US Navy Seaman vs Other Ratings

[geahanse]

The US Navy had sailors whose ratings were Seaman First Class, Seaman Second Class, etc and then there was Boatswain's Mate Second Class, Machinist's Mate First Class and all others. I don't quite understand how this worked. So a sailor could be just a plain Seaman, and if he becomes a petty officer then his title is Petty Officer 3rd Class? Or a sailor could graduate boot camp and be an Electricians Mate Third Class/Radioman Third Class/etc. which is a petty officer with the same rank as a Seaman who had to work his way to promotion to a Petty Officer? Or a sailor could become a Seaman after boot camp and be "striking" to become an Electricians Mate? I guess I don't fully understand the Seaman rating and how they don't have a skill. What would they do on ships and how come some sailors skip the seaman rating??

[LWD]

This may help some:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Un ... vy_ratings
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ref ... index.html
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq78-1.htm

[geahanse]

Thanks, I understand what the rates are. I just don't understand how or why some sailors skipped the seaman class and star as a Boatswain's Mate Third Class, Machinist's Mate, etc. While others started as seaman third class, which is a way lower rank..also if someone doesn't have a specialty and starts as a Seaman, what happens when they advance to petty officer?

[Sarge]

You don't make 3rd class PO if you don't have a specialty/rate!
There were a wide variety of names/stripe colors for E1-E3 = Seaman was black, airman was green, fireman was red, usv.
You chose or was assigned a specialty rating within your rate group which you worked at as an E1 thru 3. When you passed the time requirement/profiecency test you made 3rd class.
Everyone worked their way thru the E 1 - 3 ranks before becoming a 3rd class PO. I don't remember ever hearing of anyone skipping any of the 3 basic ranks.
Sarge

[geahanse]

Thanks Sarge,that makes a lot of sense. Are you a ww2 veteran?

[Sarge]

Nope. I joined the Navy in 1953. I finished Boot Camp/rate training in Sep and they had quit shooting at each other in Korea in Jul/Aug. Oh well, I stuck around and so got to go to Viet Nam, altho I had switched to the Army by then.
Sarge

[geahanse]

Thank you for your service!