- Salty
Denims that have been tied to lines and streamed in the ship's wake for a couple of days to get that "salty" look.
- Scrambled Eggs
The gold on the bill of an officers hat starting at the commander level, and
since the captain of a destroyer was always a commander then it was also
synonymous with "the Captain."
- Scronge
A sailor who is messy in all ways, especially shower and clothing whereby the feeling is to get him squared away fast.
- Scrounge
A sailor who doesn't keep himself clean. Any civilian.
- Scullery
Where all the trays and cutlery are cleaned on the mess decks.
- Scuttlebutt
Rumors. The accuracy of scuttlebutt is inversely
proportional to the length of time prior to reaching port.
Scuttlebutt was what a drinking fountain was called. Probably as that is
where rumors were passed (or vice versa.)
- Sea Bag
Canvas bag which held all a sailor's wordly (navy) goods. Carried over the shoulder by a strap.
- Sea Daddy
An older sailor that takes a younger one "under his wing" to keep him out
of trouble.
- Sea Legs
To "get your sea-legs", gain experience aboard ship, especially "underway".
- Sea Locker
An aluminum locker under the bunks for storage of personal gear.
- Second Class
Best rate in the US Navy. Too low to be responsible for screw-ups (that was for the first classes and chiefs to worry about), but high enough to get out of grunt work, and was normally the most technically qualified of all the rates and worked on the equipment. Known by characteristic crook of two first fingers due to constant carrying of coffee cup.
- Sewer Pipe Sailor
Any crewmember of a diesel-driven "target".
- Shelaylee
The thing used on your butt when you became a shellback.
- Shellback
A sailor who has crossed the equator, went through the initiation, and got the shellback certificate. Now he can dish it out.
- Shipping Over
What some poor fools did when their enlistment expired, usually after soft-soaping from the gang's officer and sweetened by a thousand dollar bonus. What they usually regretted a week later.
- ShipShape
To get everything in order or squared away.
- Side-Boys
A number of sailors used at the
quarterdeck to render honors to visiting senior officials/local
dignitaries. The number of side-boys used depended upon the rank of
the visiting dignitaries.
- Single Up
Taking a single half hitch over the bollard and keeping the line tight to stop the ship's forward or reverse motion so it doesn't slam into the pier or the next ship in line, when the junior officer in charge is trying to dock the ship.
- Skate
What you called it when you were sleeping instead of working in a place
no one would find you.
- Skimmer
Term used by
bubbleheads who ride in those targets (submarines) to describe any sailor
who sails on any vessel on top of the water.
- Skivvies
A sailor's underwear.
- Skivvy Boy
A sailor on "liberty", who is almost always seen only in his skivvies.
- Skivvy Club
Where the USO held dances for the swabbies and other, even lower forms of life (like marines), to meet women.
- Skivvy Waver
Signalmen. Skivvy Wavers live in a little hut on top of
the bridge where they figure no one on the bridge can ever see what they do.
This, of course, is a great place for others to go screw off, especially
if there is something interesting to look at through the big binoculars.
- Skosh
A little, as in time or quantity.
- Skunk
An as yet unidentified surface radar contact (to be tracked for course and speed,
identification, radio contact etc.) in the ships Combat
Information Center (CIC).
- SNAFU
"Situation Normal, All Fucked Up". Adopted from the Brits.
- Snap to
To come to attention.
- Snipes
Engineers. Snipes live down below and can occasionally be
see emerging from small hatches in the main deck.
- SOG
Sonarman rate, changed to STG in mid sixties.
- SOS
Not "Save Our Ship". It stands for "Shit On a Shingle" (creamed chipped beef on toast).
A common breakfast lukewarm food (minced beef on toast) or any chow that's awful.
- SPs
Shore Patrol. Your buddies with an armband and a night stick.
- Sparks
A radioman.
- Spit Kit
A World War II term for any minesweeper.
- Spit Shine
A shoe shine to get the shiniest job, using spit or water.
- Spud Coxswain
The "mess cook" assigned to peeling "spuds" ('taters,
y'all!). He also prepared salads and condiments for the crew's "mess".
It was considered a "promotion" and a sign of acceptance into the
"galley".
- SQS-23
Hull mounted sonar. All FRAM destroyers were fitted with
this sonar set.
- Squid
A modern term for a "swab".
- Standby
To standby for further orders or to get a standby for your watch or duty by swapping or you owed it to the other fellow.
- Standing Orders
"Keep then out of the trees." Actual orders to yours truly when on SP in Gitmo Naval base, Cuba.
- Starboard
In the beginnings of sail-craft the rudder was nothing more than a "board"
that the cox'n could "steer" with. It was the "steer-board"
and was always
placed on the right side (facing forward) so that the strongest arm
(apologies to all right-challenged persons) could be brought to bear.
The other side of the boat became to be called "port" because when the boat
was tied up the "steer-board" side would always be placed away from possible
damage.
- Stow it
1) To put something in it's place and 2) an order to shut up!
- Steaming
Underway.
- Striker
A seaman that is trying to attain a rating. Such as an ET or sonarman, or radioman rating.
- Submarine
A target.
- Sunburn
Damaging government property.
- Swab
A sailor. A mop.
- Swabbies
Sailors.
- Sweepers
What you did for extra duty.
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