| Question: Commander Cooke, just finished “Pride Runs Deep”, enjoyed it very much. I did six years in USN (61-67) with the last three in a sub. I’m a plank owner of USS U. S. Grant SSBN 631 (Blue). I departed as a ST1 (SS). I grew up in the Navy. I believe the law was “Rocks and Shoals” before the UCMJ. I also think the term COB was used in WWII (see page 29 of “War Patrols of The USS Flasher” by William R. McCants). I can’t be sure but I think radioman were first used as “soundmen” in the WWII boats as sonarman came along later and I had never heard of a “sonar officer”. This book was my first inside view of a subs wardroom as I was an only an observer so to speak but you nailed it when you relayed that they are no secrets on a sub. The only thing that I missed was the assigned nicknames of the crew that EVERY boat has. Thanks Jim. |
| Answer: Jim, Thanks for the info on the “Rocks and Shoals” and on the “COB.” You are right that there were no “sonar officers” per se back in WWII. This was a collateral duty of the communications officer, since (as you point out) the men manning and taking care of the equipment were radiomen. Certainly, when I was aboard boats in the 90s, there was an organizational billet called “sonar officer” which was filled by a junior officer who usually deferred every major decision to the all-knowing sonar chief, but you are right in the sense that officers are not formally trained to be sonar equipment experts. Great to hear from a fellow submariner! Pride Runs Deep! – RCC |
