Yeoman and Radio Room Type Writers

[Mark Sarsfield]

Guys, what brand and model type writer(s) would have been assigned to these two areas?  We have three aboard Batfish, but before we spend any money on maintenance, we'd like to know if we have the correct ones.  I understand that multiple manufacturers would have had contracts with the Navy.

[emeacho]

When you find out, please let us on Torsk know.  Thanks!

[Mark Sarsfield]

We found a few Royal typewriters on the internet that have U.S. Navy etched onto them.  At the beginning of the war, the War Dept. grabbed up every typewriter that they could find for sale. Ships and shore installations that didn't get issued one had someone go to the local shops to buy one.   It sounds like Royal had portable type writer contracts with the Navy, but the Army used whatever they could find.  A lot of the typewriter manufacturers went to making other items, like weapons -i.e. Underwood.  We have an Underwood in our Yeoman's "shack".

A BLHA member posted pics of all 3 type writers on our Yahoo page and the two in the radio shack are a Royal and an L.C. Smith & Bros., which is pre-war.

[Paul Farace]

My reserach has pointed to UNDERWOOD typewriters for most boats during the war...  but I am sure there could be other manufacturers involved!  The yeoman had a regular typewriter, but the radio shack had special models with NO LOWER CASE letters!  Only UPPERCASE!    That should make ID pretty easy.  Oh, and they usually has USN stampted or painted somewhere on them!  Good luck!

 

[Lance Dean]

I spoke to a gentleman who served on the USS Tambor.  He said he believed they used a Royal typewriter there.

[Mark Sarsfield]

We have seen a number of vintage Royal typewrites with "U.S. Navy" stamped on them.  That is interesting info regarding the all caps typewriter for the radio room, but that makes sense since telegrams had always been typed in caps, since Morse code was invented.