The Bitter End: Boatswains

[@harrykilman5634]

One possibility as to why the boatswains had more and better sailor art could be that their department had the paint supplies. For other departments like OE stowing flamable materials in our spaces was frowned upon so we had to humbly request supplies from the deck division.

[@sundownsigns]

My dad was a self described "Deck Ape" on WWII light cruisers, a coxswain. He said if something dirty and heavy needed to be done, they were the ones who did it. I have his bosuns pipe.

[@phlippbergamot5723]

As to why they would have more sailor art than other divisions, it was likely because they had more ease of access to the paints they used. Other divisions would likely have a harder time getting the materials needed to make the art.

I was a LSBM in the RAN for 9 years I always said Boatswains where the true sailors, a lot different to technical sailors, we where the smallest department on RAN ships and the hardest working, everything on daily orders involved Boatswain Mates, some days we will do a RAS then do a gunnery Exercise etc, etc all the while keeping watches and taking care of things like Nav Yeoman duties and maintenance to SLS Equipment all the while trying to get a seat at scran to throw a meal down your gullet but seats being taken up by Technical Sailors having there 5th brew break for the morning, BUT' "YOU CHOOSE YOUR RATE, YOU CHOOSE YOUR FATE" , so to all those entering ANY Navy CHOOSE WISELY.

[@WootTootZoot]

The Sailor in the painting had one arm bigger than the other for a reason.

[@larrytrail2865]

*grins* Those of us who know, arn't saying- there could be women, children or officers passing out promotions

[@WootTootZoot]

@@larrytrail2865 Exercise is important on long deployments, it's a good way to keep fit.

[@jimmyjames8736]

Great videos. Your genuine appreciation of history comes through in each one. Happy to subscribe.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Welcome aboard!

[@graham2631]

If you document all of the art work I'm sure a lot of us would appreciate it. I'm sure you could sell a lot of T-shirts put me down for a few.

[@A2Wx8]

Definitely looking forward to more of this series, it'd be really interesting to know the different rates and the spaces they worked, perhaps also how those changed over the periods in service with all the modifications made to the ship with things like the additions of electronics and missile systems.

[@CharlieK92004]

I love and loathe the sound of a bosun's whistle. My dad used to wake us up with one.

[@formula73]

I was a Machinist’s Mate and I want to see the one in the engine room!

[@wdcjunk]

There was a video specifically on this - I'll see if I can find it. Stand by to stand by!

[@wdcjunk]

Got it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3KZhqasbc2peKc

[@formula73]

@@wdcjunk *sniffle*

[@scarling9367]

Snipes for life.

[@tonydeleo3642]

The marlin spike was also used for spicing line and rope

[@augustuscharon9410]

A marlin spike is used for splicing wire or rope, a fid is for line or hawser. It's use for getting knots out is secondary and if you need to use it for that purpose you need to learn to tie better knots. It is NOT a whistle, it is a bosun pipe.

[@EVILDR235]

My late father inlaw was in the Navy for 25 years. He was a Boatswains mate on the U.S.S. Lamson during December 7th 1941, but were out at sea during the attack. His wife was at the base during the attack. Later as a civilian he Worked at Travis AFB and later worked at Mare Island Navel Shipyard. We have his leather sheathed marlin spike among other personal items of his. We have a long history of family who served.

[@TVaughan667]

A boatswain's pipe is not "played," but rather it is "piped." As in "piping the admiral aboard."

[@larrytrail2865]

Bos'ns Mates also have a very important tradition; they carry the oral traditions from generation to generation- they are the experts on knotwork. My Mom & Dad had a second hand store in Port Orchard Washington- across the bay from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. TRUST ME- you get some Bos'n who's bored for 9 months and makes a hanging planter for his wife- that's 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide out of jute. Each knot is like 1/2 to 1" apart,,,,,for the entire thing. If you had to pay for the hours of work in it? That planter would cost well over $1000- in 1974 dollars. Bos'ns are also the ones who drink the most and fight the hardest- and it's a toss up who's meaner when drunk, Bos'ns or Submarine Torpedomen. You don't want to get in a fight with either of them- they WILL give you a beat down you can't imagine.

[@jerryforeman4543]

That anchor chain link could crush your ✋ hand!

[@baronpen]

Eagerly awaiting the one on Gunner's Mates & Fire Controlmen! 😎

[@glypnir]

The bitter end is the end of the anchor line which is abaft the bitts, hence the bitter end. It is normally never paid out, so it’s the least worn part. Obviously if you got to the bitter end, your anchoring attempt was not going well.

[@TheJbrader]

That painting is amazing. Honestly

[@Vile-Flesh]

Very informative. I love all these details of the crew and what they were responsible for on the ship.

[@walteralichotajr.3012]

“Marlin Spike”- use to splice wire or wire rope. “Fid”- a wooden spike used to splice regular ropes or lines.

[@leelawrence1557]

How about the Machinery Repairman (MR) rate? I was an MR1 on the Big J from 1985 to 1987. Best and most demanding tour I had. USS Yorktown CG48 would be a very close second.

[@USSRBot]

TY Ken, good job.

[@fire304]

A note on "ropes." This naming is not unique to the Navy, I'm a merchant marine who also has worked on traditional sailing vessels and we used to play a game with students "find the ropes." I'm sure there was an equivalent on the NJ. The last ship I worked on had 6 ropes: the bell rope, the bolt ropes (part of the sails), the bull rope (raised and lowered mast sections), foot ropes (hang below the yards so you can stand while furling sail), the man ropes (used for getting in and out of the small boat when it was hanging on the davits), and bucket ropes. Also, what land lubbers call cable would have been referred to as wire rope.

[@Forensource]

I wonder how many new sailors used the art as a landmark for figuring out the ship.

[@quikdrw]

I was an EM. Can you do a video on us? We were called "fresh air" snipes because we had equipment all over the ship.

[@charletonzimmerman4205]

Now, most all EM's are EMN's, Shame, I don't think, us, EM's, will ever get a video/story, Jealous, of our, "SMARTS", & Talent, too get out of "TROUBLE".

[@logansorenssen]

@@charletonzimmerman4205 There's tons of EMs all over the surface fleet, though. I recall when I got out, I think EMs were actually getting pretty solid reenlistment bonuses because of a manning shortage. (Though I remember we had like four EM2s because making first was next thing to impossible, almost as bad as it is for ETs!)

[@AdamosDad]

I was a skate a few times, a couple of those times, in the bearings of T3. Firing all night and replenishing and rearming all day gets to you even if your 19. I like the way that 2nd. Division incorporated there Division name into the art. USS Newport News (CA-148) The Last all Gun Cruiser. my time aboard 1968-69-70 Call sign THUNDER flag hoist; November - India - Quebec - Quebec

[@captainscarlett1]

The marlin spike is for splicing, mostly. It is also good for coconuts.

[@tstahler5420]

It's great for opening cans.

[@jrpeet]

Interesting and well done. Thanks

[@michaeltroster9059]

During the age of sail, the bosun’ was responsible for administering justice to the wayward crew members via the cat o’ nine tails.

[@notyou6950]

What is the interservice rivalry like between the surface fleet sailors and the submarine branch. You know, those long hard things full of see men?

[@larrytrail2865]

Not much to say- you've got submarines, and targets. Think about it- you're on sonar watch on a sub and you pick up some big carrier for 35,000 yards away- I mean you've got two nuke reactors, 4 steam turbines connected to 4 screws- they're LOUD. But to be fair gays have been in the navy since the US Navy purchased the Holland 1 submarine. In a modern submarine, 150 men go to sea and 75 couples return. And before you say I'm a jerk? I was US Army- not realizing at the time that "US Army" was an anachronism meaning "Uncle Same Ain't Released Me Yet"

[@ScumfuckMcDoucheface]

@@larrytrail2865 75 couples return hahahaha oh man I was dying

[@Katfudlover]

These videos are super interesting. Thank you! There was a video where the curator covered the superstructure up to O-12, but there was some sort of caged, armored areas further up the mast that wasn’t covered. Could you do a video that covers those upper areas?

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Check this out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO2dodootCCf7c Unfortunately, we're slightly limited on what we film up there because our camera person is too scared to climb up there. So I doubt we will do much more. Though we do have a follow up to that video coming up soon!

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Check this out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO2dodootCCf7c And there should be a follow up to that in a few months!

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

As a reminder, our camera person is also our comment answerer, i.e. me!

[@johnknapp952]

A couple things I've been corrected on during my 20 years in the Navy (aviation). Rope is made of metal, Line is made of stuff like hemp, cotton, or nowadays polyester. Boats go onto Ships so don't call someone's DD, FF, CG, BB or CV a boat!

[@JoshuaTootell]

But subs are boats 🤷‍♀️

[@witeshade]

Did they have to get permission to put a piece of art in a location? I can't imagine the officers would be too happy if someone just started slapping stuff up on the walls.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

If it was a public place they needed permission, if it was a berthing space usually not.

[@charletonzimmerman4205]

Now -"SET" The SEA & Anchor, Detail. !

[@tannerseymour7443]

Do a vid on the stern area of the ship where the catapults would be

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Have you seen this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJewaXWgmbJ6b7c

[@34scot]

We eat this shit up... Capt. R.D Tucker's slang, I think that was his name,

[@34scot]

It is he gave mount 55 a signed meritorious mast for being mount of the deployment for hitting a killer tomato in 3 rnds.

[@tombriggman2875]

Please do a video of the IC rate.

[@smpd357sig]

Is that hoody you’re wearing going to be sold in the store?

[@davidschick6951]

I know why the cooks shine the bell and the BM's build the fire in the stove.

[@georgedistel1203]

I'm sure the ship like the rest of them were fitted with the Nixie system if possible could you explain the system

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Check this out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKesgYJ6e6Z1rLc

[@JBB4118]

I was told by a retied Navy Man when he learned i was looking into joining the Navy he said "For Godsakes go in with a rating!Don't go in as a Boatswains Mate!

[@johnknapp952]

There are those who can. Those who can't become BM. If you can't make it in a more technically challenging Rate can always make it as a BM.

[@geoben1810]

@@johnknapp952 Yeah I heard the same thing. I was a CS for about 6 months or so before the rate was changed to MS. Proud U.S. NAVY veteran PO3 '73 >'77

[@leelawrence1557]

Anchor Windlass was also manned by A Gang. I was in A Gang and I manned Anchor Windlass when getting underway and during restricted maneuvering. Loud as he'll when the hydraulic motors were running.

[@Xander_Zimmermann]

Those sailors were pretty good artists.😀 I can only draw a stick figure.😐

[@Odin029]

When he said that link weighed 100lbs I believed him... I was worried he'd drop it on his foot or something.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Our camera person was too. If you listen really close you can hear me go, please don't throw your back out or smash your fingers!

[@jedimasterlex13]

@@BattleshipNewJersey It could have gone South in so many ways.

[@fire304]

I've heard that a standard "initiation" ritual for new seamen striking for bosun was a group of bosun's would go "inspect" the anchor chain and find a link that "needs to be replaced." They would send the newbie to get the spare link in the locker. I am willing to bet that if you guys found that link by itself that's the spare and it's been carried around by many young sailors.

[@mikeschnobrich1807]

I hope no one got of tattoo of that....

[@ruthfieldbeck8299]

1st

[@ruthfieldbeck8299]

Wow! I really was first?

[@jayfrank1913]

@@ruthfieldbeck8299 Does it matter? Sorry, I can be a jerk.

[@himat]

Too many commercials, improperly inserted. Real turn off

[@JoshuaTootell]

KZbin controls that, not the channel. I had zero ads.