US NAVY ASH TRAYS - Butt Kits, Ceramic, Cast, Shipboard, etc.

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha Everyone,

 

We have topics on USN LIGHTERS but where do you snuff out those nasty butts?  All USN vessels up to the 1990's had bulkhead mounted metal butt kits aboard and also shipboard made ash trays, usually cast bronze or aluminum that were used to weigh down our charts, tablecloths and paperwork.  They were heavy enough to withstand chop and swells while underway.  There are also many types of decorative ceramic ash trays depicting ships' crests and mottos that were typically made in Japanese or European ports of call.  So rummage through your old junk, take a photo, and let's see them...

 

Examples

USS WINDLASS (ARS-D-4) Wardroom Ashtray, heavy brass made in ships' machine shop

 

 

Commanding Officer USS FLORIKAN (ASR-9) Cast Aluminum

 

English Made, USS SKYLARK (ASR-20)

 

Rough Cast Aluminum, USS NIPMUC (ATF-157)

 

Japanese Ceramic, USS CURRENT (ARS-22) & USS UHLMANN (DD-687)

[Salvage Sailor]

USN Bulkhead Mounted Butt Kit

(auction photo from Worthpoint for illustration)

 

...and one I posted elsewhere on the forum with the bracket

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Here's a notable shipboard made ashtray from the Submarine Service in World War Two.  It was made for Rear Admiral J.H. "Babe" Brown, Jr., who at that time was the acting commander (COMSUBPAC), and then the deputy commander of US Pacific Fleet Submarines at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. RADM Brown (USNA 1914) Had a long career with the USN submarine forces serving 43 years spanning both World Wars and the Korean War.

J.H. Brown jr., then LCDR & Commanding Officer of USS V-5 a.k.a (SC-1) & USS Narwhal (SS-167)

 

He was awarded the DSM for his work with COMSUBPAC and in particular for establishing the Submarine Lifeguard League in the Pacific Theater

 

John "Babe" Brown was in the Annapolis Naval Academy Graduating Class of 1914. He was assigned to SUBCOMPAC commander at the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor during WWII. This was after Commander Rear Admiral Robert English was killed in a plane crash in January of 1943.

 

Captain Brown took over the duties of Admiral English until a replacement could be found. He was relieved of his temporary command by Rear Admiral Charles Lockwood Jr. who was assigned to that command.

 

Brown remained on Lockwood's staff and before the war ended. Lockwood had him promoted to Rear Admiral. His commands were Sea of Japan patrols, Submarine Squadron Four. His other accomplishments included a training program, torpedo tests and the organization of Pacific wolf packs. Brown was a wonderful officer and worked endlessly to keep the war effort going.

 

Machine Shop aluminum ashtray made aboard USS HECTOR (AR-7) for RADM Brown

 

This was also his, a bakelite plaque of the then brand new Vulcan class repair tender USS HECTOR (AR-7) which was initially assigned to Submarine Force Pearl Harbor and a SUB-BASE PEARL HARBOR bakelite plaque

 

WWII Bakelite Plaques made on USS HECTOR (AR-7)

 

 

Brown, John H., Jr. - As commander of Submarine Squadron Four, "Babe" Brown salvaged the career of "Mush" Morton, who later went on to become a legend in the submarine force. Brown established an intensive training program at Pearl Harbor, which included a TDC (Torpedo Data Computer) school to improve proficiency in submarine fire control. An early advocate of wolf packs, he commanded a wolf pack in the Sea of Japan in the summer of 1943, becoming the oldest officer to make a war patrol during the war.

 

The 1st CO of V-5 (SC-1) was Lt. Cmdr. John H. Brown Jr., who would reach Flag Rank as Vice Admiral and (among other things) was personally responsible for all the points scored (two field goals) in a 6 to 0 victory in the 1913 Army–Navy Game. He would later be named Head of the National Grid Foundation.

 

Brown took temporary command of the Pacific Fleet submarine force following the death of Admiral English until relieved by Lockwood. Lockwood developed a high opinion of Brown and even tried to persuade the Bureau of Personnel to have Brown relieve Christie. When Brown was finally promoted to rear admiral, Lockwood tried to have him sent to command the Atlantic submarines.  When this posting was denied, Brown was made deputy commander of Pacific submarines under Lockwood.

 

Denied a submarine command, Brown instead took command of Cruiser Division 1 and of North Pacific Force in the closing months of the war. During one of his sweeps, his force destroyed 11 small ships off the Kuriles.

 

Brown was "a huge and likable character" (ref. Clay Blair 1975) who had been a football coach at Annapolis.

 

Command Service record

1924-11-20 Lieutenant - Commander, USS S-42

1930-05-15 Lieutenant Commander - Commander, USS Narwhal

1941-10-01 Captain - Commander, CL USS Richmond

1942-03-30 Commander, Submarine Squadron Four

1943-01-21 Acting commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet

1944-04-14 Rear Admiral Commander, Cruiser Division 1

1945 Commander, North Pacific Force (Kurile Islands)

1951-06-29 Commander, 4 Naval District

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Cat (Dog) Dish type copper ashtray, shipboard made

 

USS KITTIWAKE (ASR-13)

Submarine Rescue Vessel

 

 

They had many 'Kitti' related items made for the crew

 

 

[FlyNavy02]

A brass one from PT Squadron Twenty-One.

 

[Kurt Barickman]

 

 

One from the ship that played a pivotal role in the US becoming involved in the Vietnam War during the Tonkin Gulf incident in 1964.

 

Kurt

 

[hink441]

Here is one of my favorites. NAS Pearl Harbor. This is pre 1939 before the name change to NAS Ford Island. 
 

 

[hink441]

The Aircraft Carrier ashtrays are another favorite. 
 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 11/18/2022 at 4:58 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

 

Commanding Officer USS FLORIKAN (ASR-9) Cast Aluminum

 

 

1950's Japanese Glass Ashtray,

USS FLORIKAN (ASR-9)

Chanticleer class three-war Submarine Rescue Vessel in service 1943 to 1991

Japanese made ashtray & patch

 

[Navy87Guy]

This ashtray was my grand uncle’s - he served in USS SNAPPER (SS 185) from 1937-1939. This was his going away present when he transferred to USS PERMIT (SS 178). (He was on PERMIT on December 8th when the Japanese attacked the Philippines.)

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice Submarine butt kit, thanks for sharing this one

 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 11/18/2022 at 4:58 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

 

Rough Cast Aluminum, USS NIPMUC (ATF-157)

 

Another shipboard machine shop made heavy brass ashtray from the Fleet Tug USS NIPMUC (ATF-157)