- Baby Cruiser
A World War Two term for a sailor whose enlistment ends at age 21.
- Baffles
An area from 170 degrees to 190 degrees where the screw noise is so great that the sonar can't see any target in that area. Best place for a sub to attack a lone destroyer.
- Banned Places, List of
List posted of out of bounds establishments. List of must-visit places.
- Bathythermograph
A brass torpedo-shaped device measuring about 36 inches long by four inches
wide that sonarmen lowered from a boom on the fantail (in all kinds of
weather). The temperature versus depth was etched on a smoked glass slide.
This data was used to calculate sonar ranges and was done every watch.
- Battle Lantern
A flashlight.
- Beautiful Reflections
Only beat by patent leather shoe, which was illegal.
- Belay
Cancel what was said or an action to take place (as in "Belay that order").
- Belly Robber
The Cook.
- Below Decks
Below the main deck.
- Bird-farm
An aircraft carrier.
- Bird's Away
Term used when you fire a missile.
- Black Gang
Usually engineering.
- Blow Down and Back Suction
When receiving fuel underway, this must be down to prevent a cloud of oil left in the hose from spraying all over your ship when the hose is disconnected on your end.
- Boat Anchor
Any 8088.
- Boat
Any vessel capable of being carried on board a ship. What submariners would get mad over if their sub (larger in most cases than the destroyer) was called.
- Boats
Nickname for any leading Bos'n mates.
- Boatswain's Chair
A single flat seat of plank and ropes which a man sits upon and is lowered over the side for painting or inspection (also called "botsin's chair").
- Bogey
An unidentified flying object.
- Boondockers
Heavy work shoe issued in boot camp and which lasted forever.
- Bos'n Locker
Where the bos'ns hang out. Usually the old salts of the ship, who are the only ones who know how to tie knots and splice lines (ropes) and ropes (cables) with fids and marlinspikes.
- Botsin's Chair
A single flat seat of plank and ropes which a man sits upon and is lowered over the side for painting or inspection (also called "boatswain's chair").
- Bow
The pointy end of the boat.
- Brassnucks
What you kep at the 'Y' in your civies and carried on liberty.
- Brasso
What sailors used to polish their belt buckles.
- Bravo Zulu
The traditional signal sent to an individual, crew, or ship for a task
completed "well done".
- Brightwork
Anything Brass.
- Brow
The railed platform the ship carries onboard to use between ships or the pier to walk on and off (as in "Take in the brow.").
- Bubblehead
Any crewmember of a "target".
- Bug Juice
Koolaid.
- Bulkhead
Term meaning a wall on the inside of a ship
Deck-term for the floor on the inside of a ship
- Bull Ensign
The senior ensign on the ship.
- Bullnose
An opening at the very tip of the bow through which lines for typing up to a dock were laid. When in heavy seas and the bow buried itself itself in green water, the bullnose would produce remarkable jets of water.
- Burma Road
On British "tin-cans", an interior passageway that runs
fore and aft almost the entire length of the ship.
- Butt Kit
An ashtray usually made out of a 3 or 5 inch brass shell casing.
- Butterfly
A sailor's term for a bar girl who hangs around with other guys while you are there to see HER. She comes back occasionally to sit with you.
- Butterfly Boy
Japanese bar-girl term for a sailor with many "girlfriends".
- Button front
The front flap of the Dress Blues, which were fastened by thirteen buttons (one for each original colony).
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