Do You Know These US Navy Terms?

That's right, in U.S. Navy terminology, the "aft" of the boat is the rear end. It's not the stern, which is the very back end of the boat, but aft is headed in that direction.

An abbreviation for "forecastle," the "foc'sle" is a section on the front of a ship. This is usually where the anchor would be dropped from.

The internal telephone system used by the Navy is called the "autovon," short for "Automatic Voice Network." This telephone system was designed for the military and connects the captain of a large warship with all of the crucial areas that make it operate efficiently—for instance, the engine room.

It's just easier to give all the oceans in the world cool, shortened names like West Pac for the Western Pacific. If you were transferred to a ship in the Mediterranean, you would be serving on a "Med cruise."

It stands to reason that "bubbleheads" would serve on a submarine, don't you think? Especially as they spend most of their time underwater! In the past, the term was also used for Navy divers.

In the U.S. Navy, the term "black shoe" refers to a naval officer who is NOT an airman. Officers that are airman will wear brown shoes, not black.

Depending on the size of the ship, anchor chains need different sized chain lockers. For example, on an aircraft carrier, the chain locker would be huge. It has to be to store over 1,400 feet of chain, where the links weigh around 130 pounds each.

A "galley" is just another name for a kitchen aboard a U.S. Navy vessel. Just never call it a kitchen, OK? On a U.S. aircraft carrier, a "galley" will produce close to 20,000 meals a day!

The term "jarhead" was given to Marines by U.S. Navy sailors in World War II. It's said they were called this because in their dress blue uniform, which had a high collar, they looked like a mason jar.

Although "geedunk" refers to any kind of sweet, it's most notably associated with candy. Interestingly, a medal, the National Defense Service Medal, is sometimes called the "geedunk medal."

In nautical terms, the "port" side of a ship is the left-hand side of a ship. Hence, a command of turn 30 degrees to port would see a ship change direction by 30 degrees to the left.

A "combatant ship" is any ship that will be involved in combat should the need arise. U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, submarines and other similar vessels are all considered to be "combatant ships."

The "mess" on a U.S. Navy ship is the area where meals are consumed. And there's not just one mess aboard most vessels; for example, there will be a mess for regular sailors and a separate one for officers.

The "crow's nest" is a lookout point on a ship. Most modern vessels no longer need them, thanks to radar and other detection devices, but in the old days, this was where the most eagle-eyed sailor would sit to spot other ships or land.

Ships are confined spaces, and in some cases, bunks have to be shared. Don't worry, in most cases the sailors sharing the bunk are on different watches, so they don't need to sleep at the same time.

A "fathom" is simply a nautical measurement. It's the equivalent of six feet deep. Originally, it was the distance of the outstretched arms of a sailor.

The "fantail" is found at the rear of the ship. Often, this area of the deck at the rear of a vessel is used for ceremonies, such as the awarding of medals.

That's right, in U.S. Navy terminology, the "bow" of the boat is the front section. On older ships, this is where the figurehead—a beautifully carved piece of wood depicting a lady, for example—would be found.

Sailors are instantly recognizable thanks to the unique caps they wear. These are commonly known as "Dixie Cups" and should always be worn at a jaunty angle!

The commanding officer of a ship would need to get to and from his vessel, especially if it's moored of a port. To do this, he has his own personal transport, a small motorboat called a "gig."

The term "bandit" has been used in aerial warfare since World War I. Today, the U.S. Navy still use it to describe threatening enemy aircraft.

"Birds" are common U.S. Navy terminology for surface-to-air missiles that might be used against enemy aircraft. An example of one is the RIM-67 Standard ER, which could be used against air targets or other enemy naval vessels.

"Topside" is simply the first deck on the ship in which a sailor would be exposed to the elements. Don't worry, they aren't called topside in a storm unless they're needed to man a specific station.

Early radio equipment was not very reliable and could sometime let out sparks or shock their users. For this reason, a radioman is known as a "sparky." This term could apply to an electrician as well.

A goat locker is an area of the boat where you will find the Chief Petty Officers. Why a goat locker? Well, CPOs are normally older than the crew, hence the goat reference. However, legend has it that in the early days, goats were kept on Navy vessels to provide milk, and it was the CPOs that looked after them!

In nautical terms, the "starboard" side of a ship is the right-hand side of a ship. Hence, a command of turn 30 degrees to starboard would see a ship change direction by 30 degrees to the right.

Not strictly a U.S. Navy term but certainly used by sailors, "balls to the wall" means to go as fast as the vessel is capable of going. Early speed controllers on ships had two metal balls that would push forward when the ship was going as fast as it could, hence the term.

Someone boasting that they have had their "crow tacked on" has been promoted in navy terms. Petty Officers wear an emblem of an eagle with inverted chevrons. The eagle is often referred to as a crow.

Have you heard the expression "all hands abandon ship"? Well, it simply means that every member of the crew should get off the ship.

A term that we use today, "batten down the hatches," is a Navy term which means that all watertight fixtures should be closed so no water can come in. This might be done in extreme weather when a ship encounters monster waves.

Destroyers have always been known as "tin cans" in the U.S. Navy. Although these vessels are not that small, they're not as heavily armored as other ships, making them very quick and maneuverable.

Not strictly just a U.S. Navy term, to go "AWOL" means to be absent without leave. This is a very serious offence, and when caught, the person who was "AWOL" will be in very serious trouble.

Simply put, "Davey Jones' locker" is the bottom of the ocean. Many a ship have been sent to their doom here, especially during wartime. Davey Jones is said to be the ocean's keeper.

Engineers aboard U.S. Navy ships are referred to as "snipes." These include machinist's mates, boiler tech's and electrician's mates, among others.

"Ahoy" is a U.S. Navy term that's used to bring attention to something. It might simply be "Ahoy, ship on the horizon," as an example. Originally, it was used as a greeting and actually comes from a Viking battle cry.