WWII US Navy Training Video: This Ship is Ours

WWII U.S. Navy Training film for watchstanders. Explains clearly, although with some melodrama, the importance of being alert while on watch.

[@kenyoncowart5537]

I wish they would bring films like this back versus the crappy eLearning we have...

[@udayanpaul8042]

so true you're. many useful survival techniques I ve learnt after watching this video, which they never taught us at the Marine academy.

[@ianh1504]

What if it turns out something in the video is like really, really wrong? Then you gotta spend a lot of money making a new one, instead of editing some text.

[@Artessnow]

@@ianh1504 trust me this video is sound advice and is relevant to the modern Navy as well as security work in the civilian world.

[@Robb1977]

@@ianh1504 A lot of times they're either meant to improve morale or teach you how a specific machine operates. This video is basically just telling you to stay alert and find ways to stay alert. Minus the one shot of the guy tallying the message is fairly timeless. One could make videos like this but more generic, with no references to a specific enemy. Videos that train you on specific equipment would have to be made with the introduction of that equipment, though if you've already gone through the trouble to make enough of something that one or all of the armed service branches has adopted it... then making a short training film would cost practically nothing in comparison. the only area that would need regular changes and could contain misinformation is tactics.... but these were rarely put to film for obvious reasons. things like "how to take on a German tank as an infantryman" were made, and did contain tactical info like how to ambush or flank a tank, but even those were largely morale boosters. It was to get the men to not fear german tanks which statistically were not as big of a problem as fear made them out to be. Cases like Otto Carius were slim, but did, and for some still are believed to have been the standard operating procedure (see fury which re-enforces the 5:1 myth). Or the videos on the MG42 being "more bark than bite." While these films contained misleading info, they were important to reduce the fear that came from combat bias. I'm not siding with the misleading info here... but often times it was included intentionally, and editing it out would go against the purpose of the film.

[@tomt6040]

25 yrs underway in the Navy!!! Had time - good times - loved it!!!

[@braintrusts]

Thanks for your service!!!! Also, thanks for posting. Only those who have served on fighting ships can understand the width and breadth of how those living and working conditions make for a good working crew that is cohesive and dedicated. Turn To!!

[@marcomalo02]

My dad joined the Navy in 1943. He probably watched this film in training.

[@ericcriteser4001]

Mine in '44. I bet they both did.

[@sundownsigns]

In July 1943 dad's first ship USS Helena CL-50 sank in Kula Gulf, he went for a swim.

[@countryrockstar2008]

My grandpa was in the Navy on his way to Japan when the war ended in 1945. Did his training at Great Lakes in 1944/45.

[@emeltea33]

@@sundownsigns did he dope off on watch?

[@wittwittwer1043]

I was in the USMC, but when we were aboard ship we had to stand watch, too. Usually deck watch. On the York County USS 1175, we had to stand compartment watch.

[@braintrusts]

Thanks for your service in the USMC, the best fighting force in the World. My son was a Corpsman with the 3rd Marine Div in the 90's, and he told me about the routine of the Jarheads aboard the USS Essex. Again, thanks for your service, and thanks for posting.

[@kurtbjorn]

I love these old training films. Those put out by the WW2 Navy in particular. Loved the "Little Devil on the shoulder" routine. "Come on.... have a smoke. Thaaaat's it. No one will know..."

[@willardroad]

So much voiceover.... and for good reason! Microphones in those days would never have picked up the dialogue without background noise. We watched stuff like this in Bootcamp, 1983.

[@braintrusts]

Destroyers are noisy places, especially at sea: screw and sonar noise, water/waves on hull, hatches slamming and, in heavy seas, the creaking of the hull as the ship takes the stress. Also, the racks would, at night in heavy seas, stretch with audible sounds as the ship pitches and rolls. Thanks for posting.

[@williamsanders5066]

USS Semmes DDG 18 (Deck Dept), USS Cape Cod AD 43 (Deck Dept/OPS Dept), USS Kinkaid DD 965, USS Whidbey Island LSD 41, and USS Wasp LHD 1.

[@braintrusts]

Thanks for your Naval Service!! Deck Dept is a great way to start: at the very bottom, as did I, but you carried on to what looks like a great varied Naval service!

[@williamsanders5066]

Taught Operations Specialist A School twice. Also stationed at COMUSNAVCENT (5th Fleet) in Bahrain for a year, and Fleet Information Warfare Center Little Creek Amphibious Base in Norfolk VA. Retired as OS1(SW/AW)

[@braintrusts]

@@williamsanders5066 Was in Bahrain on two separate deployments('69 & '72) and was in A school in Dam Neck, VA in 1968. The command ship for the Middle East in those days was the USS Valcour (AGF-1). Considering what we have there now, two DD and the Valcour didn't look very intimidating. LOL

[@williamsanders5066]

When I was stationed in Bahrain, the flag ship was USS La Salle AGF 3. The Ghost of The Arabian Coast.

[@obfuscated3090]

Still applies today, as recent crashes and groundings demonstrate.

[@Bodragon]

(13:03) - What a sense of humor they had back then!

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

I remember standing the mid-watch.....that sucked EVERY time I had to do it lol, with the exception of mid rats lol.

[@chadcato887]

I had mid watch the whole time I was on the ship

[@kellychuba]

no sleeping on watch!!

[@francissullivan6400]

FLETCHER class..NOTHING else compares..SPEED ,FIREPOWER,

[@joelserey8437]

My dad was aboard the USS Cassin Young during WW2 in the Pacific. She's in Boston harbor....DD-793. RIP MY POPPA

[@francissullivan6400]

@@joelserey8437 Great ship with GREAT MEN

[@joelserey8437]

@@francissullivan6400 so many stories I got to share of them being Kamikazed off Okinawa on radar picket Duty I took him to three different reunions got to see where he slept. Where he and shipmates made a still. His battle stations where his gun placement was the 20 m m and the 40mm. He said it was amazing if they kick the lady in the butt lid off all boilers she would do 43 knots

[@francissullivan6400]

@@joelserey8437 yeah my Father was a P.T boat skipper in the Pacific during ww2 ...The MEN of the U.S navy during WW2 were outstanding..ESPECIALLY DESTROYER MEN ..battle of okinawa,leyte gulf,samar,tarawa..DESTROYERS were parralelled by nine! God Bless your Father

[@joelserey8437]

@@francissullivan6400 such kind words thank you❤

[@jmclkcsgc]

I always wanted to get my dixie cup to sit like a WW2 version. Could never quite get the roll the right way.

[@matthewrobinson4323]

jmclkcsgc When I was in ('64-'68), how we wore our white hat was determined to a large extent by what type of ship we served on. I was a tin can sailor. Of course, it wasn't a hard and fast rule or anything, but...

[@deirdre108]

@ J. Mike Yeah, you have to find a Bosun Mate to do it for you the first time.

[@riphaven]

Superman comic replaced by the smart phone.

[@Dive-Bar-Casanova]

I miss superman comics.

[@ls-420stoner6]

What you wanna bet some questionable hentai is being watched on said smartphone?

[@billhuber2964]

ALL THE WATCHES BACK THEN ARE THE SAME NOW .DAD STOOD RADAR WATCH , I STOOD BRIDGE WATCH .

[@braintrusts]

Some things on warships never change. Some do, like eliminating Signalmen on the Signal bridge or using lights for communicating.

[@deirdre108]

In Basic I stood several Dumpster Watches.

[@braintrusts]

In Basic (1968) I, too, stood dumpster watches and I never lost a dumpster. And that was with an empty rifle.

[@deirdre108]

@@braintrusts I know! Who needs ammunition when you’re as badass as we were! I enjoy these films you’re uploading.

[@granskare]

the anthem is based upon an English drinking song, "Anachron in Heaven" or similar. :)

[@emeltea33]

Is that why the officer at 1:27 looks like he's doing a british salute? Lol.

[@robscott8296]

3:35 setting the watch 14:54 general quarters

[@spike-km9je]

18:49... Or we'll come back and haunt you. WOOOOOHHHHHH

[@soapbox37]

Could that sailor saluting to colors at 1:57 and 2:01 be a young Lee Van Cleef?

[@braintrusts]

While there's strong resemblance, I don't think so. Van Cleef served on a USN minesweeper and this video is about destroyers. See the two images side-by-side here: tinyurl.com/mjo4dxd

[@soapbox37]

Thank you for the feedback, braintrusts. You made my day! I was also a deck seaman. Retired 1st Class BM after 20+ years. Having stood many a Boatswain's Mate of The Watch underway, I can honestly say that the mid-watch ( some called it the mid-shitter) was the most boring. Drank lots of coffee and constantly monitored my watch team, making sure that no one dared sleep on my watch!

[@braintrusts]

I reported aboard the USS Myles C Fox DD829 in Feb '69 as a wet behind the ears "boot" Seaman Apprentice in 1st Div. Spent many hours on the bridge and you know what that entails, and yes, it can be VERY tedious and boring on long transits, esp at night. Made SN as soon as able and then became a Sonar striker; better to stand watches in the A/C and no more main deck "sweepers". See: mylescfoxdd829.net

[@majackson14]

15:36 that's a white ensign so a royal navy ship 😉👍

[@braintrusts]

Yeah, and had been pointed out before by another sharp-eyed viewer! Interesting that the US Navy had to use footage from the Brits when they had the same equipment. Odd. Thanks for posting.

[@tyronemarcucci8395]

Must be a bunch of new guys, they can't salute properly, yet.

[@mattanjohnsonjohnson2396]

This is not completely accurate. Seamen would not salute petty officers.

[@kevincrosby1760]

They would in boot camp...

[@regularguy1140]

This would make me not want to join.

[@melvinjohnson7033]

You have to depend on your enlisted shipmates. You sure can't count on those incompetent officers.

[@braintrusts]

Yeah, there were a few clunker officers in there, mostly green junior officers. I must've been lucky, as we had a pretty good bunch in the wardroom '69-'72. And, YES, the enlisted crew is the heart and soul of any ship, and needs little direction.

[@melvinjohnson7033]

How true!

[@braintrusts]

Thanks, Chief!! Some of the best men I've ever worked for in the past 50 years, including the 4 year hitch in the USN, have been USN officers and Senior enlisted. I got the "message" very early in the Deck Division as a Seaman Apprentice.

[@udayanpaul8042]

+Edward Olson as a naval sailor sir, it's good that you believe in these survival techniques with optimism. as far as the the merchant Mariners are concerned, they quite pessimistic about these. mostly do believe once ship is sunk and you're over water you're dead

[@reneramirez2882]

1, To take chare of this post and all government property in view...

[@charlesgoodspeed3474]

No stupid cunts in that mans Navy

[@francissullivan6400]

Leave to a ( to fall down the job

[@scottringrose6203]

and at 15:45 - that's a white ensign (RN or RCN)

[@braintrusts]

I know of no ship that flies and ensign on the stern while at sea, but anything is possible.

[@scottringrose6203]

at 14:57 - looks like gunshirts and dress from a different navy?

[@braintrusts]

Engineering rates often had black "whitehats" (hence they were called blackhats) so I presume they also had black t-shirts as well, but we need confirmation on that.