What specialists (ratings) were typically assigned to submarines?

These are the typical ratings for these submarines in WW2. Since then, the names of some ratings have changed. For example, motor machinist mates became enginemen. Pharmacist mates became hospital corpsmen. Another rating, gunner’s mate, became no longer applicable to submarines when the guns were removed in the early ‘50s. However, missile techs have been added to submarines with Tomahawk or Polaris/Poseidon/Trident missiles.

1. Cook – prepared and cooked the meals. The overnight cook was the baker who made bread, rolls, cakes and pies. The senior cook works with the supply officer to plan meals and order the necessary foods.
2. Electrician mate – responsible for maintaining electrical circuits and motors and operating the cubicle in the maneuvering room. Also responsible for maintaining the battery cells, checking the specific gravity (estimating the power remaining) and adding pure water when needed.
3. Fireman – not yet a specialist, but a young sailor who was assigned to engineering and would eventually pursue a specific rating in that area.
4. Gunner’s mate – responsible for maintaining and operating the guns. Some of this work regarding the guns would also be done by the torpedomen.
5. IC electrician – responsible for interior communications equipment including signaling systems.
6. Machinist mate - responsible for mechanical systems other than the engines, such as the air conditioning, pumps, motors and mechanical systems other than the main engines.
7. Motor mac – a motor machinist mate, responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of the four main engines and the smaller “donkey” diesel which was in the lower level of the after engine room.
8. Pharmacists mate – the “medic” who cared for his shipmates’ illnesses and injuries. These men were specially selected and trained for independent duty since there was no physician aboard the boats.
9. Quartermaster – responsible for navigation and signaling between ships. Since submarines were often operating independently, signaling wasn’t often required. Assisted the navigator and tracked the ship’s position between fixes.
10. Radioman – responsible for sending and receiving messages as well as maintaining and repairing the radio equipment. Routed messages to the captain and other officers as appropriate. Alerted the communications officer when highly classified messages needed additional decoding. Responsible for keeping the crypto codes secure while in use.
11. Seaman – similar to a fireman, not yet a specialist, but a young sailor who was assigned to an operations department and would eventually pursue a specific rating in that area.
12. Sonarman – responsible for operating, maintaining and repairing the sonar equipment. Listened for the sounds of other ships in the area and alerted the officer of the deck (OOD) to any unusual or unexpected sounds.
13. Stewards mate – supported the officers; staffed the serving galley; provided the captain with coffee; etc.
14. Storekeeper – worked with the supply officer to submit the forms to obtain the food, spare parts and other supplies needed by the boat.
15. Torpedoman – responsible for maintaining and repairing the torpedoes on the boat. May have been part of the gun crews. Maintained the charge in the electric torpedoes. Maintained the torpedo tubes and associated equipment.
16. Yeoman – administrative assistant. Maintained the records for assigned personnel and other records for the boat. An example would be the patrol reports as directed by the captain.
17. Mess cooks – these would normally be the newest and most junior members of the crew assigned to assist the cooks. They were most often seamen or firemen who have not yet been assigned to departments. (Mess cook was not a specialty or rating.) Mess cooks helped with meal preparation and with cleanup. It was equivalent to KP duty in the Army. However, on submarines this was not usually a punitive assignment.