Foo - Popeye.

Was popeye in the Navy or the Merchant Marine. IF he was in the Navy what was his rate? Oh by the way I did a google search on switchel . It is a new England thing and apppears to be mixed much sweeter than the recipe I first came across. :D

Was popeye in the Navy or the Merchant Marine. IF he was in the Navy what was his rate? Oh by the way I did a google search on switchel . It is a new England thing and apppears to be mixed much sweeter than the recipe I first came across. :D

I don't think Popeye's employment status was ever explicitly stated, but whenever he was at sea, he seemed to be the captain, so I would guess he was an owner/operator. If he was in the Navy, given the size of his forearms, he would have been a Boatswain's Mate.

In Elzie Segar's Thimble Theater comic strip, Popeye was originally introduced as a civilian sailor. In the first animated cartoons Popeye was still a civilain, but during the Second World War he enlisted in the US Navy. I don't think his rank was ever specified, but he spent a lot of time swabbing decks. After the War, Popeye returned to civilian life.

For a fuller discussion see: http://www.popeyethesailor.com/club/opf9.htm

given the size of his forearms, he would have been a Boatswain's Mate.

really? interesting; why's that?

-alex.

Boatswains mate do chipping painting and scraping . They also work tieing up and casting off ships and the line is heavy and thick . It would have even been more so in the thirties before the advent of synthetic line.Line then would have been cotton or manila or hemp which is not as strong as synthetics and so had to be thicker and heavier . Bosuns mate have to do lots of hard physical work although this becomes less as you move up in rank.Bm's also make things out of rope and work various knots etc as well as splicing line and handling cargo.

Boatswain's Mates are usually not deep thinkers and often resort to violence to solve problems, just like Popeye ;) they are usually the toughest (salty) men on a ship who out work all the other rates 2:1

Oh really? That is my Navy rate. And given your thoughts on them perhaps you are one ,that is a pretty nasty attack.besides when Popeye does resort to violence isn"t Olive Oyl usually saying ," Help Popeye Save Me !" and does not Bluto or Brutus usually have her in Jeopardy and it is necessary.

Oh really? That is my Navy rate. And given your thoughts on them perhaps you are one ,that is a pretty nasty attack.besides when Popeye does resort to violence isn"t Olive Oyl usually saying ," Help Popeye Save Me !" and does not Bluto or Brutus usually have her in Jeopardy and it is necessary.

Yes, Popeye was a trouble maker with a fetish for skinny gals that constantly needed to be saved, and leafy vegetables....wanna fight? :D

or maybe Bluto was a BM?

Yes, Popeye was a trouble maker with a fetish for skinny gals that constantly needed to be saved, and leafy vegetables....wanna fight? :D

or maybe Bluto was a BM?

Naw, Bluto wasn't all that swift, so he was probably a snipe. Who would willingly live in the engine room, where even in the dead of winter, it was 100+ degrees? No thanks. Unless, I was either the Oil or Water King, having my own little air conditioned office and Bluto sure wasn't smart enough to be either one of those.

At least the Boats lived topside, in the sunshine.

P.S. To Navy types, ever hear of Jack of the Dust? Who is that and what are his duties?

ever hear of Jack of the Dust? Who is that and what are his duties?
http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14163/css/14163_283.htm.
A jack-of-the-dust must be appointed to be responsible to the accountable FSO for the safekeeping of all food stored in these spaces. Even small ships with few MSs should assign a jack-of-the-dust this primary responsibility. This is a full-time job that involves receiving, storing, and issuing subsistence, and completing all the appropriate documentation. All food in these spaces must be recorded on the inventory cards maintained by the records keeper.

also:
http://usschamplin.com/sw_1201_page6.html
What is a "Jack of the Dust"?
A: The "Jack of the Dust" supplied stores to the galley as needed to prepare meals, and was a member of the Storekeepers group.

And here:
http://www.bluejacket.com/tradition.htm
Jack-of-the-Dust. Jack o' the Dust. Person in charge of breaking out provisions for the food service operation. Originates with the British Navy. "Jack," a Royal Navy sailor, who worked in the bakery and was covered with flower dust. Also, "Dusty."

Interesting about Jack of the Dust . I have not heard that previously.

Oh really? That is my Navy rate. And given your thoughts on them perhaps you are one ,that is a pretty nasty attack.besides when Popeye does resort to violence isn"t Olive Oyl usually saying ," Help Popeye Save Me !" and does not Bluto or Brutus usually have her in Jeopardy and it is necessary.
Boats, you need to chill man. For a boatswain's mate, you sure do have thin skin bro. Chill...

I'd say MM's or EN's are about as monkey handed as BM.

Naw, Bluto wasn't all that swift, so he was probably a snipe.
Bwaaaahahahaha!!!

I betcha he was a BT>!>!>

Interesting about Jack of the Dust . I have not heard that previously.
Did you never go mess cranking James Haury? What kind of BM are you?

If you ever went crankin' (which any real sailor has done).. you'd know that.

Did you never go mess cranking James Haury? What kind of BM are you?

If you ever went crankin' (which any real sailor has done).. you'd know that.

I'd bet he spent his mess crank days fluffing pillows and fetching coffee up in O-Country. I know i did and I never heard of a jack-of-the-dust.

Fluffing pillows and fetching coffee? Sheesh - our coop cleaner never did that for us in our 8-man. Though, when we did start flying missions for Desert Storm, he did start returning our laundry folded rather than wadded up in the mesh bags. And yes, we did thank him profusely for it... it's the small things that make life easier, you know?

As for Bluto, I'd say he could be an ABF....

I'd bet he spent his mess crank days fluffing pillows and fetching coffee up in O-Country. I know i did and I never heard of a jack-of-the-dust.

Well, as a veteran of the deepsink (2nd worse), the JOTD had to be the best job. I did a sting in O country for a while, 2nd tour, but I drew the line at making beds. Just didn't sit well with me. So back to the mess decks. Long hours, and hot in the gulf back then... Liberty in Muscat Oman.. Drinking beer in the Beer Garden in Jebal Ali.. Getting rowdy in the sea farer center. Buying boot leg tapes and CD's. NO LIBERTY BUDDY stuff back then.

AE 33, FSA of the Month too. That was.. Man, back in 1993. Good times. Dirt poor E3..

Perhaps Jack o the dust was a west coast term?

Bwaaaahahahaha!!!

I betcha he was a BT>!>!>

Most likely! But I go far back when they had BR's, Boiler Repairmen and SF's Shipfitters and UT, Utilitiesmen, which we called Urinal Techs. SF's, UT's and MRs, Machinery Repairmen, were combined in the HT rate back in the late 1960's. BRs were changed to BTs.

Also, back when I remember first hearing of Jack of the Dust, there were no such thing as MS's and crankin' didn't involve being an Officer's slave. I also heard Jack of the Dust on the West Coast, in the Med, and the IO.

The Cooks were CS's and the Officer's slaves were SD's. They were combined into MSs sometime, I think, in the mid 1970's. We called the cooks, Gut Robbers and Stew Burners. We also had some choice names for the Docs, like Dicksmith, Chancer Mechanic, and other equally derisive terms.

I lucked out and never had to crankit. In my division at that time, there were four E-3s, and we were required to send two. Two of the other E-3's has just screwed up royally so they got nominated. The next time it they needed one, I had made 3rd.

That was.. Man, back in 1993. Good times. Dirt poor E3..

1993? I'd been retired for seven years back then!

I'd bet he spent his mess crank days fluffing pillows and fetching coffee up in O-Country. I know i did and I never heard of a jack-of-the-dust.
I am a reservist non prior service enlisted . I do not think I missed much by not mess cranking.