As ships passed to steam and orders could be given by remote methods such as the engine order telegraph, a small control deck with an enclosed pilot house was constructed above the main deck of the ship in front of the funnel, usually reaching from side to side and thus 'bridging' the main deck. It became the term used to describe the place where the Captain steered the ship from and gave his orders.

Another tidbit of naval trivia!

MMCM(SS) Greg Peterman USN Retired

Thanks Master Chief, I have to say I've always wondered where this term came from.
PS3

Nice, thanks.

Master Chief you are a plethora of info on Naval trivia!

Jerry

Well with the demise of the QM, SM and who knows what other Bridge watch standers I was just wondering who in the hell is standing the watches up there now. Have they eliminated Flashing light Msg and running up the Flags. I bet it isn't an all Officer area. Please enlighten this poor old confused QM. Westpac Willie

One of the things i liked best about being a QM was that the bridge was our "space". In port, we hung out up there and kicked out anyone who wasn't supposed to be there.

Even got to use the comfy chairs! One time the CO came up (in port) and saw us sitting in his chair. We immediately jumped down and stood at attention and kinda apologized. He told us that when we were in port those were OUR chairs. Nothing like having a duty day and relaxing in the evening on the bridge wing chair.

I love being an HM now, but on i still think that QM is the best ship-board rating.

quote:

Originally posted by outdoorspro:
One of the things i liked best about being a QM was that the bridge was our "space". In port, we hung out up there and kicked out anyone who wasn't supposed to be there.

Even got to use the comfy chairs! One time the CO came up (in port) and saw us sitting in his chair. We immediately jumped down and stood at attention and kinda apologized. He told us that when we were in port those were OUR chairs. Nothing like having a duty day and relaxing in the evening on the bridge wing chair.

I love being an HM now, but on i still think that QM is the best ship-board rating.

After all I said in that other/earlier post you're still not convinced that Deckape is the BEST of all worlds???

quote:

Originally posted by WestpacWillie:
Well with the demise of the QM, SM and who knows what other Bridge watch standers Please enlighten this poor old confused QM. Westpac Willie

OK, I knew that (SM) Signalman have gone away, but QM also???.. spool me up on this???.. And who does the signal flags now, did they do away with signal lamps???.. And who maintains the charts etc.???... Are paper charts all gone now too??

Maybe I'll answer my own question over on Navy.mil, But would appreciate any feedback and information you may offer.

There was just a news item I read a few weeks ago concerning the QM rating. The USN has decided against eliminating the Quartermaster and will retain the rating. It was going to be merged with the OS rating.

quote:

Originally posted by MastersMate:
There was just a news item I read a few weeks ago concerning the QM rating. The USN has decided against eliminating the Quartermaster and will retain the rating. It was going to be merged with the OS rating.

Thanks Mr. L. BTW, here where I work in one of the other departments is a retired CWO2 Coastsguardsman, He was a marine engineering tech. He gets all kinds of grief, especially from a former Navy BT...

I live near NAS Lemore and was at the small stores (Uniform Shop now) and they did not have any QM rating badges. So it was assumed (we all know *** umed) that they had done the dastardly deed. Good to know that they will still be around. OS's maintain their own Charts and pubs or did when I was in. Flashing light was part of the QM rate however it was usally only small ship type QM's that would do it more than as fun thing. Had an ET Shipmate that we would do semaphore in the Bars. Use it or lose it and now I have lost most of it. Westpac Willie I toast the Navy and it's wisdom in retaining the QM Rating.

The whole idea of mergin the QM rating with OS was wrong, misguided, evil and unholy.

It was one of the few examples of Navy wisdom (very rare these days) to retain the QM rating. I don't know who it was, but someone was able to convince them that on a surface ship at least, NAVIGATION is kinda important.

I have never been so proud of any job i've ever held as i was to be a QM. A NAVIGATOR. That's some traditional stuff that goes way back. Truly, only the BMs carry more Navy and nautical tradition on their shoulders.

Like i said above, i'm very proud to be an HM now, but in my mind at least, i will always be a Quartermaster!