''The Bluejacket's Manual'' is the basic handbook for

United States 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 ...

personnel. First issued in 1902 to teach recruits about

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

procedures and life and offer a reference for active sailors, it has become the "bible" for Navy personnel, providing information about a wide range of Navy topics. The current version, issued in 2017, is the 25th Edition and is given to all enlistees.

History

Before 1902, the Navy had at least two books for training young men in naval procedure. ''Seamanship'', by Captain

Alfred Thayer Mahan Alfred Thayer Mahan (; September 27, 1840 – December 1, 1914) was a United States naval officer and historian, whom John Keegan called "the most important American strategist of the nineteenth century." His book '' The Influence of Sea Power ...

, was the primary textbook about

seamanship Seamanship is the art, knowledge and competence of operating a ship, boat or other craft on water. The'' Oxford Dictionary'' states that seamanship is "The skill, techniques, or practice of handling a ship or boat at sea." It involves topics a ...

at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

but was not used by

enlisted Enlisted may refer to: * Enlisted rank An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...

men; many sailors at the time were still illiterate and in any case, the

oral tradition Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (1985 ...

s and procedures of petty officers were the basis of enlisted sailors' education. ''The Seaman's Handbook'' by LCDR Stephen B. Luce, saw general use in the Merchant Marine, but less in the Navy. 1902 saw the first publication of ''The Bluejacket's Manual'', written by

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

Ridley McLean, as well as the ''Recruit's Handy Book''. Every enlistee received the latter, and by

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, both were being issued to every recruit. The ''Handy Book'' was discontinued in the 1920s. Some manuals published between 1903 and early 1915 have inconsistent edition numbering. The 1903, 1905, 1907, and 1908 were considered the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th editions by the authors and the Naval Institute. In 1914, Franklin Publishing was contracted to publish the 1914 and 1915 book and pamphlet manuals. Because 1914 was the first time Franklin published the manual, they published their edition as the First Edition, the early 1915 version as the 2nd, and the late 1915 one as the 3rd. A single numbering system was restored with the 3rd edition, late 1915 Manual.

Centennial Edition

The 2002 Centennial Edition, also called the 23rd Edition, saw several modifications, including a reversion to its original title: ''Bluejacket's''. The "Navy Education and Training" chapter was expanded, and the "Naval Missions and Heritage" chapter was added. The current (25th) edition's official author is retired

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

Thomas J. Cutler, who called the work a "collaborative effort".

Early editions

Later editions

WWII Editions

Post-war editions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bluejacket's Manual Handbooks and manuals Publications established in 1902 Military training books United States Naval Institute United States Navy publications