Re: [OT] Bravo Zulu

From: "Indy" <kochte@stsci.edu>

> "laserlight@quixnet.net" wrote:
> >
> > The term originates from the Allied Signals Book (ATP 1). Signals
are
sent
> > as letters and/or numbers, which have meanings by themselves
sometimes
or
> > in certain combinations. A single table in ATP 1 is called
"governing
> > groups," that is, the entire signal that follows the governing group
is
to
> > be performed according to the "governor." The letter "B" indicates
this
> > table, and the second letter (A through Z) gives more specific
information.
> > For example, "BA" might mean "You have permission to . . . (do
whatever
the
> > rest of the flashing light, flag hoist or radio transmission says)
"BZ"
> > happens to be the last item in the governing groups table. It means
"well
> > done."
>
> As per http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/questions/bzulu.html ?  ;-)

I was going to write to Laserlight regarding saying more than was wise
about ATP 1 vol 2, but since the USN has the data on the web, I won't
have
to
shoot him.

ATP 1 vol 2 is (to state the bleedin obvious) classy. 20 years go, it
was
highly
classy IIRC. BZ was in common usage, but even the existence of governing
groups
wasn't widely known.

>From http://home.earthlink.net/~mcmillanj/signals/Signals.html

> Allied Tactical Publication 1, Volume II, Allied Maritime Tactical
Signal
and Maneuvering Book (NATO CONFIDENTIAL)

(This also has pix of the hoist "BZ")

This conflicts with
http://www.swos.navy.mil/doc/CP%20I/Module%202/Student%20Guide/Informati
on%2
0Sheets/Is2-16.doc where Vol II is classified as "NATO RESTRICTED", the
lowest grade of classification there is.

> (1) ATP 1 (VOL. I), Allied Maritime Tactical Instructions and
Procedures -
basic			  maneuvering instructions, tactics and
procedures
for all Allied navies. (NATO				   CONFIDENTIAL)

> 2) ATP 1 (VOL II), Allied Maritime Tactical Signal Book - contains
standard			  maneuvering, operating and
administrative
signals. (NATO RESTRICTED).

I don't know whether it's my memory that's at fault, or whether these
have
been declassified,
but IIRC both had higher classifications in the past.

This from http://smmlonline.com/archives/VOL0424.txt says a lot more,
but
apart from
one real code (Alpha Delta Two Eight - also commonly known), uses
hypothetical examples.

> Consider a *hypothetical* page "AA" in the signal book that means
"Take
Station". "Take Station in line astern of the Guide" might be "AA1",
"AA2"
might be for "Take Station in Column Open Order" instead of Line Astern,
and
AA3 might mean "Take Station in Line Abreast". To use the amplifying
info,
"AA1-2" might mean "Take station in line astern of the Guide at twice
the
normal spacing between ships". This would use the rectangular flags for
A,
A, 1, and 2, and a tackline between the 1 and the 2. If something other
than
the normal sequence of ships is desired, the signal would designate
sequence
with pennant number flags for ID. Therefore, to tell the group to line
up
with triple spacing with CG29 leading, FFG10 next, followed by DD966,
the
signal might look like "AA1-3", "desig" (pennant), "C" (flag), "9"
(pennant), "desig", "F" flag, "0" pennant, "desig", "D" flag, "6"
pennant.
This would be spoken as "alpha alpha one tack three desig charlie niner
desig foxtrot zero desig delta six. These 12 flags would not all fit on
one
halyard, so they would have to be read in a sequence - I think it was
outboard to inboard. As soon as the signal was understood by all and
executed by the Officer in Tactical Command (OTC), as the first ship in
the
new line, CG29 would fly flag "Golf", indicating the "Guide" of the new
formation. Of course, that was for a *hypothetical* signal.

> Another hypothetical signal might break to "On arriving in port,
anchor at
anchorage N(orth) 32 and send a boat with two medical personnel to the
Senior Officer Present Afloat".  This might be something like AD3 AN
desig
N32 DE37-1-2-13. Hypothetically.

> On a final note, in Portsmouth, UK, I bought a mug from "Pusser's Rum"
(as
opposed to Budweiser) with AD28 on the side. This just happened to break
to
"Splice the Mainbrace".(note from Shane: "oh no", now we'll see that on
all
Brit ships :-) ) I don't mind giving away a signal that doesn't work on
our
"dry" ships.