USN Ships 1944 Signal lamp…

DIRECTIONAL LIGHT SIGNALLING

A signal lamp (also called an Aldis lamp) is a visual signaling device for optical communication

Flashing light signaling includes the use of searchlights; employing Morse code, special characters and procedure. Directional flashing light is the term applied to the transmission of signals by a narrow beam of light.

"On U.S.Navy" vessels, the directional signal projector was either a 12-inch Signal Projector (Displayed) or a 24-inch Signal Projector. In the U.S. Navy, The 12-inch signal/search light used an incandescent bulb, which could also be trained and elevated. There were also 24-inch carbon arc signal/search lights. Both of these lights were equipped with a handle on each side of the barrel (for left or right-handed operators to send visual (light) Morse code.

The 12-inch range was normally limited to about 14 miles or the horizon. The 24-inch carbon arc was much more brilliant and the signals (at night) could be bounced off the cloud cover and around the curvature of the earth. It has been told in visual communicators circles that a Morse signal sent by light has been confirmed (by radar) to have been sent up to a distance of two ships 80 miles apart!"

U.S. Navy Lamps were used during 1944 (WWII) and made by: General Electric Co., Toronto.

The 24 inch signal projector, received Power from the ship's 220 volt DC mains was applied to three resister boxes connected in series which would drop the voltage down to a safer level - around 67 volts. The projector was energized with a three-pole connect/disconnect switch. As of 2007, signal projectors are still used by most of the world's navies including the Royal Navy and the United States Navy.

Old WWII shutter assembly for a signal lantern or light works by returning to the closed position after releasing the handle.

Assembly that measures about 14 3/4" diameter with the width being about 22" handle to handle and the depth is about 6". Ready to hang right out of the box!

Signal lamp training during World War II.Signalman Seaman practices his semaphore

In the U.S. Navy, "signalman" (usually nicknamed "Flags" or "Skivvy Waver") was a job field combining both visual communications, and advanced lookout skills. While there was certainly a Signalman rating before World War II . The Signalman rating is one of the oldest in the Navy, a specialized Signalman rating was established shortly after the war. Then, Signalmen were identified by the symbol of two crossed semaphore flags on the left sleeve of the uniform, integrated with their rank insignia. Signalmen were responsible for transmitting, receiving, encoding, decoding, and distributing messages obtained via the visual transmission systems of flag semaphore, visual morse code, and flaghoist signalling.

The U.S. Navy disestablished the rating of Signalman in late 2003, reassigning visual communications duties to the Quartermaster rating. Signalmen were either absorbed into the Quartermaster rating, or allowed to switch to other job fields in the Navy. Many chose the Master-at-Arms rating, which expanded dramatically to meet the needs of the Navy in the War on Terror.

IWM info display28 mar 2015