There was a question about plastic mugs in GP. ChiefScott mentioned that they are common aboard Naval vessels. That got me thinking…
My late father was in the Navy for 20 years, retiring in '68. He had a ceramic, uncovered mug. But I guess the covered kind weren’t invented then.
I wanted to share the mug. There is a log-raft wuth “USS OKLAHOMA CITY” on the site. The cut-ends of the logs have a letter on each: C-O-M-7th-F-L-T. An indian is sitting on the bow, sending smoke signals. Reading left-to-right, is spells S-T-A-R in Morse code. (Of course, the “R” was sent first, so it really says “RATS”.) The indian is wearing a red loin cloth and a “dixie cup”. Behind him is a light blue teepee with “signal flags” (red panties, red bra, red panties) flying from a line. One of the teepee poles flies a light blue flag with three white stars (CLG-5 was the flagship). Aft is a sign that says CS DIV.
On the side (handle facing left) is “LT R.N. WOODS” in gold metal. Below that is a silver metal rank insignia. Below that is “N-52” in gold. There is a silver metal stripe around the brim.
Dad explained to me once what “N-52” meant, but I don’t remember exactly. I think “N” referred to Communications and “5” meant that if four people above him were killed or incapacitated, then he would be in command. I don’t remember what the “2” was for. Any Navy types out there know?