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USN Mount Captain Rating Question


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I can't find much information online about this Navy rating other than a ship's gun mount, such as Bofor's station, would have a mount captain as the top enlisted man overseeing the station. It does appear in an old Blue Jacket manual. Is it still a current rating?

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I can't find much information online about this Navy rating other than a ship's gun mount, such as Bofor's station, would have a mount captain as the top enlisted man overseeing the station. It does appear in an old Blue Jacket manual. Is it still a current rating?

Using this design, it was called "Gun Captain" from 1905-1949, name changed to "Mount Captain" and used from 1949-1970. This a fairly common USN Distinguishing Mark.

 

From 1897-1904 the design for Gun Captain was a "fouled anchor". Much like the CPO hat badge without the "USN", except the fouled rope did not curve around both flukes. The 1897-1904 design is very rare.

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Jumpin Jack

I can only address the WWII wear of the cannon sleeve insigne. It was worn on the upper left sleeve above the sleeve rating to denote an enlisted Gun Captain. The rating displayed the crossed cannon barrels. The Gun Captain's insigne was blue on white for the white summer uniform, and white on blue for the blue winter uniform. Limited, I know, but the best I can come up with. Jack

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Using this design, it was called "Gun Captain" from 1905-1949, name changed to "Mount Captain" and used from 1949-1970. This a fairly common USN Distinguishing Mark.

 

That would explain why my 1950 edition of the Blue Jacket Manual has it listed and my more recent edition does not.

 

Thanks for the info.

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  • 8 months later...

Has anyone ever encountered one of these gun captain sleeve striker patches showing only one trunion (the mounting knobs sticking off each side of the gun barrel), or know what that means? Is it a specific variation or just something that didn't get embroidered on the two I have?

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Has anyone ever encountered one of these gun captain sleeve striker patches showing only one trunion (the mounting knobs sticking off each side of the gun barrel), or know what that means? Is it a specific variation or just something that didn't get embroidered on the two I have?

 

Just a variation Dan.

 

Steve Hesson

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I can only address the WWII wear of the cannon sleeve insigne. It was worn on the upper left sleeve above the sleeve rating to denote an enlisted Gun Captain. The rating displayed the crossed cannon barrels. The Gun Captain's insigne was blue on white for the white summer uniform, and white on blue for the blue winter uniform. Limited, I know, but the best I can come up with. Jack

 

Now I am a little confused as I would assume a Gun Captain would normally be a Gunner's Mate? WWII Gunners mates wore their rates on their right sleeves? I think.gif

Also, I thought that all specialty marks were worn on the wearer's left cuff?

can someone chime in here with what would be the correct set-up for a WWII Swab gun captain's jumper?

Allan

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They were worn between the shoulder and elbow on the opposite sleeve of the rating. It was worn horizontal with the barrel facing forward and he would not necessarily be a Gunner's Mate. The smaller gun mounts were maned by men whose main job was something else when they were not at battle stations.

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They were worn between the shoulder and elbow on the opposite sleeve of the rating. It was worn horizontal with the barrel facing forward and he would not necessarily be a Gunner's Mate. The smaller gun mounts were maned by men whose main job was something else when they were not at battle stations.

 

thanks for the explanation!

Allan

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usmcraidergirl

Just for reference purposes, here is the text out of the 1905 uniform regs on the gun captain distinguishing mark:

 

Gun-captain mark (1905)

Every enlisted man regularly detailed by the commanding officer of a vessel as a gun captain, except as a secondary battery gun (less than 4-inch caliber), shall wear a distinguishing mark (a gun) on the opposite arm to that on which the rating badge is worn, midway between the shoulder and elbow, with its axis horizontal, the muzzle of the gun pointing to the front.

 

 

After the wear of the ratings changed, the wear of the distinguishing marks did slightly as well. Here is the 1947 uniform reg info:

 

Gun-captain mark (1947)

A built-up barrel with axis horizontal, muzzle pointing forward; worn midway between the shoulder and elbow on the left sleeve for seaman branch, right sleeve for others.

 

 

Please note that marks, such as the apprentice mark, were worn midway between the elbow and the wrist. To make it easy for everyone, though, the Navy uniform regulations go through each mark individually so the sailors would always know where it should go.

 

On a random side note, the early versions of the distinguishing marks were suppose to be silk woven on wool. It wasn't until 1946 (I believe - just going off the top of my head, so correct me if I am wrong) that the Navy authorized silk embroidered or rayon.

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Thanks for the input. The two examples I mentioned (with the one trunion) are both white silk on wool. I don't have the exact regs handy at the moment, but seagoing Marines also commonly wore this striker when serving as gun captains for the secondary armament aboard ships (which is why I bought them). It was worn on the left sleeve facing forward just above the 3 button cuff. The practice of Marines wearing navy qualification strikers was done away with either during or just following WW2. Here is a great thread started by Jeremiah on seagoing Marines where he displays several of his tunics with some really nice examples of these strikers, including an interesting one with the strikers embroidered directly on the uniform:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=13902

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I know this may be a little knit-picky and I don't mean to put you down but this is not a striker. A striker is basically the rating that a non rated seaman is "striking" for and will be worn in the rating when he reaches PO/3. They were worn near the cuff during WWII but it is done differently now. This is a Distinguishing Mark which shows a job or skill other than what he is rated in. That is why the Marines wear them, they are basically Marines but have another skill on board ship so they wear the badge for it.

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Now I am a little confused as I would assume a Gun Captain would normally be a Gunner's Mate? WWII Gunners mates wore their rates on their right sleeves? I think.gif

Also, I thought that all specialty marks were worn on the wearer's left cuff?

can someone chime in here with what would be the correct set-up for a WWII Swab gun captain's jumper?

Allan

 

Interestingly, in the Navy, Gunnersmates did not nessecarily operate the guns. This generally fell on other sailors, mostly deck Seamen, Boatswainsmates and Supply department folks. Gunnersmates were in the mounts to effect repairs if something broke down, and maned the magazines. This is not to say that GMs never operated the guns, but it was not a main function.

 

Steve Hesson

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Salvage Sailor
I know this may be a little knit-picky and I don't mean to put you down but this is not a striker. A striker is basically the rating that a non rated seaman is "striking" for and will be worn in the rating when he reaches PO/3. They were worn near the cuff during WWII but it is done differently now. This is a Distinguishing Mark which shows a job or skill other than what he is rated in. That is why the Marines wear them, they are basically Marines but have another skill on board ship so they wear the badge for it.

 

 

and to be nit-picky-picky, that's the description of a 'designated striker' in USN parlance.

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  • 3 weeks later...

"GREETINGS & SALUTATIONS!" Some years ago I created a book titled "Specialty Marks Catalogue" (1996), but never found a publisher, drew over one thousand drawings based on actual insignia which included distinguishing marks and qualification badges as well such as for "Gun Captain," see artwork below. Hope this helps! :) Sarge Booker of Tujunga, California

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