I retired as a Master Chief Signalman in 1996 after doing 31 years; learned the rating OJT at a Harbor Entrance Control Post in Vietnam where I was field promoted to SM3. I taught "A" school in San Diego 1975-1978, made Chief there. I served in USS Guam (LPH-9), plank owner USS Ainsworth (DE-1090), USS San Bernardino (LST-1189), USS Gridley (CG-21), USS Vincennes (CG-49) and plank owner USS Essex (LHD-2). I was also a Recruit Company Commander at RTC San Diego in the mid '80s. It bothers me that the Quartermasters who were supposed to take on the duties and responsibilities of the Signalman rating have let it die. The USS Zumwalt class of DDGs were built without a mast, no yardarms, no flagbags, no sem stands, no 12" signal lights; what are they going to do when EMCON (electronics silence) is set?
Master Chief Azevedo, It is great to hear from an old salt like you. My name is Lance Schoenbaum, Retired as an SMC(SW/AW) in 2004, the day before the rate went away. I knew you from ATGPAC and the ESSEX. I served on Tarawa with Gene Dempsey and at ATGPAC as a VisComm instructor in 97-99. I agree completely as the rate was allowed to die, and now I understand they don't even have the ability to talk with anybody without radio or electronic means. May not have meant much during 20 years of the "War on Terror" but with the Russians around, you better know how to operate in EMCON. My career path USS Lang (FF-1060), USS Ranger(CV-61), USS Thach(FFG-43), USS New Jersey(BB-62) NavCruitDist Chicago, USS Constellation(CV-64), USS Tarawa(LHA-1), ATGPAC, USNS Rappahannock(T-AO-204), NWS Fallbrook and USS Rushmore(LSD-47). I always remember Gene Dempsey telling a story about you on the Gridley? telling the XO he had the ship up his backside. How your evaluations suffered from that. In 2002, when I was an SMC on Rushmore, I defied the XO in Pearl Harbor over some ridiculous stuff and I went from number 3 CPO to 23rd ranked! So much for SMCS! Hope you are well, Lance
These Signalmen are from the US Coast Guard, not the US Navy, but even so what a great upload!! Gotta say right now that I had (even after all these years!) no trouble in reading the semaphore & flashing light! But I must admit that when reading the flaghoists, I might've been a bit rusty on the Numeral flags & pennants. The alphabetic flags are easy, it's just the others that I need to brush-up on!!
When I went to signalman "A" school in 1978 we had the new phonetic alphabet. The first day they gave you a deck of flash cards with pictures of all 72 flags, the semaphore positions and the morse code equivalent. Had to memorize them for a test on the next day. One of the hardest exercises I've ever put my mind to. And the school was ten weeks.
I was in early 1979, and the class was only 8 weeks. I thought the Morse code was very easy, as was F/H, Semaphore was easy at first, but became hard as I'm just a little dyslexic... Were you in Florida?? BTW, do you know where to get any of the Morse Code manuals??? Take care! BZ
This is exactly how to reach our brains through our eyes reaaaally fast! Or flashcards. School crosswalk guides carry small stop signs. Ping ping sized signals would give deaf and hearing challenged individuals a way to collect a higher count of points in less time. the USPS sat atop my work line in California as I entered the workforces. Yes they did.
My uncle was a signal man on U S S Oyster Bay and USS Wasatch in WW2. Pacific. My dad, who was also in the Pacific on a PT boat , called him a "scivy waver" ! Any info. on those two ships would be appreciated! Hats off to the Greatest Generation!
Wes - For info on the USS Oyster Bay snd USS Wasatch, check the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, or go on line and check the ship names in Good Search. The Naval History section should have a fair bit if info on both.
Are you sure this is a Navy film? That's Coast Guard music. Really enjoyed looking into that old signaling world. I don't know if flags are still used in the Navy/Coast Guard, but I know the Air Force discontinued training members in Morse code several years ago and the other services have probably done the same.
Coasties. The Revenue Marine Shield on their right sleeves. Also, one of the khaki-wearers is a commissioned officer. His combo hat has the CG eagle with horizontal anchor. Retired USCG Mustang LCDR, sends.
Memories, of being in Signalman A School in 2001, Great Lakes IL. The rate got absorbed into the Quartermaster rate in late 2003. I switched to be a Culinary Specialist (CS) in 2004. #HOORAHH!!!!
They’re Coast Guardsman as stated previously. The shield on the right sleeve of their jumpers is the distinction between USCG and USN. We still wear that shield on our dress uniforms.
Dan Jarvis I still talk to several of the guys I served with on the signal bridge of USS Lynde McCormick, an Adams class destroyer. They agree that the three forms of communication we learned are like riding a bike and although we’re a little rusty we still can do it. The signalman “A School” was a relatively short one. Around nine weeks if I’m not mistaken. In that time we had to learn the three methods of communication. We trained differently for each one and I believe we spent a few weeks on semaphore then lights then flag hoist. In addition to the three forms of communication there was many things to learn about the execution of the flag signaling. There was also schooling on how to read certain publications and break signals as well. It was a great rating and when I heard they did away with it around 2003 I was a little surprised. It seems like a lot to dump on the quartermasters who already had their hands full. When someone arrived in the fleet after schooling it really didn’t matter how well they did there, they were as green as spring grass. It definitely took some time doing it every day for real until you could build up to speed and confidence required. I had a great instructor and I remember what he said and I use it everywhere. He said when you get to your ship there will definitely be a stand out, one who really knows his stuff. That’s the guy to beat. Don’t be an ass about it and don’t expect anything for it just tell yourself you’re going to be better than the best.
Dan Jarvis It’s no problem at all. I actually enjoy talking about it to anyone willing to listen. I’m sure you know the story. In a couple weeks I have my annual check up at the VA outpatient. I will always find guys still sitting there after their appointments talking to one another about the things they’ve seen and done. There truly is a brotherhood among veterans and I’m proud to be part of that.
May I use a short sample of this film on a video on my channel? I'm talking about Morse Code and will teach how to make it using an Arduino board and simple programming. It will be spoken in Portuguese. Please let me know if its possible. Thanks so much!
It is the first time i have seen a signal with three letters, for instance "BAD". I couldn't find this rule in the book "INTERNATIONAL CODE OF SIGNALS" by IMO... Why?
@@mackan-kf4tg Yeah signalman "A" school in San Diego. Jesus, that was 45 years ago!! I was stationed on the Uss Oriskany cva-34 then after it was decommissioned, went to the Uss Paul F Foster DD-964.
You realize that there is no such thing as a USN signal Corps, right? There was a Signalman rating (enlisted job specialty), now merged into Quartermasters. One of many, including traditional radiomen. Only the Army has a Signal Corps.
Here's the issue: Tens of thousands of films similar to this one have been lost forever -- destroyed -- and many others are at risk. Our company preserves these precious bits of history one film at a time. How do we afford to do that? By selling them as stock footage to documentary filmmakers and broadcasters. If we did not have a counter, we could not afford to post films like these online, and no films would be preserved. It's that simple. So we ask you to bear with the watermark and timecodes. In the past we tried many different systems including placing our timer at the bottom corner of our videos. What happened? Unscrupulous TH-cam users downloaded our vids, blew them up so the timer was not visible, and re-posted them as their own content! We had to use content control to have the videos removed and shut down these channels. It's hard enough work preserving these films and posting them, without having to spend precious time dealing with policing thievery -- and not what we devoted ourselves to do. Love our channel and want to support what we do? You can help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.
??? This is way before the NATO alphabet.......the phonetic "coming in line" with NATO was in the late 1960s......up till then it was the Yanks/Brits/Canucks/Aussies/Kiwis and a few other English-speaking navies that used the old "Alfabet" (I think the UK Commonwealth navies i.e., South Africa/India/Pakistan/Singapore/Malaysia, etc, etc) also used it......
I retired as a Master Chief Signalman in 1996 after doing 31 years; learned the rating OJT at a Harbor Entrance Control Post in Vietnam where I was field promoted to SM3. I taught "A" school in San Diego 1975-1978, made Chief there. I served in USS Guam (LPH-9), plank owner USS Ainsworth (DE-1090), USS San Bernardino (LST-1189), USS Gridley (CG-21), USS Vincennes (CG-49) and plank owner USS Essex (LHD-2). I was also a Recruit Company Commander at RTC San Diego in the mid '80s. It bothers me that the Quartermasters who were supposed to take on the duties and responsibilities of the Signalman rating have let it die. The USS Zumwalt class of DDGs were built without a mast, no yardarms, no flagbags, no sem stands, no 12" signal lights; what are they going to do when EMCON (electronics silence) is set?
Master Chief Azevedo, It is great to hear from an old salt like you. My name is Lance Schoenbaum, Retired as an SMC(SW/AW) in 2004, the day before the rate went away. I knew you from ATGPAC and the ESSEX. I served on Tarawa with Gene Dempsey and at ATGPAC as a VisComm instructor in 97-99. I agree completely as the rate was allowed to die, and now I understand they don't even have the ability to talk with anybody without radio or electronic means. May not have meant much during 20 years of the "War on Terror" but with the Russians around, you better know how to operate in EMCON. My career path USS Lang (FF-1060), USS Ranger(CV-61), USS Thach(FFG-43), USS New Jersey(BB-62) NavCruitDist Chicago, USS Constellation(CV-64), USS Tarawa(LHA-1), ATGPAC, USNS Rappahannock(T-AO-204), NWS Fallbrook and USS Rushmore(LSD-47). I always remember Gene Dempsey telling a story about you on the Gridley? telling the XO he had the ship up his backside. How your evaluations suffered from that. In 2002, when I was an SMC on Rushmore, I defied the XO in Pearl Harbor over some ridiculous stuff and I went from number 3 CPO to 23rd ranked! So much for SMCS! Hope you are well, Lance
These Signalmen are from the US Coast Guard, not the US Navy, but even so what a great upload!! Gotta say right now that I had (even after all these years!) no trouble in reading the semaphore & flashing light! But I must admit that when reading the flaghoists, I might've been a bit rusty on the Numeral flags & pennants. The alphabetic flags are easy, it's just the others that I need to brush-up on!!
It's weird hearing "George" instead of "Gulf" or "Zed" instead of "Zulu"
My father was a signalman in the Us Navy 1942-1946 out of Pearl Harbor in the Pacific theatre! Great Film.
My great great great grandfather was too!!
When I went to signalman "A" school in 1978 we had the new phonetic alphabet. The first day they gave you a deck of flash cards with pictures of all 72 flags, the semaphore positions and the morse code equivalent. Had to memorize them for a test on the next day. One of the hardest exercises I've ever put my mind to. And the school was ten weeks.
Thanks for your service to our great nation.
DAMN.........
Our Chief made the whole class wear mittens after our first test. He didn't want us "talking" with our fingers. Dis my "A" School in 1976, San Diego.
I was in early 1979, and the class was only 8 weeks. I thought the Morse code was very easy, as was F/H, Semaphore was easy at first, but became hard as I'm just a little dyslexic... Were you in Florida?? BTW, do you know where to get any of the Morse Code manuals??? Take care! BZ
83 - 87 Navy A school Orlando, you had to have your shit together.
Thank you for sharing! My husband was a Signalman on the USS Midway '78-'80.
It's a shame that the SMs are no more.
God bless your husband for his service to our great nation
A wonderful rate! In the old days, they were signal quartermasters. I was a radioman.
I guess I'm kinda off topic but do anybody know a good website to watch newly released movies online?
@Lyle Aries try Flixzone. Just google for it :)
@Boston Marley Thanks, signed up and it seems to work =) I appreciate it !!
This is exactly how to reach our brains through our eyes reaaaally fast! Or flashcards. School crosswalk guides carry small stop signs. Ping ping sized signals would give deaf and hearing challenged individuals a way to collect a higher count of points in less time.
the USPS sat atop my work line in California as I entered the workforces. Yes they did.
I can see myself watching this many times, it's truly fascinating. Thanks for uploading
0:50 Flag Hoists
10:00 Semaphore
17:35 Blinker
PeriscopeFilm: Thanks for this post. I've been up and down YT for a few days trying to find anything on Blinker Light Training. Finally!
Excellent -- yes this is quite a rare one!
Wow. So much data in such a small space of time.
Brevity. Always expressed in the Navy and the military.
My uncle was a signal man on U S S Oyster Bay and USS Wasatch in WW2. Pacific. My dad, who was also in the Pacific on a PT boat , called him a "scivy waver" ! Any info. on those two ships would be appreciated! Hats off to the Greatest Generation!
My grandfather was a "Wig Wag" on the USS Wyoming circa 1912?
SM3 (passed test for SM2 but got out) twenty three years ago brought me here. U.S.S. KITTY HAWK (CV-63)
Signalman here. Graduation was in 1995. Miss it and I am sad they folded the signalman rate into quartermaster
Wes - For info on the USS Oyster Bay snd USS Wasatch, check the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, or go on line and check the ship names in Good Search. The Naval History section should have a fair bit if info on both.
I feel like these changed over time in changing times.
EXCELENTE PELICULA DE ADIESTRAMIENTO¡¡GRACIAS¡¡
!De nada!
Are you sure this is a Navy film? That's Coast Guard music. Really enjoyed looking into that old signaling world. I don't know if flags are still used in the Navy/Coast Guard, but I know the Air Force discontinued training members in Morse code several years ago and the other services have probably done the same.
One of the msgs was: join the us coast guard.
@@operatorjeffdeathstar7759 The Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine all had similar uniforms in WW2, so...no.
@@operatorjeffdeathstar7759 Then why is the Navy playing the Coast Guard song and saying "join the US Coast Guard?"
Coasties. The Revenue Marine Shield on their right sleeves. Also, one of the khaki-wearers is a commissioned officer. His combo hat has the CG eagle with horizontal anchor. Retired USCG Mustang LCDR, sends.
So interesting!
Memories, of being in Signalman A School in 2001, Great Lakes IL. The rate got absorbed into the Quartermaster rate in late 2003. I switched to be a Culinary Specialist (CS) in 2004. #HOORAHH!!!!
I respect all ratings. But....by the time I had completed my 90 days of "Mess-Cranking" I'd had enough of the mess decks. TY very much !
🤣🤣🤣
Edward John Rogan 1920 to 1979....US Navy signalman 1941 to 1945...gave the signal to proceed ashore to Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944 .
When I was on the ship, they teased us and called us cheerleaders, for using the semaphore flags. Lol
"There this should be slow enough." IMI All After "WHAT? The first word?" Ah yes the glory days..
I love how in semaphore when they make an error they just flag “E-E-E-E”
Signalman 3rd Class (Surface Warfare ) Weathers_USS Dubuque LPD-8 and USS Juneau LPD-10. 1997-2000
So before Charlie came Cast...
These use an old phonetic system?
Surprised to see the red meatball signal being used during this era of being at war with Japan.
Why coast guard music is playing??
They’re Coast Guardsman as stated previously. The shield on the right sleeve of their jumpers is the distinction between USCG and USN. We still wear that shield on our dress uniforms.
This must’ve been before the phonetic alphabet. Or am I missing something? H = hotel. Where did they get hypo?
👍
Really? No former singnalmen are going to translate this semaphore message.
I’ll do it. 1986 to 1992.
“BT Good form makes good signalmen”
Dan Jarvis I still talk to several of the guys I served with on the signal bridge of USS Lynde McCormick, an Adams class destroyer. They agree that the three forms of communication we learned are like riding a bike and although we’re a little rusty we still can do it.
The signalman “A School” was a relatively short one. Around nine weeks if I’m not mistaken. In that time we had to learn the three methods of communication. We trained differently for each one and I believe we spent a few weeks on semaphore then lights then flag hoist.
In addition to the three forms of communication there was many things to learn about the execution of the flag signaling. There was also schooling on how to read certain publications and break signals as well. It was a great rating and when I heard they did away with it around 2003 I was a little surprised. It seems like a lot to dump on the quartermasters who already had their hands full.
When someone arrived in the fleet after schooling it really didn’t matter how well they did there, they were as green as spring grass. It definitely took some time doing it every day for real until you could build up to speed and confidence required. I had a great instructor and I remember what he said and I use it everywhere. He said when you get to your ship there will definitely be a stand out, one who really knows his stuff. That’s the guy to beat. Don’t be an ass about it and don’t expect anything for it just tell yourself you’re going to be better than the best.
Dan Jarvis It’s no problem at all. I actually enjoy talking about it to anyone willing to listen. I’m sure you know the story. In a couple weeks I have my annual check up at the VA outpatient. I will always find guys still sitting there after their appointments talking to one another about the things they’ve seen and done. There truly is a brotherhood among veterans and I’m proud to be part of that.
@@danjarvis6980 Dan, you'd be amazed......we ain't all dead yet.....we're still around. Piece of cake to read this......
Thanks, Sir! By the way, I've found it weird the way he did the O letter (it looks like his right arm is not enough inclined).
good one...now have change.. alpha brevo charlie etc
May I use a short sample of this film on a video on my channel? I'm talking about Morse Code and will teach how to make it using an Arduino board and simple programming. It will be spoken in Portuguese. Please let me know if its possible. Thanks so much!
Visit our website stock.periscopefilm.com for more information about licensing.
@@PeriscopeFilm Thanks.
Navy Signal Corps? "Skivvy wavers", si'l vous plait!
It is the first time i have seen a signal with three letters, for instance "BAD". I couldn't find this rule in the book "INTERNATIONAL CODE OF SIGNALS" by IMO... Why?
Because you are looking at a different edition I'd guess.
Blinker gun message is “BT send boat for men. K”
Herman Wouk brought me here
53 to 58 Bennington CVA20 and Essex CVA9 signalman Kudley
Superb! You're the generation of Signalmen before me, but we still kept-up these 3 methods in my time (70s & 80s)......
Blinker Gun message = Send Boat for Men k
And I thought the internet was complicated...
3rd Class Signalman. 1975 to 79. Remember the International Code of Signals HO-102???
1975.......You must've trained as an Signalman in San Diego? Wasn't that the USN Signal School back then?
@@mackan-kf4tg Yeah signalman "A" school in San Diego. Jesus, that was 45 years ago!!
I was stationed on the Uss Oriskany cva-34 then after it was decommissioned, went to the Uss Paul F Foster DD-964.
@@maddmaxx5384 I remember Pub 102 very well. CODE MJF, "Patient has diarrhea with stools like like rice water". SM 1983-2004
@@mackan-kf4tg Yes San Diego.
bravo ( _ . . . )
You realize that there is no such thing as a USN signal Corps, right? There was a Signalman rating (enlisted job specialty), now merged into Quartermasters. One of many, including traditional radiomen. Only the Army has a Signal Corps.
send boat for men k
"Navy"
To make a french battle flag simply rip off the blue and red sections and fly flag.
Im not good at talking to women, but navel ships that's easy.
Why do you put a counter in the middle of the screen. To distracting.
Here's the issue: Tens of thousands of films similar to this one have been lost forever -- destroyed -- and many others are at risk. Our company preserves these precious bits of history one film at a time. How do we afford to do that? By selling them as stock footage to documentary filmmakers and broadcasters. If we did not have a counter, we could not afford to post films like these online, and no films would be preserved. It's that simple. So we ask you to bear with the watermark and timecodes.
In the past we tried many different systems including placing our timer at the bottom corner of our videos. What happened? Unscrupulous TH-cam users downloaded our vids, blew them up so the timer was not visible, and re-posted them as their own content! We had to use content control to have the videos removed and shut down these channels. It's hard enough work preserving these films and posting them, without having to spend precious time dealing with policing thievery -- and not what we devoted ourselves to do.
Love our channel and want to support what we do? You can help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.
it irritates me that they are not using N.A.T.O alphabet
??? This is way before the NATO alphabet.......the phonetic "coming in line" with NATO was in the late 1960s......up till then it was the Yanks/Brits/Canucks/Aussies/Kiwis and a few other English-speaking navies that used the old "Alfabet" (I think the UK Commonwealth navies i.e., South Africa/India/Pakistan/Singapore/Malaysia, etc, etc) also used it......