Yeoman (United States Navy)

The US Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 14) granted the new US Congress the power to build and maintain a navy. It wasn't until 1794, when the deteriorating US relations with Great Britain and France, as well as the continuing attacks by Barbary pirates, forced Congress to appropriate funds to construct 6 frigates. Congress stipulated that each ship was to have one Yeoman of the Gun Room, and one Captain's Clerk. (The Captain's Clerk was the ancestor of the modern Yeoman.[1]) Both of these positions were considered as petty officers.[2] Carpenter's Yeoman and Gunner's Yeoman followed in 1798, and Boatswain's Yeoman in 1799.[1] In the early US Navy, The petty officers were appointed by the ship's captain, and served at his pleasure. They did not retain their rank when they moved to another ship.[3] No uniform regulations were specified for the petty officers and enlisted men until 1817.[4]

With the US Declaration of War against Imperial Germany in April 1917, the Navy needed trained men quickly. Recruits who had the aptitude to be yeomen attended Yeoman School. As the war effort escalated, the US Navy found itself lacking personnel to perform the shore-based duties necessary to support more than 128,000 enlisted personnel.[5] On 17 March 1917, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels received authorization to enlist women to perform yeoman's duties.[6] They were designated Yeoman (F).

The Yeoman School, one of the Navy's Trade Schools, had two locations: Newport RI and San Francisco CA. To enter Yeoman School, the recruit was required to have some prior clerical experience, be able to write legibly, and type a 200-word letter with a passing grade of 70% or better. Knowledge of stenography was desirable, but not required. Steno classes would be available after hours.[7]^:27

Yeoman School, New York Navy Yard ca 1910-19

Supply class at Yeoman School, New York Navy Yard ca 1920

Ship's Writers' Class, Yeoman School, Hampton Roads NTS, VA ca 1920

USS Prometheus, Ship's Repair Office ca 1919-20

Preliminary classes, lasting between 4-6 weeks, would cover arithmetic, spelling, composition, and general Navy knowledge. The final examination would determine eligibility for the next level of classes.[7]^:28 Supply-officer department classes covered preparation of requisitions, surveys, public bills, official returns, and supply-related duties. General bookkeeping, inventories, mess statements, and balance sheets were also taught. Executive-officer department classes covered record-keeping for enlisted men. Correct preparation of forms for arrival/departure of men; ratings and disratings; appointments; and discharges, desertions, & death was covered. Pay-officer department classes required a thorough knowledge of arithmetic. Making up payrolls, computing pay for officers and enlisted men (including allowances, bounties, and extra pay), calculating credit and interest on payroll savings accounts, and preparing payroll checks were some of the duties covered in these classes. Commanding-officer department classes covered the production of various forms of official correspondence, such as official letters, and endorsements. The yeoman had to be familiar with the channels through which the documents would pass, as well as the approved filing systems for storing the paperwork. Generating the proceedings for courts-martial and other courts of inquiry or inquests was also covered. The use and proper care of a typewriter was extremely important in the preparation of these documents. Each of the above classes was 5 weeks long.[7]^:29

Upon entering Yeoman School, the recruit's ranking was landsman-for-yeoman, with a monthly salary of $17.60. Good grades and good conduct could be rewarded with a promotion to lands-for-yeoman, second class, and a monthly salary of $20.90. Upon graduation, the ranking would be either yeoman, third class (Y3C), at $33.00 per month or yeoman, second class (Y2C), at $38.00 per month. The new yeomen would be granted 10 days leave, with additional time allowed for travel, before transferring to his next station. [7]^:29

Typing pool at the Navy Department, Washington DC ca 1918-19. Typists are a mixture of Yeomen (F) and civilians. Note two male Chief Yeomen at the front desks.

The Civil Service Commission notified Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels in early 1917 that it could not supply the clerical support needed by the Navy. Exactly who originated the idea of enlisting women with the necessary skills is uncertain. Daniels consulted his legal staff as to whether the language of The Naval Act of 1916 prohibited women. Advised that it did not, Daniels responded, "Then enroll women in the Naval Reserve as yeomen,’ I said, ‘and we will have the best clerical assistance the country can provide.’"[6] By war's end, there were more than 11,000 women serving as Yeoman (F) of the US Naval Reserve. The women also contributed to the war effort in non-clerical positions, replacing their male counterparts who were called for sea duty. They became switchboard operators, recruiters, code decipher clerks, painters, look-outs at naval bases, translators, and messengers. They also dispersed pay, designed ship camouflage, and manufactured munitions. As Secretary Daniels had observed, “They did everything except go to sea.”[8] Yeoman (F) recruitment stopped on 11 November 1918. The young women had enlisted for 4 years, so they remained on active duty until 1920. Afterwards, many of their supervisors urged Daniels to retain the now-discharged yeomen as civilians doing the same jobs.[8]

Yeoman 2nd Class Frederick W Wilson, USS President Lincoln ca 1917-18

Convoy escort duty of the ships transporting men and materiel to Europe became the primary function of the US Navy during WW 1. Originally the responsibility of US Army Transport Service, which was not equipped to provide the vessels needed to transport the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) to Europe. The US Navy assumed the role of transporting the AEF, with its Cruiser and Transport Force (CTS), and established a trans-Atlantic convoy system in cooperation with Great Britain. USS President Lincoln was part of the CTS.

President Lincoln left Brest, France on 29 May 1918 with 715 persons aboard, including crew, wounded US Army soldiers and other passengers aboard. She sailed in convoy with 3 other transport ships. The convoy escorts left the westbound ships on the evening of 30 May to meet up with an east-bound convoy. The westbound convoy was considered to be safe from German submarines during the night. However, the U-90 had spotted the convoy earlier that afternoon and raced ahead. U-90 attacked the convoy about 9 am on 31 May. Struck by three torpedoes, she sank about 30 minutes later. Three officers and twenty-three enlisted men were killed. None of the Army wounded or other passengers were lost. They were rescued later that day by three destroyers dispatched by the escort commander.[9]

One of the sailors who perished was Yeoman 2nd Class Frederick W Wilson.[10] American Legion Post 62 of Denison TX was named in Wilson's honor. His father, Frederick W Wilson, Sr, was a Denison resident.[11]

The US Navy has a hierarchy that is unique among the US armed forces. "Rank" is reserved for naval officers and warrant officers. "Rate" and "Rating" is applied to enlisted personnel. "Rate" refers to a seaman's pay grade; "rating" refers to the occupational specialty. The approximate naval equivalent of the US Army infantry sergeant would be a Boatswain's Mate Second Class.[3] Following is brief listing of the various yeoman rates and ratings between 1797 and 1896:[1]

• Yeoman of the Gunroom (1797-1813)
• Captain's Clerk (1798)

  => changed to Yeoman (1835}

  => changed to Ship's Yeoman (1884)

  => changed to Yeoman (1893)

• Carpenter's Yeoman (1798)
• Gunner's Yeoman (1798-1838)
• Boatswain's Yeoman (1799-1864)
• Paymaster's Steward (1861)

  => changed to Paymaster's Writer (1867)

  => changed to Paymaster's Yeoman 1c, 2c, 3c (1870)

  => discontinued 1893

• Engineer's Yeoman (1874-1893)
• Equipment Yeoman (1884-1893)
• Ship's Writer (1865)

  => changed to Writer 1c (1893)

  => changed to Yeoman 1c (1896)

• Writer 2c and 3c (1893)

  => changed to Yeoman 2c and 3c (1896)

Note that this list illustrates the gradual shift towards administrative and clerical duties between 1800 and 1900, tasks which are familiar to modern US Navy yeomen.[12]

Yeoman Class 'A' School, approximately 7 weeks long, is held at the Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC), located on the Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi. Yeomen in the submarine service (YNS) then attend 4 weeks of submarine instruction at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut. Yeoman Class 'C' school, for flag officer writer (NEC A15A), is also at NTTC Meridian, and is run as a five-week course.[12]

A yeoman flag writer is a senior yeoman, typically at the petty officer first class (E-6) level or higher, who serves on the personal staffs of flag and/or general officers and certain other senior officers. Flag writers draft personal and professional correspondence, act on matters of social usage, protocol, honors and ceremonies, prepare and liquidate travel orders, and prepare officer reports of fitness for signature by a flag or general officer. They must be able to function independently. Individuals serving as flag writers are in a highly visible position and must conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. Additionally, members will be required to satisfactorily meet any additional requirements of the flag officer. A rating must be an E6-E9 to be eligible for flag writer school.[13]

• Yeoman Seaman Recruit / YNSR (E-1)
• Yeoman Seaman Apprentice / YNSA (E-2)
• Yeoman Seaman / YNSN (E-3) (See USN apprenticeships)
• Yeoman Third Class / YN3 (E-4)
• Yeoman Second Class / YN2 (E-5)
• Yeoman First Class / YN1 (E-6)
• Chief Yeoman / YNC (E-7)
• Senior Chief Yeoman / YNCS (E-8)
• Master Chief Yeoman / YNCM (E-9)[14][15]