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US Navy Ships Rocker Tabs


tbirdismypride
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tbirdismypride
post-1973-1207222761.jpgHi everyone, I just wanted to ask a few questions about these rocker tabs. I like collecting items from WWII and I have seen many of these rocker tabs with the name of a US ship on it such as the one I have attached. My question is when did the using of these rocker tab patches begin? I am also asking because I have seen quite a few US Navy Photos from WWII but I dont recall ever seeing a photo of a sailor with a ships name patch. I assume this is due to security reasons? As you can probably guess I am fairly new to patch collecting so any assistance to help me understand this topic is very much appreciated!! thumbsup.gif
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post-1973-1207222761.jpgHi everyone, I just wanted to ask a few questions about these rocker tabs. I like collecting items from WWII and I have seen many of these rocker tabs with the name of a US ship on it such as the one I have attached. My question is when did the using of these rocker tab patches begin? I am also asking because I have seen quite a few US Navy Photos from WWII but I dont recall ever seeing a photo of a sailor with a ships name patch. I assume this is due to security reasons? As you can probably guess I am fairly new to patch collecting so any assistance to help me understand this topic is very much appreciated!! thumbsup.gif

 

I don't know when they came into use, but I believe they are called Unit Identification Marks (UIM's). This might help in a key word search.

 

-D

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tbirdismypride
I don't know when they came into use, but I believe they are called Unit Identification Marks (UIM's). This might help in a key word search.

 

-D

 

 

Thanks for the help!!!

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These are all post WWII. If I'm not mistaken, they came into use in the 1950's but I don't know what year exactly. I collect these tabs, and there are hundreds if not thousands of these. The real rare ones are the experimental blue lettering on white versions.

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Hi,

 

According to the 1951 Navy Uniform Regulations Pg 12-16 Ch 5 1206 Unit Identifying Marks Shall be issued to enlisted pers below chief petty officers are authorized to wear UIM's on dress blue and undress white uniforms. The effective date for wearing UIM's on other than USS commands shall be sixty days after receipt and not later than 1 January 1959.

 

Hope that helps.

John

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Hi,

 

According to the 1951 Navy Uniform Regulations Pg 12-16 Ch 5 1206 Unit Identifying Marks Shall be issued to enlisted pers below chief petty officers are authorized to wear UIM's on dress blue and undress white uniforms. The effective date for wearing UIM's on other than USS commands shall be sixty days after receipt and not later than 1 January 1959.

 

Hope that helps.

John

Additionally, these first UIMs were Navy blue with white lettering for both blue and white uniforms. They were either 3 or 4 inches in length depending on the name of the unit. These UIMs were discontinued in 1975 when the Navy fully instituted the Officer style uniform for all members. In 1980, the Navy revived the jumper style uniform for Sailors E-6 and below. They did not, however also imediately reinstitute the UIMs. Individual Sailors and commands had them made on their own. At this time, it was not unusual to see various styles of lettering and blue lettering on white patches for use on white uniforms. (I had some of these white ones when I was on USS St. Louis, and some tailor made "USS Henry B. Wilson" UIMs that really curved). By 1982, the Navy reinstituted the UIMs using the old regs of one color for all uniforms, and authorizing them for all Navy Commands (prior to '75 only deployable units wore them). The "new" UIMs are all four inches and are black with white lettering.

 

Steve Hesson

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I have one to the USS Thresher, USS Catfish, USS Cutlass, USS Fulton, and USS Sperry.

 

These are with a group of medals etc, from Raymond Mattson, who was out sick on the day that the USS Thresher made its final dive.

 

Bill

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Another collector term for these is "ships tabs".

While in the USNR back in the early 70's, I was in Long Beach on active duty for training and a bunch of us went into a bar with a huge display of these tabs. There was a big mirror behind the bar and stapled to the wall on the sides and above this mirror, were probably hundreds of these. The deal was (as I recall it), if you had a tab that wasn't on the wall, and would donate it to the collection, you got a free drink! Well, you know how most sailors feel about a free drink! thumbsup.gif I wonder what ever happened to that collection after the Naval base closed in Long Beach in the late 70's.

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Here are a few UIM's

USS Rock Manitowoc built sub Decom 1969

USS Permit and USS Curts possible early 80's like the white ones.

USS Hunley worn by a shipfitter in the early 70's on GUAM

USS Edson current style

 

Hope this helps, John

post-2723-1207336074.jpg

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Here are a few UIM's

USS Rock Manitowoc built sub Decom 1969

USS Permit and USS Curts possible early 80's like the white ones.

USS Hunley worn by a shipfitter in the early 70's on GUAM

USS Edson current style

 

Hope this helps, John

Permit and Curts were made by the ship (special order prior to the Navy reinstituting them) as regulation UIMs did not have ships hull numbers. These are in the rare to odd category as they were short runs. I have a coouple hundres of these. When I was training recruits in Great Lakes, I ended up teaching the last phase of Company Commander School. I would jokingly tell the class that if they wanted to pass they had to give me one of their old UIMs.

 

Like the display in Long Beach, I have seen several of these. The largest one was in "Susan's Restaurant" in Subic Bay (Olongopo). It was huge and I would check it out every time I went in there. Great place for "Hot Dog Fried Rice" and Lumpia!

 

Steve Hesson

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  • 2 years later...

I'm a little late getting in to this post.

I have been collecting "ship tabs" for about 25 years now. A patch dealer in NJ is the King of tabs. Dennis put out a nice booklet in about 1975.

This describs the history of tabs. First one out was july 1957 in a cut edge. In about 1963 til 1972, tabs were made in the marrowed edges. They came back in about 1980 and these were all made in black and were all 5 1/2" long. So you can kind of date the tabs. Hope that will help.

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Here are the only ship's rockers in my collection, all from the estate of a Navy Chief who was selected for Chief in the early 60s...so these all pre-date that. The CONSTITUTION one is interesting as his records never indicate that he was stationed on the CONSTITUTION, however he was at the receiving barracks in Boston for a while. Perhaps sent temporary duty to the ship? There are 3 to 4 of each of these rockers in the collection from the Chief, apparently plenty for each uniform!

 

Dave

Rockers.jpg

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Arcs, maybe, but not rockers. Turn it upsidedown and you'd have a rocker. Rocker more commonly refers to the curved bottom stripes on Army and Marine Corps enlisted rank chevrons

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Arcs, maybe, but not rockers. Turn it upsidedown and you'd have a rocker. Rocker more commonly refers to the curved bottom stripes on Army and Marine Corps enlisted rank chevrons

 

True...but...when new checkins came on the ship, we made sure they made it down to see the CMC to get a pair of "ship's rockers". If they went looking for a pair of "ship's arcs" I'm not sure if they would have ever found them! :lol:

 

Dave

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Heres a few of mine Ive stumbled across as Im not really a patch collector....years ago I did a little research and found one of the ships was used as target practice and sent to the bottom!...found out some other info but cant remember!!...one is merrowed and one is cut edge!....let me know if anyone needs these!!....thanks....mike

post-350-1288536603.jpg

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Heres a few of mine Ive stumbled across as Im not really a patch collector....years ago I did a little research and found one of the ships was used as target practice and sent to the bottom!...found out some other info but cant remember!!...one is merrowed and one is cut edge!....let me know if anyone needs these!!....thanks....mike

post-350-1288536603.jpg

Oriskany was sunk off Florida as a reef. Officially, these are Unit Identification Marks. But like most things Navy, seldome are refered to by their actual name. I wore them from '73 on and have collected quite a few. Over the years I heard them called "Rumble Patches", "Ship Strips", "UIMs" and "Rockers". Never heard the term "Arcs". I also remember that back in the day, if you walked into a bar or restaurant, and and that had a bunch of these mounted on the walls, it marked it as a good place for Sailors. I remember spending hours in different places looking and walls of these. The first "Constitution" I ever saw was in "Susans Restaurant" in Olongopo City, Subic Bay in '73. I was amazed.

 

Steve Hesson

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True...but...when new checkins came on the ship, we made sure they made it down to see the CMC to get a pair of "ship's rockers". If they went looking for a pair of "ship's arcs" I'm not sure if they would have ever found them! :lol:

 

Dave

Makes you wonder about how the English language is changing in daily use. I'd hate to use a rocking chair with the rockers upsidedown.

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Makes you wonder about how the English language is changing in daily use. I'd hate to use a rocking chair with the rockers upsidedown.

Arc is too much of an Army term. Until recently, the Navy went out of it's way to avoid anything smacking of "Army". In fact, at one time, the greatest insult to a Sailor was to call him a "Soldier" or acuse him of "Soldiering" (which meant sitting around basically doing nothing all day). It was a 19th century thing, when the average Soldier didn't do anything but sit around in garrison. When I was training recruits, I got a lot of Roemer Army who seemed confused by the termonology. I guess in the Army "To Secure" something means to go get something to preforme a task, such as "I'm going to secure a broom and sweep this deck". In the Navy, "To Secure" something meand that your finished with it and putting it away to make sure it does not go flying around if the ship starts rolling or pitching.

 

Any way, just verbage.

 

Steve Hesson

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vostoktrading

My old UDT friend told me a similar story:

The use of the word "secure".

In the Navy, to "secure" a building means to turn off the lights and lock the door when you leave.

In the Marines, to "secure" a building means to attack it and seize it from the enemy.

In the Air Force, to "secure" a building means to lease it with option to buy.

No offense to my Air Force friends. This is just some of that gentle inter-service banter we've all heard before.

Hmm... Might make for an interesting new thread?!

Jon.

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post-2104-1288559094.jpg

I'm a little late getting in to this post.

I have been collecting "ship tabs" for about 25 years now. A patch dealer in NJ is the King of tabs. Dennis put out a nice booklet in about 1975.

This describs the history of tabs. First one out was july 1957 in a cut edge. In about 1963 til 1972, tabs were made in the marrowed edges. They came back in about 1980 and these were all made in black and were all 5 1/2" long. So you can kind of date the tabs. Hope that will help.

And, then there are all the little "Bug-A-Boos" that upset that cart. For instance, some pre '75 marks were being issued after 1980, (we found them in a store room below the forward magazine along with brand new Thompsom mag pouches, BAR belts and other bits and pieces of field gear). And, all the commercially "Open Purchase" marks that ships had made up localy, most of which do not fall within the reg specs, such as the white with blue lettering.

 

Steve Hesson

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post-2104-1288559149.jpg

 

How about that "USS Henry B. Wilson" mark? Had those made in Subic before the official return of the marks, but right after the jumper uniforms were brought back in '80.

 

Steve Hesson

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