WWII Navy Unform Help

[sigsaye]

To be clear, these boat groups were the special types, and operated from the LSDs, most APAs, AKAs, carried their own boats, and these boat crews were part of the ships regular crew. When not in the boats, they were working on them, or the ship, and standing watch in regular ships watch sections.

 

Now, just to muddy things a bit more, once a boat makes its initial landing, it belongs to the Primary Control Ship (PCS), generally the assault group Flag Ship. He may direct any boat yo any ship as needed. At one time, I was on an LKA. I was an SM, and served as boat crew during amphib ops. I worked LCVP, LCM-6 and LCMS-8. We would be put in the water empty, go out to our waiting circles until called along side. Once we were loaded, we went to assembly circles and waited for the whole wave to form up. Once we made our initial landing, we generally returned to our own ship for another load, but could be called to any other ship that needed a boat to haul something. This keeps traffic moving from ship to shore.

 

ASUs rode in the LSDs and LPDs. They would be larger boats, mostly LCUs (Landing Craft Utility). The crews could live on these boats, so pretty much once they were debarked, they were self sufficient except for fuel, but could run for days on what they carried. These guys would load out vehicles and troops and make the beach, then shuttle stuff for days, before returning to their "Mother Ship". Any way, the ACUs were separate units. They would be divided up through the amphib group for a deployment. Lots of stuff goes on in the Amphib world. I loved it. Served as boat crew in an LKA, and Assistant Debarked Control in an LSD and an LPD.

[SEAL76]

Very cool jumper. Really like the Amphib Force patch, The originals are great bu the remakes suck,

[sigsaye]

Agree with Seal. Wore an original on my Foul Weather Jacket for years when I was on Amphibs. Got a couple of remakes to wear on a patch jacket, ball cap, that sort of thing. Really bad rep ops. Smaller in dimension, design is sloppy and a plastic backing. But they serve the pour pose I got them for.

[uplandmod]

Sigsaye,

 

Awesome explanation! Never could understand why I couldn't get specific ship when it came to IDing these Flotilla jumpers, your post explains much!

 

Thank you!

 

LF

[jfairclo]

Uniform is in the for sale/trade section now. PM me with any questions. Thanks everyone for all your help.

-JCF

[sigsaye]

Sigsaye,

 

Awesome explanation! Never could understand why I couldn't get specific ship when it came to IDing these Flotilla jumpers, your post explains much!

 

Thank you!

 

LF

. Also very common for boat groups to change ships, ride one over, move to another for one reason or another, and go home on a third. During WW2, if their Mother Ship was damaged, they would transfer to another to be able to continue the mission. Just like air groups and squadrons. If the carrier is damaged, they go where they can

[Justin B.]

Thanks a lot for the great background information, Steve!

 

 

To be clear, these boat groups were the special types, and operated from the LSDs, most APAs, AKAs, carried their own boats, and these boat crews were part of the ships regular crew. When not in the boats, they were working on them, or the ship, and standing watch in regular ships watch sections.

 

Interesting. I guess that would mean the guys left on the ship pulled extra watches when the boats were away?

 

Justin B.

[sigsaye]

If the boats were away, generally, the ship is at Condition 1 (A) (basically General Quarters/Battle Stations for Amphibious Operations). Every one has a place to be. There is no watch rotation per say. I have been "on watch" on the bridge for up to 22 hours at a pop. One time for 36 hours off Korea. The cooks are assigned to cargo handling, so when there are no boats along side for reloading, they would be broke loose to go make "Box Lunches" to be passed out to the crew and boats as they come along side. When I wasn't in a boat, I was boat control, and usually alone. I was very lucky in that every Gator I was on had a fresh water riser on the Sig Bridge so we could still make coffee. We would also stash "C" Rations (later MREs). In our gear lockers, or cases of "Cup-O-Noodles" in case there were no box lunches (which was all too common).

 

Some stations would be stood down if there were no boats to load, and they could be used to rotate through watch stations for short periods to give some a break. Usually, you were not on station more than 12 hours at a pop, but it happened.

 

Then, when the boats came back to the ship, they had to be hoisted aboard and gripped down, refueled and secured. My guts had to clean all their gear (hand held multipurpose signal lamps, infra red transmitters and receivers, flare guns life jackets and any wet/foul weather gear they had) to get it read for the next op. So, you're looking at a couple more hours of securing gear after returning to the ship. Then settling into the regular watch rotation.

[Justin B.]

Fascinating, thanks again!

[uplandmod]

Sigsaye,

 

was the term "Gator" also used in WWII for amphibious assault Navy crew?

 

LF

[sigsaye]

I have nothing to reference it, but I would say yes. The reason for that is this: my father '47-'67 always referred to Amphibs as "Gators". Patches and insignia for amphibious ships of WW2 generally had a "Gator" on them, including the first two distinctive marks/SSI. Over the years, spoke with a number of WW2 amphib vets and they all referred to themselves and their ships as "Gators", as did other WW2 Navy vets who were not on Amphibs.

[uplandmod]

Very cool! good to know that!

 

LF