Our Navy Magazine - November 1968 - Your Science IQ

November 1968 Our Navy Magazine

OUR NAVY
The Navy Man's Magazine Founded 1897
Vol. 63 No. 11
November 1968

On The Cover: An RA-5C Vigilante reconnaissance aircraft is launched from the flight deck of the Atlantic Fleet aircraft carrier USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59).

November Features

  • The First Eight Carriers
    BY RAY YOUNG 2
  • The Reluctant Saint
    BY PETER E. ABRESCH 8
  • "Tursy"
    BY DON GROVES 12
  • Your Science IQ—The Big Bang
    BY L. MACK MENSER 15
  • OUR NAVY'S Ship Of The Month — USS Shasta 16
  • The Wooden Gift
    BY GERALD R. BOLING 20
  • Underwater Demolition Raid
    BY TONY ROACH 22
  • Covers & Cancels
    BY DESMOND D. YAGYI 25
  • Exclusive Interview — The Secretary's Secretary
    BY HAROLD HELFER 35
  • Keelhauling, Modern Style
    BY C. P. PRAHALIS 38
  • Those Who Came Back
    By JIM LEA 39
  • Jack In The Tub
    BY SID SAND 42
  • Fids, Marlinespikes and Salts
    BY HENRY EICHEL 46
  • "Sad Brad"
    BY THEO H. TENNANT 55

News Department

  • Pentagon Report 26
  • Atlantic Report 28
  • Pacific Report 30
  • Yard Report 32
  • Washington Briefs 34
  • Inland Report 38

Regular Features

  • Liberty Port — Waikiki Beach 50
  • Shipmate of The Month 52
  • Crossword Puzzle 57
  • Pass the Word   58
  • Laff Lines 64
  • Book Report 65
  • Editorial 66
  • Picture of The Month      68

Publishers Letter

Dear Friends:

I recall my grandmother saying as she tied a small piece of string to a rather large ball composed of miscellaneous pieces of string in various colors and thicknesses, "if you save something long enough, Paul, you will someday find a use for it."

I would like to make the same prophesy with regard to enlisted uniforms. "If you stay in the Navy long enough, you will eventually have a new uniform."

Actually I can't remember how many times we have been shocked to read that someone has adopted a new uniform for the Navy's bluejackets. Perhaps it all started during WW II when a group of New York society boys joined the Navy to keep out of the Army, and then were dissatisfied with the dress blue jumpers they had to wear to the Stork Club.

Anyway enough "war-duration" sailors wrote to their Congressmen favoring a change so that as soon as WW II was "settled" the uniform question became "unsettled", a new uniform was brought out, and almost forced into use.

OUR NAVY played a vital role in scuttling it through requesting and receiving assurances from Admiral Sherman that the uniform would not be adopted without a Fleet test and evaluation.

The result of the Admiral's test was the "deep six" for the new uniform, but unfortunately it didn't stay down. An assistant Secretary of the Navy and John B. Connolly of Texas, dredged it up, dried it out and issued instructions that the redesigning of the Navyman's uniform should again be undertaken.

Once more the Navy redesigned the enlisted uniform and again Our Navy sounded out men in the Fleet to find out if they really wanted a change; again the answer was a resounding "NO." The Navy's own survey agreed with ours and again the issue was dropped. Now, for the umpteenth time, it has bobbed to the surface again.

This time the Chief of NavPers is reportedly thinking along the lines of a Chief-Type Uniform for 1st Class POs. If you think this is new, any old timer can recall that thousands of fore-and-aft creased, trouser-type uniforms were disposed of, because they were not approved or wanted.

We can't keep up with the many changes that from time to time are reported to be under consideration, but we would like to pose a few questions.

How many enlisted men in the 1st Class Petty Officer rates are leaving the Navy? Would they stay for a new uniform? If not, why fool around with the uniform? How many Chiefs would appreciate 1st class POs getting a uniform that is similar to theirs? And last, but not least, how would we solve the old, old problem of stowage aboard ships of CPO type uniforms?

Reminiscingly,
Our Navy

All photographs are official Department of Defense or Our Navy photos unless otherwise credited. All opinions are those of the editors or contributors, and are not necessarily the official views of the Navy Department or the U.S. Government.

Entire contents copyrighted, 1968, by OUR NAVY, Inc.

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