Eyes for the Navy (1 Viewer)

[Mono]

Nothing to do with birding but I wasn't aware that in both world wars the US Navy had an appeal for people to lend their binoculars for war service. In the first world war 51,217 instruments were received and 31,000 were accepted for naval use. They were returned at the end of the war with a thank you letter, a certificate and $1 payment, only one pair was reported lost!

Return Letter for Binoculars World War I

Title: Letter, Return of Binoculars, WWI Accession #: NHHC 2016.062 Circa: 1918 Size: 8 x 10.5

www.history.navy.mil

By the second world war they were more fussy and only wanted 6x30 or 7x50 Zeiss or Bausch and Lomb binoculars. Can't find as much detail as the WW1 scheme.

The British had a similar donation scheme for the army in the first world war, lots of information about it here https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/256307-national-service-league-field-glasses-scheme/

 

[Kits]

How interesting!

 

[tenex]

At first I assumed the poster was meant to evoke the "innocent" Lusitania (which was carrying ammunition etc to Britain in 1915, as its passengers and the public weren't told)... but it's actually from WW2, isn't it. I'll bet that more than one pair of binos were lost in that war.

I learned recently that one of the first animated films ever made depicted the sinking of Lusitania (of which no film/photos exist), though the early technique was so tedious that WW1 was over before it was finished. You can find it by searching for Winsor McCay on YouTube.

 

[Lisa W]

Interesting, I had never heard of this.

 

[Pinewood]

Hello Mono,

On the subject of lent binoculars, I would like to add a couple of observations. I saw on that electronic auction site, a US Navy issue 7x50 Spencer binocular, which had been given to a civilian in place of a lost binocular lent to the Navy. I suspect that the Navy was happy to give away the Spencer as the Navy preferred Bausch & Lomb pattern binoculars, even when assembled by subcontractors like Sard.

The Navy had a priority list for issuing binoculars. I knew one US Navy veteran who recalled using lent binoculars, at times, from 1943 to 1945, on the Atlantic and on the Mediterranean. I bet that his officer in charge had an issue glass. The veteran was assigned to the Armed Guard, naval personnel who manned the guns on merchant ships. British merchant ships had Army gun crews.

I own a surplus Bausch & Lomb Mark 28 7x50 binocular, which was new in the box, with a 1944 tag. It seems that the Navy never got around to issue first class optics to all who needed them.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[Mono]

Some great history there Arthur!

The official navy history sites have lots of the WW2 posters but no detail on the scheme or the numbers involved.

 

[Pinewood]

Hello Mono,

If you look at that notorious online auction you may find civilian binoculars with makings of BuShips, a serial number, followed by a year and the name of the donor engraved the prism plates. Not all binocular tended were accepted. I have a glass with the buShipsserial number and the year 1942. If they started at 0, they accepted only a couple of thousand by the time that glass got to the Navy.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[WJC]

At first I assumed the poster was meant to evoke the "innocent" Lusitania (which was carrying ammunition etc to Britain in 1915, as its passengers and the public weren't told)... but it's actually from WW2, isn't it. I'll bet that more than one pair of binos were lost in that war.

I learned recently that one of the first animated films ever made depicted the sinking of Lusitania (of which no film/photos exist), though the early technique was so tedious that WW1 was over before it was finished. You can find it by searching for Winsor McCay on YouTube.

A person I admire greatly and quote more than Aristotle, Mark Twain, and others KNEW there was a U-boat waiting off the coast of Ireland (he was Lord of the Admiralty since 1911). Yet, he let that passenger liner proceed without warning, anyway. He knew sinking the Lusitania would get America’s hackles up—Americans were on board. It did. And undoubtedly saved more lives, in time, than were lost. Even so, I have never had the courage to make that kind of decision.

“You have enemies? Good. That means you have stood up for something sometime in your life.” — Winston Churchill

 

[Sebzwo]

Film: "Duties of Lookouts", Royal Navy 1943

 

[gunut]

I have a Bausch & Lomb 6x30 with Army Signal Corps and Serial number markings on objective plates.....and restamped on the front left prism plate BU Ships U S NAVY and on the right....No. 419 -1942 and the name of the lender....F. E. LAWRENCE.

Was told when I purchased them years ago they are WW1 bins that were sold off between the wars as surplus....then donated for WW2 use ...remarked with the BU Ships info long with the name of the person they should be returned to.....think its kind interesting...

 

[Mono]

Found a good account of US navy binoculars in WW2 including the loan scheme.

Company Seven | SARD 7x 50 Binocular, U.S. Navy BUSHIPS Mark XLIV Mod. 0

Company 7 - a resource for the international amateur and professional astronomy and nature watching communities.

www.company7.com

 

[Patudo]

The funny thing is, it's the individual here who most often uses the term "snowflake" that most exhibits many of the traits it derides - inflated belief in his/her special-ness, extreme sensitivity at perceived slights, etc, etc, etc... Post #5 in the "field flatteners" thread was an absolute classic - all about what a great guy the writer was, and nothing about the pros and cons of field flatteners...

I recall reading (from Frank L?) some uncoated binoculars were given single-layer coatings while on loan. A Zeiss extra wide 8x40 given that treatment - even though only single-coated - would be pretty interesting to have a look through...

 

[Foss]

I'm not sure if my 7x50 Binoctar was part of the US Navy loan program or a Zeiss purchased by the Navy. No serial number apparent.

 

[Pinewood]

I have a Bausch & Lomb 6x30 with Army Signal Corps and Serial number markings on objective plates.....and restamped on the front left prism plate BU Ships U S NAVY and on the right....No. 419 -1942 and the name of the lender....F. E. LAWRENCE.

Was told when I purchased them years ago they are WW1 bins that were sold off between the wars as surplus....then donated for WW2 use ...remarked with the BU Ships info long with the name of the person they should be returned to.....think its kind interesting...

Hello Gunut,

You were well informed about the binocular. Is it a model E or Model EE? Some of the WWI B&L Army Signal Corps binoculars were coated during WWII. I am not certain if the coated ones were reissued from stocks or were lent to the Navy.
Hello Foss,
Check the hinge for the serial number if you have not yet done so, of your Zeiss 7x50. There should be an internal serial number but I would not attempt to look for it. My guess is that it was bought from civilian stock and the hand engraved markings show inspection.
and acceptance by the Navy.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[gunut]

Hello Gunut,

You were well informed about the binocular. Is it a model E or Model EE? Some of the WWI B&L Army Signal Corps binoculars were coated during WWII. I am not certain if the coated ones were reissued from stocks or were lent to the Navy.
Hello Foss,
Check the hinge for the serial number if you have not yet done so, of your Zeiss 7x50. There should be an internal serial number but I would not attempt to look for it. My guess is that it was bought from civilian stock and the hand engraved markings show inspection.
and acceptance by the Navy.

Stay safe,
Arthur

Its a EE....serial number 291072

 

[Pinewood]

Its a EE....serial number 291072

Hello Gunut,

That EE binocular should have been produced with a reticle but the reticle was often removed for civilian use.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[Chizzy07]

I know this thread is old but I would like input on this. I have a 6X30 that says:
U.S. NAVY BU SHIPS
MARK 33, MOD.0
N - 1943

UNIVERSAL
CAMERA CO
NEW YORK

Can you give any info on this?
Thanks

 

[Pinewood]

Hello Chizzyy07,

Universal Camera was well known for its Mercury and Mercury II half frame cameras. It received contracts for the Mark 33, Mod. O binocular like yours and for the Mark 32 Model 2, 7x50 binoculars from the US Navy. I have a Model 33 marked USMC. The binoculars were made with optical parts from Bausch & Lombard were inspected by the Navy before acceptance.

Stay safe,
Arthur

 

[Chizzy07]

Thank you for the fast response. I have the serial number 57884, is there a log of how many we’re made? Is there possibly any info on the binoculars themselves from the serial ID and where they were implemented for use? Are they rare? Are they typical to have now days? I’ve done looking around and can’t seem to find much so any info or links or whatever you have would be most helpful and useful! I appreciate it very much.
Thanks

 

[Scott98]

Believe it or not, the same thing was done with pet dogs in WWI and WWII in America - people were encouraged to loan the family pet dog to the military for the war efforts, and thousands of people did:

The Dogs of War: The U.S. Army's Use of Canines in WWII - The Army Historical Foundation

Written by Seth Paltzer Throughout history, dogs have accompanied man at work and play. Even in the midst of men’s wars, dogs have been found serving in functions ranging from […]

armyhistory.org