What Does SF2/c mean and What Would the Sailor Had Done in the 6th NBB on D-Day?

[USAF29thINFvet]

Looking through some photos on the 6th NBB I found a picture of some sailors standing on Easy Red Beach. One had a rate of SF2/c. What does that mean and what types of duties would he have done in the 6th NBB especially on D-Day?

 

Thanks

[P-40Warhawk]

Shipfitter 2nd Class

[patches]

This from NAVPERS--15004 MAY 1943

 

SHIPFITTER--Uses hand and machine tools of shipfitter's shop to lay out metal sheets and sections for repairs to ship's structure. Bends, repairs, and fits pipes, tubing, and structural sections. Does forging, welding, soldering.

 

Not being to too expert on this particular subject, but military is military and given the duty description of Shipfitter, a good guess would be that Shipfitters were assigned to these type of Navy ground units as it were, to maintain LSTs, LCIs the NBBs were sailing on, and would remain onboard these vessels to do damage repair in the event these vessels where hit in combat? I don't really see what they might or would do in an assault landing other than that.

 

Perhaps others will look in and clarify.

[Grant S.]

NBBs set up shops on the beaches to fix damaged landing craft. He might have worked in one of those.

[sigsaye]

You are all being too litteral. He was a metalworker. Welded, riveted, what ever civilian construction metalworkers did, CB "Ship Fitters" did.

 

When the CBs were created, the Navy simply used existing rates that were "Close". In 1948, all CB Ship Fitters became Steel Worker (SW).

[patches]

You are all being too litteral. He was a metalworker. Welded, riveted, what ever civilian construction metalworkers did, CB "Ship Fitters" did.

 

When the CBs were created, the Navy simply used existing rates that were "Close". In 1948, all CB Ship Fitters became Steel Worker (SW).

Steve Would that include Ship Fitter rates assigned to the Amphibious Forces, cause this guy wasn't a Seabee from the paper work, he was in a Beach Battalion. Seabees where in on D-Day, they were in what, the 11th Naval Construction Battalion in the main, with a several attached to those Naval Combat Demolition Units .

[Kadet]

Also....many, if not most of the early personnel that went through NCDU training at Fort Pierce were CBs. CBs were specifically recruited from one of their bases in Williamsburg, VA because of their experience with demolitions. Many NCDU and UDT personnel were Ship Fitters

[Kadet]

Here are some examples from UDT Bronze Star citations, and another example of a CB/NCDU officer that was KIA on Omaha Beach, 6 June 1944. All of these men were CBs...

[Kadet]

2

[Kadet]

3

[sigsaye]

Under no circumstances am I saying that what had been previously posted wrong. What I'm saying is that , "In The Navy", the rate is not "restrictive". I was a Signalman. During my career, I was also the Ships Bosun, and Weapons Officer on another ship.

 

I own the knife of one of the Navy's first UDT Forgmen. He was a Carpenters Mate. I once asked him why a Carpenters Mate? He had been a Carpenter when he was drafted. He had volunteered for the Navy, so, after Boot Camp, he became a Carpenters Mate. Then volunteered for UDT. After the war, he was converted to Damage Controlman. But spent his career on ZRepair Ships/ Tenders, working in the Carpenter Shop. And, yes, after the war, he stayed in the Navy and left Spec War. My point is that, sometimes, people get too fixed on things.

 

I had an old friend who enlisted in the Navy in 1942, became a Radioman. Was assigned to "Amphibious Forces". Beach Group. Trained for several years with portable radios. Landed at Normandy ( for about 30 seconds). Got hit with shrapnel, while crossing the beach. Woke up in a hospital in England. When he was declared fit for full duty, he was assigned to a Destroyer headed for the Pacific, in a ship board Radio shack where he had no clue what was going o , or how any thing worked. Luckily, the war ended while enroute and his Purple Hart got him enough points to get discharged and home.

[pararaftanr2]

As Grant S. mentioned in his reply, one of the tasks assigned to the beach battalions was the repair of landing craft damaged in the assault. A SF would certainly serve a purpose there. The beach battalions often remained on the beach for several weeks after any specific D-Day.

 

Here are some shots of the 2ndNBB's small craft recovery and repair facility on Utah Beach:

Regards, Paul

[patches]

Under no circumstances am I saying that what had been previously posted wrong. What I'm saying is that , "In The Navy", the rate is not "restrictive". I was a Signalman. During my career, I was also the Ships Bosun, and Weapons Officer on another ship.

 

I own the knife of one of the Navy's first UDT Forgmen. He was a Carpenters Mate. I once asked him why a Carpenters Mate? He had been a Carpenter when he was drafted. He had volunteered for the Navy, so, after Boot Camp, he became a Carpenters Mate. Then volunteered for UDT. After the war, he was converted to Damage Controlman. But spent his career on ZRepair Ships/ Tenders, working in the Carpenter Shop. And, yes, after the war, he stayed in the Navy and left Spec War. My point is that, sometimes, people get too fixed on things.

 

I had an old friend who enlisted in the Navy in 1942, became a Radioman. Was assigned to "Amphibious Forces". Beach Group. Trained for several years with portable radios. Landed at Normandy ( for about 30 seconds). Got hit with shrapnel, while crossing the beach. Woke up in a hospital in England. When he was declared fit for full duty, he was assigned to a Destroyer headed for the Pacific, in a ship board Radio shack where he had no clue what was going o , or how any thing worked. Luckily, the war ended while enroute and his Purple Hart got him enough points to get discharged and home.

I understand, one guy that has a specific rate, a rate he was trained in after Boot Camp, could and would in many instances be working in another duty other than his prescribed rate, here he retains that rate even though he's not working in it.

[sigsaye]

I understand, one guy that has a specific rate, a rate he was trained in after Boot Camp, could and would in many instances be working in another duty other than his prescribed rate, here he retains that rate even though he's not working in it.

. Exactly. His actual skill was "Metal working". Be it welding, frabtication, whatever. If he was assigned to a CB unit, most likely construction metal working.

[patches]

. Exactly. His actual skill was "Metal working". Be it welding, frabtication, whatever. If he was assigned to a CB unit, most likely construction metal working.

That's like the Landing Parties of old, rates assigned irrespective of their rates for this duty, one would think only gunners and boatswains would be doing that.

[MastersMate]

Some of the Service Ratings assigned to he Ship Fitter general rating during WW2.

 

SF(CBB) - Shipfitter (Construction Battalion) (Blacksmith)

SF(CBM) - Shipfitter (Construction Battalion) (Mechanical Draftsman)

SF(CBP) - Shipfitter (Construction Battalion) (Pipefitter and Plumber)

SF(CBR) - Shipfitter (Construction Battalion) (Rigger)

SF(CBS) - Shipfitter (Construction Battalion) (Steelworker)

SF(CBW) - Shipfitter (Construction Battalion) (Welder)

[Kadet]

I guess my point was........it would be interesting to see the picture mentioned by the OP.

[USAF29thINFvet]

Here is the picture with caption and other information from http://www.6thbeachbattalion.org

 

 

[stealthytyler]

Most likely part of the salvage section of the battalion. But most these men on the first day did not fix boats, they all helped carry wounded to landing craft.