Radarman was a rating in the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

and the

U.S. Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...

during, and after,

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The following ratings existed during the war for male or female enlisted personnel training, or with training, in the operation and maintenance of radar sets:

Levels of Rating

* Radarman, striker (E-3) – designated RD. * Radarman, RDSN (E-3) – designated RDSN. * Radarman 3rd class (E-4)- designated RD3. * Radarman 2nd class (E-5) – designated RD2. * Radarman 1st class (E-6) – designated RD1. * Radarman, chief (E-7) – designated RDC. * Radarman, senior chief (E-8) – designated RDCS. * Radarman, master chief (E-9) – designated RDCM.

Duties

The radarman was generally required to attend and complete a U.S. Navy Class "A" radar school at a designated

Naval Training Center A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It inc ...

s (NTC) in the

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. Once assigned to a ship or shore station, the radarman was required to operate and maintain the installed

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

and electronic warfare equipment. Radarmen were specially trained in emergency repair procedures, as their assigned vessels went into combat areas. The Radarman (RD) rating was changed to

Operations Specialist Operations Specialist (abbreviated as OS) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed ...

(OS) in October 1972, with its operational duties assigned to the OS rating, electronic warfare operation and maintenance to the Electronic Warfare Technician (EW), and its radar maintenance duties to the Electronics Technician (ET) rating. Operations Specialists play an important role with search-and-rescue teams, such as man overboard and directing search-and-rescue helicopters to downed pilots at sea. The Operations Specialist also operates radar, navigation, and communications equipment in shipboard and combat information centers (CICs) or bridges. They detect and track ships, planes, and missiles. They operate and maintain IFF (identification friend or foe) systems. Since changing from RD to OS, the OS rating has taken on more functions or duties. Besides Radar navigation, tactical communications, naval gunfire support, and Air Intercept Control (AIC), the OS now directs amphibious operations, establishes and maintains tactical data links, Anti-Submarine Tactical Air Control (ASTAC), Strike control, and other duties.

United States Coast Guard

The

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

Radarman specialized training took place at the RD "A" school located at the

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, These men and women could serve on a variety of assignments including large Coast Guard Ships and Vessel Traffic Services. The school was later moved to United States Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

where is stayed until 2003. The rate was changed to Operations Specialist during the "Merger of the Millennium" in the summer of 2003.Powers, Paul (October 2001). United States Coast Guard Retrieved on2007-05-26

References

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External links

WWII U.S. Navy Enlisted Rates

USCG Radarman Group
United States Navy ratings

Levels of Rating

Duties

United States Coast Guard

See also

References

External links