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Flags, Codes and Flashing Lights: Signalman - NIEonline · Flags, Codes and Flashing Lights:...
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Flags, Codes and Flashing Lights: Signalman On a US Navy ship during World War II, a sailor couldn’t just write an email or pick up a cell phone to deliver a message to another ship. First of all, that technology didn’t exist. More importantly, the enemy might be listening in. If so, secret plans or fleet movements could be found out. Therefore, the safest way to communicate between ships was using visual signals. US Navy sailors did this in a couple different ways. One way was using light signals. Navy ships were equipped with signal searchlights—bright and powerful lamps that were positioned on the upper levels of the ship. Over the lens was a shutter that could quickly open and close. By doing this, signalmen could send messages by flashes of light. They used the system of Morse Code, which consisted of short and long flashes of light that translated into letters. Morse Code could also be sent as sound, and messages received in the ship’s radio room were often in this code. Another way to communicate safely at sea was through flags. There were two different kinds. Semaphore flags were small and hand-held, and signalmen waved them in certain patterns to convey a message. Signal flags were larger and represented each letter of the alphabet (and numbers), and they were flown from the ship. To send a message to another ship using signal flags, signalmen went to the flag bags, located on either side of the ship. They were not actually a bag, but rather, a large metal trunk in which all the flags were organized by letter and number. From here, signalman attached the flags to a rope and hoisted them up to the yardarm. From this spot, high above the battleship, their message could be seen by nearby ships. Written by Emily Bryant, Battleship Cove NGSS; 4-PS4-3 Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information No matter what the message, signalmen had to be quick and accurate. If the flags were in the wrong order, they could mean something else entirely. COMMON CORE CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.3; Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3; Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5; Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. VISUAL SIGNALING is still used by the US Navy today! The methods and purpose are very much the same as they were in World War II. However, the pay has changed: in 1942, a signalman, first class, was paid $ 114 per month; today, it’s $ 2,490 per month. While most flags stand for a number or a letter, there were some combinations of flags that had special meanings. Here are some examples: BZ = Well done! AM = Have you a doctor aboard? NF = You are heading into danger O = Man overboard NDQ = Shark CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Have students draw or cut-out the letters of their name in signal flags and arrange them on a piece of paper. For a higher-level activity, have students create words in signal flags or Morse Code and have their classmates decode them. Can you decode the flags below? F S
Transcript of Flags, Codes and Flashing Lights: Signalman - NIEonline · Flags, Codes and Flashing Lights:...
Flags, Codes and Flashing Lights: SignalmanOn a US Navy ship during World War II, a sailor couldn’t just write an email or pick up a cell phone to deliver a message to another ship. First of all, that technology didn’t exist. More importantly, the enemy might be listening in. If so, secret plans or fleet movements could be found out. Therefore, the safest way to communicate between ships was using visual signals. US Navy sailors did this in a couple different ways.
One way was using light signals. Navy ships were equipped with signal searchlights—bright and powerful lamps that were positioned on the upper levels of the ship. Over the lens was a shutter that could quickly open and close. By doing this, signalmen could send messages by
flashes of light. They used the system of Morse Code, which consisted of short and long flashes of light that translated into letters. Morse Code could also be sent as sound, and messages received in the ship’s radio room were often in this code.
Another way to communicate safely at sea was through flags. There were two different kinds. Semaphore flags were small and hand-held, and signalmen waved them in certain patterns to convey a message. Signal flags were larger and represented each letter of the alphabet (and numbers), and they were flown from the ship.
To send a message to another ship using signal flags, signalmen went to the flag bags, located on either side of the ship. They were not actually a bag, but rather, a large metal trunk in which all the
flags were organized by letter and number. From here, signalman attached the flags to a rope and hoisted them up to the yardarm. From this spot, high above the battleship, their message could be seen by nearby ships.
Written by Emily Bryant,Battleship Cove
NGSS; 4-PS4-3 Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information
No matter what the message, signalmen had to be quick and accurate. If the flags were in the wrong order, they could mean something else entirely.
COMMON CORECCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.3; Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3; Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5; Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
VISUAL SIGNALING
is still used by the US Navy today!
The methods and purpose are very much the same as they were in World War II. However, the pay has changed: in 1942, a signalman, first class, was paid $114 per month; today, it’s $2,490 per month.
While most flags stand for a number or a letter, there were some
combinations of flags that had special meanings.
Here are some examples:
BZ = Well done!
AM = Have you a doctor aboard?
NF = You are heading into danger
O = Man overboard
NDQ = Shark
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Have students draw or cut-out the letters of their name in signal flags and arrange them on a piece of paper.
For a higher-level activity, have students create words in signal flags or Morse Code and have their classmates decode them.
Can you decode the flags below?
F S
