The Specialist Sailor in World War II
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Chapman University Chapman University Digital Commons War and Society (MA) Theses Dissertations and Theses Summer 8-2021 Below-deck: The Specialist Sailor in World War II Gregory Falcon Chapman University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/war_and_society_theses Part of the American Material Culture Commons, Labor Economics Commons, Military and Veterans Studies Commons, Military History Commons, Oral History Commons, Public History Commons, Social History Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Falcon, Gregory. "Below-deck: The Specialist Sailor in World War II." Master's thesis, Chapman University, 2021. https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000289 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at Chapman University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in War and Society (MA) Theses by an authorized administrator of Chapman University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Below-deck: the specialist sailor in World War II A Thesis by Gregory Falcon Chapman University Orange, CA Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts August, 2021 Committee in charge Dr. Jennifer Keene – Chair Dr. Kyle Longley Dr. Alexander Bay The thesis of Gregory Falcon is approved. Jennifer Keene, Ph.D., Chair Kyle Longley, Ph.D. Alexander Bay, Ph.D. June, 2021 Below-deck: the specialist sailor in World War II Copyright © 2021 by Gregory Falcon III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am extremely grateful to a number of people who kept me anchored during this thesis experience. First, I am deeply indebted to my advisor, Dr. Jennifer Keene, whose valuable advice and expertise kept me on a steady path throughout the entire research environment. Your line of questioning always pushes me to an unexpected level of clarity. Thank you for believing in this project. Additionally, I would like to extend my gratitude to Laura Waayers from the Naval History and Heritage Command, Mary Booker from the Battleship North Carolina, Amy Vedra at the Indiana Historical Society, Shane Stephenson among those at Buffalo Naval Park, Andy Harmon from the Center for American War Letters, and finally Kurt Piehler and his wonderful team at the Institute on World War II at Florida State University. Each one of these individuals, eagerly extended their hand to help my research with generosity, while also offering practical suggestions for the project. To my colleagues and close circle at Chapman University, thank you for always extending your advice, listening ear, and various supports when I needed encouragement. Finally, this project was completed in the spirit of my parents, Bonnie and David Falcon, who regularly choose to make sacrifices for their children’s goals to be attained. Their patience and unwavering support always push me forward to the next big goal. IV ABSTRACT Below-deck: the specialist sailor in World War II by Gregory Falcon U.S. Navy ships were made up of many unexpected jobs during World War II. Traditional war histories say little about sailors who rarely saw direct combat below active war decks but instead worked skilled jobs. Specialized sailors were often unseen as they worked below the waterline as, for example, electrician’s mates and boiler room firemen. These jobs were pivotal to keeping the ship running and allowed men to make use of their valuable time in the navy. This thesis argues that, although evolving naval culture led men to enter for various reasons, many entered to enhance their future career during WWII. The emphasis on these skilled jobs expanded over many years since 1900. The navy changed its relationship to incoming sailors by expanding the skilled education of its sailors. The potential for skill creation began surpassing patriotism as a motivator for men to enter. Duties aboard ship, however, stressed constant physical labor. Although instrumental to maintaining their ship, these men rarely saw the direct outcomes of their efforts. This uneven understanding of the broader war often troubled sailors. Facing intense job requirements, long hours, vague service length, and other insecurities, below-deck sailors searched for control. Many found it difficult to maintain morale and find what mattered each day. This insecurity on dangerous wartime waters fueled a desire for maintaining links to home, whether replicating comforts aboard ship or exchanging gifts by mail. Specialized sailors further cemented connections to home by taking skilled classes in the navy. To extend their value both aboard ship and for future employers, men in these jobs found they had less catching-up to do when they returned home. Understanding how these specialized, below-deck sailors emphasized skill creation during the war provides new interpretations to World War II and what came after. V TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ....................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: Skilled Navy Recruitment and its History .............................................................13 Reinterpreting the Navy and Motivation for Sailors to Enter ....................................................16 Sailor Skills at Entry ..................................................................................................................20 Training Incoming Sailors ..........................................................................................................22 Alternative Naval Education ......................................................................................................25 Linking Naval Education to Civilian Training ...........................................................................26 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................28 Chapter 2: The Specialist Aboard Ship .....................................................................................30 Shipfitters ...................................................................................................................................31 Machinist’s Mates ......................................................................................................................32 Watertenders ...............................................................................................................................34 Boiler Firemen ............................................................................................................................36 Electrician’s Mates .....................................................................................................................39 On-Call, Watch, and Weather ....................................................................................................41 Destruction of Space ..................................................................................................................43 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................46 Chapter 3: Morale and Personal Time ......................................................................................47 Knowledge of Wartime Operations ............................................................................................49 Liberty Abroad and at Home ......................................................................................................53 Interacting with Other Societies .................................................................................................57 Creative Projects Aboard Ship ...................................................................................................59 Gifts and Home ..........................................................................................................................62 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................65 Chapter 4: Wartime Classes and Postwar Career Development ............................................67 Finding Access to Classes or Tests ............................................................................................71 Classes on Firm Ground .............................................................................................................73 Demobilization and the G.I. Bill ................................................................................................77 Careers ........................................................................................................................................79 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................85 VI Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................86 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................90 VII LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Work locations of specialized sailors in WWII Navy ...............................................30 VIII Introduction The U.S. Navy during World War II was not simply admirals and gunners instead