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Post a reply to: Question on PT Rank: "Seaman"

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Hi Mike,
From reading your question, I gathered possibly you did not know this is still a rank system in the Navy, and it still is organized pretty much the same way as it was in WW2. If you already know this stuff,  I apologize in advance to explaining it to you. The E1 to E3 rates can be one of four different families, Airman, Seaman, Fireman, or Seabee (not sure on that last one it may not have been around during PT Boat days) and then either Recruit, Apprentice or Standard. So an E1 could be a Seaman Recruit or a Fireman Recruit or an Airman Recruit. An E2 can be an Airman Apprentice or a Fireman Apprentice or a Seaman Apprentice. Get it so far? Then an E3 is just a straight Seaman, Airman, Fireman or Seabee. Their specialty grouping designates them as trying out for one of the broad divisions of the Navy's Petty Officer Ratings, such as a Fireman would be trying out to become (Striking for) a Machinists's Mate Petty Officer 3rd Class, or a Hull Technician 3rd Class, or any other Engineering type job. Meanwhile, a Seaman is usually trying out for Deck ratings such as Boatswains Mate Third Class, or Signalman 3/c, or Gunner's Mate 3/c, Quartermaster 3/c or Torpedoman 3/c . Airman are trying out for Aircraft Ratings etc etc. So your question about are all Seaman just another name for cook is possibly correct, but a Seaman (E-3) can Strike for any of the jobs on the ship that interest him and are available. The choice is somewhat up to the Officer or Petty Officer in charge, based on the needs of the ship.  In the meantime, the lower ranking crewman, (consisting of Seaman etc) tend to get assigned all of the jobs that the senior enlisted ratings dont have time to do. I know that Ships Cook was a pretty important one, and some Seaman did indeed get assigned as a Cook, but then more advanced training would eventually be available, such as Mess Specialists School. The PT Boats I imagine were manned with several E-1 to E-3 crewman, and then they were advanced in rate depending upon their boat. Just wanted to clear up this possible misconception about the USN enlisted rank system. I have to explain this since I cant bear to have somebody not understand, me being a CPO and all.  MMC(SW) Jerry Gilmartin PT658 Restoration Crew  [EndQuote]

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