Abbreviations: discussion

[studentforever]

Great, I will admit I didn't think of that combination. It's amazing the number of answers to trivial pursuit type questions you acquire doing Old Weather! Thanks.

[pommystuart]

Whilst I cannot find an abbreviation for them, Seaman's missions operates through a global Mission 'family' network of chaplains, staff and volunteers and provides practical, emotional and spiritual support through ship visits, drop-in seafarers centres and a range of welfare and emergency support services. (Wikipedia)

I saw many in the ports I visited.

[studentforever]

Yes, I'd come across them. Pre-covid I used to knit hats for them. Covid stopped personal visits from their staff and they said they didn't want any more hats and I now knit hats for other charities. I think they've now re-started offering items of knitware to visiting crews,

[pommystuart]

Yes, I'd come across them. Pre-covid I used to knit hats for them. Covid stopped personal visits from their staff and they said they didn't want any more hats and I now knit hats for other charities. I think they've now re-started offering items of knitware to visiting crews,

Well I have to say that was very nice of you. Some ships crew get very poorly treated and low paid. I am sure they would appreciate those hats.

[studentforever]

I've finished the first pass of transcribing Northland's log and am dealing with the dreaded highlights. Right at the beginning I am trying to decode some of the rank abbreviations used by the US Coast Guard. Well MM seems a bit ambiguous according to our crib file and can be used for Machinist or Machinist's Mate. However, some people are described as Mo MM and I can't make up my mind if it is yet another variant of some status of Machinist or carries a seniority implication. Google is no help. Has anyone any info on the various usages. I wondered if MM implied Machinist, MM 1st or 2nd class implied Machinist's mate but Mo MM defeats me. HELP

[Randi]

Motor Machinist's Mate

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ref ... index.html

[pommystuart]

MM could be Master Mariner. (Not sure if that rank is only for merchant shipping)

A master mariner is a licensed mariner who holds the highest grade of licensed seafarer qualification; namely, a master's license.

[studentforever]

Don't think so in this log - there are too many of them in the same crew! I don't think the Coast Guard would be that generous with the wage bill, especially in 1927 which I seem to remember from my schooldays was part of the depression after WW1 although I'm not sure how badly the US was affected compared with Europe.
Worth bearing in mind for other logs though, thanks.