Fiancee's dad was a regular Moses when she was born. He served shipboard during WWII and I'm trying to trace down any info I can on him.

His payrate was listed as "SF2", its not a modern rate in the Navy, and I'm having trouble finding what it means on the web.

Anyone know what SF2 stands for?

Anyone know where I could post or look to find out on which ship he served?

Thanks,

Ryan

I do believe it is either

Ships Fitter, or

Steam Fitter

aka plumber.


SF3, SF2, SF1  (etc..)

the numbers are the 'class' of skill

ex: Ships Fitter 3rd class (PO3 PettyOfficer 3rd class) = paygrade E-4, IIRC

Thanks a bunch.
Not surprised, the whole family has lived in Washington since the Civil War. He was probably from Bremorton.

The rate was Ship Fitter.  I was assigned to the Navy EOD School from 67-71 as an Army NCO and remember that the rate was consolidated with another just before I left.  I don't remember what the rate was but I'm sure it was related.

The reason that I remember was that a friend of mine was an SFC (Ship Fitter Chief).  I used to harass him by telling him that an SFC was a Sergeant First Class and that he was in the wrong service.

[b]EOD_Guy[/b] is more or less right (and here I thought you might have a little sense and you reveal that you're an Army puke). My uncle was an SFC when he retired in '71. In '72 the NAV combined this along with pipefitters (FP) and damage controlmen (DC) into hull maintenence technicians (HT). Because the RATING was so broad, in '86 the NAV opted to split the RATING and reintroduce the DC RATING.

At one time there were also carpenter's mates (CM) which were a welder-type RATING as well.


No, the numerical identifier refers to the RATE or paygrade. If the gentleman in question was an SF2, then he was a shipfitter second class (an E-5).

For the last frigging time, RATE refers to PAYGRADE, RATING refers to skill.

SFs were on EVERY ship in the Navy. Tough tracking that one down without a hull number.

SFs, and their related ratings (except DC) were plumbers, welders, sewer specialists, etc. They were part of the engineering group of ratings.

Prior to my uncle's retirement, a conference of senior enlisted SFs, FPs, and DCs (along with a few corresponding warrant and mustang types) was called in San Diego to write a set of PARs (personnel advancement requirements) for the new combined RATING. Naturally, these guys started bitching and bellyaching that the new RATING would be too broad. The BUPERS assfaces said tough, it's already decided. Write the PARs. Years later, a light comes on in their dim little minds and the rating is broken up.