton straps carr wich conte ert Soe ara esate sey el te ened AA pass tures oa ee un esoer wing into an tea’s peeing pope fe Ty Sawa an eg The Nimes cone Weg oting was ts at Coton ANE Rigo eM wornhon na ih to hg vant wn air sate coves od cin, adit tat oggen oer ean pect he wer a flea 89 tev putes te ‘So na hue hu nfs spel re leet ura msn hi AS ae tee Scan ear pce stares feck et aut mae oath one oo Parwct nig ot ere Pat ay roe Inada on wee cod Uri od anpuin iets eee cm wana poy eacaetserap oes oee 5 scan samaten care sce took ve cones kis be deat an ‘ce The sys di wan CAS (Commer Aeon 2p) othe USS Esser, Cor Dave NcCampbal A presna ‘yr he ot en combat ut 194 revotnone og, act tn he ‘Marans Tay Soot univ ay he st dev 9 daparesearcan =e orem mtu corse sige meson €2! Lieutenant pilot, ‘aviation greens, 1949 Saeed on th US Marte Cope ics ce, ators fons had boon worn by USN tyes sce ET, mth he ‘eet own son hich ran evento gust fet o Nay avr Ute total 19 pate Ka, Ite hegre own a nck at Met bors mht be wor, but gu ts wings ft erays vor ramps were nae Sth fom keto ped oo "tock bar. or am god talon etree Back une 1844: men of he 2nd Naa Beach on an ‘exch, Normandy. The vy normaly previed te tk betwen ships and sor: her hy one reson, ber lh, emapore flags ans Iudapecher The saat second et sting unconcermed cos lacks cams ‘oe teas shares Thy appear fe be meng sen canvas ran gear and typical USN grey handea Itmetsc Plter EY AE backing appeared in 1949, Win ths unter offers coud ‘overseas hat. The isinte gren uno was dute popular ‘among Rye, but on formal castors writes o bis were tobe wom Di: Seaman tst Class Striker; USA, 1942-43, ‘his young snlor fs out ot oct camp and has aready successuty quafles (by ‘sking) ae @ Radioman; the Sohtnings badge of ths specialty was worn on the Ie {forearm unt! 194, when twas shied othe tng path on the upper'am. Hore ‘Sparks is drectod” at the Naty ended te estes wabng-oxt unor fo fook, compete wit Hoey passin es bresst pocket Hs une sats is ‘marked by the white ty woen by seamen rou he ght ‘he cfs otis lve cress jumper. No pach oat tay was ‘wom by salto show to what ship they beionged. Ae the USS Sar Doge gave bry nthe port of he saree, the polce were trying to return a druken anor to the Nay ‘Asked where a came tom, he responded the San Diego \When asked frm which part of San Bago he care, he replied the engine room! Dz: Hospital Corpsman 2nd Ci Enjoying Wis liberty, perhaps in Melbourne, this PO 2nd Cass ise member ofthe Tet Maxine Dvston ade etd to sl shoulor pate he would be authorized to wear ter the Maine Cor green serves uniform o his Navy ‘lus’. On the lef owarm of Ps Jumper ‘Doe’ has two Stipes, showing eight ears’ service; Re has red Back the Cults of i dres jumper to coo of, revealing nade ery cus" embrowered wth the cragons or other symbole foplar with pre-war Cina salons of the Asiate Fst oer sales aso invaraby wore ther ‘Sie cup’ salor hats onthe back of ter Reads, anc longer than-rguation neckerchite seem t0 have been popuar. Spoted by 8 ‘Shore Patrolman, be would probably be wien up fr mpropet dress haugh the SPs heart maybe touched by tho Nevy Cross and Presidenal Unt Cations song his Imadal mons. Aer the war the Corpaman’ ted cost badge was changed toa caduceus symbol Incomba inthe Paci, Corpsman would not wee an etiyng red cross brassard of hetnet insignia (heugh some wore a. small white cc pained on hemet, shoulder and ip they would ‘ko nomally cary 8 carne or pistol ~ the depancse Gelbertey targeted medics anda stations. 13: Gunneremate tat Class; Shore Patrol, USA, 943 The Navy maintained a large force of Shore Paronen ia oer towne Ins Honeluy, San Frencieeo and San Ogo. ‘They had thet hands fl icing her over rowey sare with sicrmenths back payin that pockets. Most SPs were regu fairs temporarily assigned fo pong cutie, Th petty oor a member of the Seaman's bench, 80 wets Ns sing badge on Nis ight am, but sence sips were worn ony on the lt forearm, Mares of tha Shore Patel wore the" SP” erasardon ether sleeve, opposite te rtng badge. Ho wears th uness jumper usualy rsoved fr of-base or ‘atgue use. His leggings and wa bt ae the lsu Krak rab coer: th btter know whitened gear was not noma ‘sen tl ator the war SPs wer armed wih a ight on ‘white cord and, ona occasions, 4Sin.pistlina brown | fap holt The most common naiton they recaved was, | you se your ngs dont hie i the head Battalion; Normandy, 6 June 1948 "Naval BaochBstaions wore response -uptothe high tide line for s-erinating the caring of Beach obstacles and the movemrt of persone! into the Besehneed. Averaging 400 song hey were aptintocommuntione, demolitions ‘nd medica subvunts. The attalon ‘commander wat tomes the Beachmastr. Thi CPO wears a US. Amy heringbone tl esque unter, web equnmant and aesaut ‘rama hare re battaon helmet marking and USN grey ‘wears paratrooper boos ike moet Basch personnel = they were found convene fr keeping out sand and pebbes. “The 6h an 7th Navy Basen Bra were landed on Onaha Beach suppor ofthe Te and 20k Intatry Dvlon: the 2nd Ba landed. on tah Bac in suport ofthe thirty Divison. Many ofthe D-Day beach batason veterans were Iatr redeployed othe Paste and ook part nthe ho Ja tnd Okinawa lenigs, 1ch, Normandy, 6 June 1944 ‘ashore atthe end af the longest yt bok around. 0-Day ‘was gut cool and wih his dungree wor unter ho wears the Navy biak Knit wath cap and a bive deck jacket very ‘Sarthe Army's tare ake. Several ators of Jock Jackets were produced dng the war, the blue ones boing the eather patlers this color wes changed to Army cab fh 1043, presumably To ease production. He has a wed po! bet win a hoetered alin, MIB4TAT ~ landing craft come Were requred to Be amed. Most saiow at Normandy SSeplajed no rank on tha unforme, ough inegna were temetmes pated onthe helmet. Known a Large Slow Targets, 100 US Navy Landing Ships Tank, were sed on D-Day, and several wer deployed in suppor ofthe British beaches: Goman boats sank two of thm onthe night of Sshne 3: Coxswain, US Coast Guard; Omaha Beach, Normandy, 6 June 1984 ‘The Naw landing erat were manned by both USN and Coast Guar sales. The ony Medal of Honer given to a (Coast Guardsman was won by an LCVP aver auring the ‘Guadalcanal campaign. During the Normandy ancings hese ‘men wore a combination of Army groan feiss and Ney ‘Sungaroes; mary wore al-Amy clothing but most had the homets and jackets stenl-panted ‘USN’ or "USCG'. The ‘Cony’ wears te Navy ese hooded rarjacet which Rad ‘etal ep fasteners and a crawsting hood. He Past has the broad grey-blve stipe commenly used on O-Day to dently alors The Soatewainsmates who drove te nding at were retest a8 consumes Thy Sood thereat ‘tthe cra th ony the dita metal front ramp” fr protecton. Te standard LOVP had a rew of thre and ried approxmatay 34 oops, Aly, atta uns and batacle mines tok a hamvy tol of LGVPS andrew on ‘Omaha Beach. The USCG also operated 10 (STs and 2¢ {cis on 0-Day,