# Navy Bells and Whistles **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765 "2005-08-19T16:55:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rillian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rillian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rillian)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765/1 "2005-08-19T16:55:49Z")
A manager in our group is leaving the team. He is ex-Navy and had brought in a ship’s bell that we ring to mark signing contracts and other major events. I understand that bells/whistles are used to mark the departure of officers from a ship in the U.S. Navy and would like to ring our bell in accordance on his last day. Can anyone share the details of the departure ceremony or point me to a Web site with examples? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765/2 "2005-08-19T17:08:46Z")
If you want a ceremony look up “change of command.” As for the bell it is used when the skipper actually walks on or off the ship with a ring of the bell and the announcement using the name of the ship to refer to its commanding officer, e.g. “Constellation,arriving/departing.” I seem to remember the number of bells is tied to his rank. If you have time a surplus store may have a boatswain’s pipe and I’ve seen them at [cheaperthandirt.com](http://cheaperthandirt.com) “Bo’sun, pipe the captain over the side.” I was in aviation but I’m sure we must have at least one old deck sailor on the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765/3 "2005-08-19T17:15:52Z")
What I want to know is when they close the book and blow out the candle. 😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765/4 "2005-08-19T18:53:27Z")
Sadly, the departure of some bosses is marked with the spraying of air freshener. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765/5 "2005-08-19T19:17:20Z")
> [@Rillian](#): > > A manager in our group is leaving the team. He is ex-Navy and had brought in a ship’s bell that we ring to mark signing contracts and other major events. > > I understand that bells/whistles are used to mark the departure of officers from a ship in the U.S. Navy and would like to ring our bell in accordance on his last day. > > Can anyone share the details of the departure ceremony or point me to a Web site with examples? > > Thanks. Do you know what rank he was? The number of bells would correspond to rank as such: Up to 0-4, two bells 0-5 & 0-6, four bells 0-7 & 0-8, six bells 0-9 & 0-10, eight bells. The bells are struck in quick groups of two. So, for example, you would hear: ding-ding (pause) ding-ding “Now, Captain, U.S. Navy, departing” “Now, Captain, U.S. Navy, ashore” (some commands frown on preceding every pipe with “Now”. Of course it’s now, would you start a pipe “later”?) The part of “Captain, U.S. Navy” would be replaced by the name of his or her command, if they had one. If they had no command, then you’d say rank and service as in the above example. Also, if the officer in question is your CO or in the units chain of command, you can forego the second half of the announcement (Now, Captain US Navy ashore) and hit the bell just once. That’s called a “stinger”. > [@Padeye](#): > > If you have time a surplus store may have a boatswain’s pipe and I’ve seen them at [cheaperthandirt.com](http://cheaperthandirt.com) “Bo’sun, pipe the captain over the side.” I was in aviation but I’m sure we must have at least one old deck sailor on the Dope. I’m currently a Chief Boatswain’s Mate, but CG, not Navy. I’m not that old, either. 😃 But the rules of customs and courtesies are the same, however. I’ve piped a few VIPs on and off ships - including then President Clinton. You would never use bells and the bosun pipe - it’s one or the other. If you use the bosun pipe, you’d always use sideboys. Sideboys are usually not used with bells. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/navy-bells-and-whistles/317765/6 "2005-08-19T19:25:13Z")
There are actually two different types of Navy ceremonies that use bells - the change of command, as already mentioned, and the retirement ceremony. If you go to this site: [http://www.fain.net/retirement/gallery8.htm](http://www.fain.net/retirement/gallery8.htm) and click the link near the bottom that says “Piping-over-the-side Ceremony,” you’ll see an example from a Navy Chief’s retirement. The actual piping-over part starts 3 minutes into the video. If your boss is leaving and his replacement will not be in attendance, you might want to use this ceremony as your example. [http://www.fain.net/retirement/gallery.htm](http://www.fain.net/retirement/gallery.htm)