1940 U.S.Merchant Marine Ratings

[hhbooker2]

Cook and Baker Apprentices (top) and Seaman Apprentices (below).

[topdcnut]

"GREETINGS & SALUTATIONS!" My friend's, Steve and Cynthia Soto collect United States Merchant Marine ratings of the Second World War, Steve's father was a merchant marine. Here are the first three old style rates he has for Chief Boatswain's Mate, Chief Machinist's Mate, and Machnist'a Mate 2nd Class. These are for the winter issue navy blue jumper. Sarge Booker of Tujunga, California ( [email protected] ) (POST SCRIPT: Steve's email in 1999 was [email protected] and he might still have books about the U.S.M.S.?)

Sarge,

Do you know if Steve has any info or photos of 1943 vintage USMS striker or apprentice cuff marks?

 

John

[hhbooker2]

Sarge,

Do you know if Steve has any info or photos of 1943 vintage USMS striker or apprentice cuff marks?

 

John

 

JOHN: [email protected] (Steve and Cynthia Soto) might still have that email address, but I have need talked to them in more than ten years now. You can also ask Rudy Basurto ([email protected]) as he was in the Merchant Marine in World War Two and wrote several books on the litgtle known sea services and sells them as well. I'm almost sure they used the bars below the stryker marks as I show at the end of these picture in blue, khaki, and white with red specialty marks and one to three bars below. Most of the merchant marine I saw wore the undress blues with no cuffs and if they wore dress blues, either white or red stripes on the cuffs and collars like the USCG and USN? The USCG wore a white shield on the right forearm and USMS wore a red shield with a red rope circling it. Sarge Booker

[topdcnut]

Sarge,

 

This patch looks like a 2" version of a CPO patch with nothing superimposed over the rocker and worn on the cuff.

 

John

[navyman]

Hi,

Could someone tell me if they wore these rates. It looks like they cut the top part of the rate off. I picked these up at a local flea market a few weeks ago. The guy said he got them from the vet. For $5.00 I thought I take a chance. This cook or baker apprentice came with the other two.

 

Jason

 

 

[hhbooker2]

Hi,

Could someone tell me if they wore these rates. It looks like they cut the top part of the rate off. I picked these up at a local flea market a few weeks ago. The guy said he got them from the vet. For $5.00 I thought I take a chance. This cook or baker apprentice came with the other two.

 

Jason

 

JASON: Odd that someone removed the top part of the rates? Could you shoot a close up of the smaller rate of the Cook with three red bars below the red crescent moon? Still, good deal for five dollars. Thanks for showing them here. Sarge Booker

[navyman]

Hi,

Could someone tell me if they wore these rates. It looks like they cut the top part of the rate off. I picked these up at a local flea market a few weeks ago. The guy said he got them from the vet. For $5.00 I thought I take a chance. This cook or baker apprentice came with the other two.

 

Jason

 

Sure Sarge,

I thought it was odd too.

 

Jason

 

[checkit]

Unassigned.

 

Hello Sarge - was going to post a picture of my USMS Printer's Rating, but I seem to have misplaced all of my blue ratings. (All I can find is my box of white ones.) When the guy wasn't printing, he was in the Maritime Service Police, so it is a neat grouping.