The Bluejacket's Manual

Book excerpt: From the days of oars and coal-fired engines to the computerized era of the 21st century, The Bluejacket’s Manual has been an essential part of the American Sailor’s sea bag for over one hundred years, serving as an introduction to the Navy for new recruits and as a reference book for Sailors of all ranks. Written by a Sailor whose decades of naval service included sea duty in patrol craft, destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers as both an officer and a “white hat,” this newest edition has been overhauled to reflect the current state of the ever-evolving United States Navy and includes chapters on ships and aircraft, uniforms, weapons, damage control, communications, naval customs and ceremonies, security, leadership, pay and benefits, naval missions, military fundamentals, and seamanship. Since Lieutenant Ridley McLean wrote the first edition of this perennial classic, the Navy has grown from fledgling sea power to master of the world’s oceans, and both technology and American culture have changed in ways probably unimaginable in his day. Although The Bluejacket’s Manual has necessarily evolved (through more than twenty revisions) to reflect those changes, its original purpose has remained steadfastly on course. Like its predecessors, this new edition makes no attempt to be a comprehensive textbook on all things naval—to do so today would require a multivolume set that would defy practicality—but it continues to serve two very important purposes. First, it serves as a primer that introduces new recruits to their Navy and helps them make the transition from civilian to Sailor. Second, it serves as a handy reference that Sailors can rely on as a ready source of basic information as they continue their service, whether for only one “hitch” or for an entire career. To that end, this 25th edition has been reorganized to more efficiently reflect those dual purposes, with the first part of the book consisting of “Chapters” that provide introductions and basic explanations that Sailors new to the Navy will find most helpful, and the second part consisting of “Tabs” that deal with specifics—often mere tables—that seasoned Sailors will find useful for reference purposes. Also unique to this latest edition has been the creation of an accompanying website that will serve to keep the book current and provide valuable supplementary material. In total, this latest edition of a recognized Navy classic continues to serve today’s “Bluejackets” and “Old Salts” in the traditional manner while providing a fresh approach that will be welcomed by potential recruits, Navy buffs, and a growing number of Bluejacket Manual collectors.