Fireman

LAST NAME FIRST NAME From To CITY STATE
Ames (D) George 65 67 Cape Coral FL
Anderson Dale 65 69 Forbes MN
Breckenridge George 65 66 Kent WA
Bristow John 68 69 Independence MO
Carr Abraham 60 62 Jackson MO
Doyle Jack 60 61 Subic Zambales, Philippines
Estes Clinton 65 67 Excelsior Springs MO
Flaherty William (Bill) 67 68 Bremerton WA
Girouard R. 65 66 Bolton CT
Gray Daniel 62 64 Las Vegas NV
Hankins (L) Cecil 61 65 Pratt KS
Harper Hubert 67 68 Bellflower CA
Harris Billy 60 63 Moss Point MS
Honaker Willard 65 66 New Richmond OH
Ladd Curtis 65 67 Young America MN
Lind Joseph G. 68 69 Morrisville PA
Morrison Jr. James 59 62 Schenectady NY
Obrien Bruce 65 66 Roseboro NY
Overbey (L) John 64 65 Largo FL
Simbulo Jim 59 62 Penasco NM
Reigel (L) Ronald 60 63 East Bernstadt KY
Wehunt Kenneth 64 67 Gray LA
Woodard Lynn 65 66 Desert Hot Springs CA

(D)= Deceased
??= Information not provided
(L) = Last Known Address

Oil
History

Oil was first tested in the U.S. Navy on small ships. USS Palos, a tug in Boston Navy Yard, was apparently the first U.S. Navy ship to test this type of fuel. As a coal burner, Palos did eight knots. However, when converted to oil she did over 14. It was this highly successful test that led to the testing of oil on larger ships and in January 1909 the USS Cheyenne (formally USS Wyoming) was the first large ship to use oil. Her tests along the California coast were also successful. In 1912 the Navy's first two oil-burning capital ships USS Nevada (BB-36) and Oklahoma (BB-37) were laid down, and were commissioned in 1916.

As oil became the primary fuel in use in the Navy the rating of Coal Passer was no longer needed and it was changed to Fireman in 1917