# The Bluejacket's Manual

The Bluejacket's Manual is the basic handbook for United States Navy personnel. First issued in 1902 to teach recruits about naval procedures and life and offer a reference for active sailors, it has become the "bible" for Navy personnel, providing information about a wide range of Navy topics. The current edition is the 26th, published in 2023.

## History

Before 1902, the Navy had at least two books for training young men in naval procedure. Seamanship, by Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, was the primary textbook about seamanship at the United States Naval Academy but was not used by enlisted men; many sailors at the time were still illiterate and in any case, the oral traditions and procedures of petty officers were the basis of enlisted sailors' education. The Seaman's Handbook by LCDR Stephen B. Luce, saw general use in the Merchant Marine, but less in the Navy.
1902 saw the first publication of The Bluejacket's Manual, written by Lieutenant Ridley McLean, as well as the Recruit's Handy Book. Every enlistee received the latter, and by World War I, both were being issued to every recruit. The Handy Book was discontinued in the 1920s.
Some manuals published between 1903 and early 1915 have inconsistent edition numbering. The 1903, 1905, 1907, and 1908 were considered the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th editions by the authors and the Naval Institute. In 1914, Franklin Publishing was contracted to publish the 1914 and 1915 book and pamphlet manuals. Because 1914 was the first time Franklin published the manual, they published their edition as the First Edition, the early 1915 version as the 2nd, and the late 1915 one as the 3rd. A single numbering system was restored with the 3rd edition, late 1915 Manual.

### Centennial Edition

The 2002 Centennial Edition (23rd edition), saw several modifications, including a reversion to its original title: Bluejacket's. The "Navy Education and Training" chapter was expanded, and the "Naval Missions and Heritage" chapter was added.
The current (26th) edition's authors are retired Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, retired Master Chief Mark T. Hacala, and retired Fleet Master Chief Paul A. Kingsbury.

### Early editions

Bluejacket's Manual Editions by Year :
| Year | Edition | Printing | Author | Foreword/Intro | Publisher | Printer | Dated | ISBN/OCLC | Pages | Binding |
| 1902 | 1st | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | USNI | 1902 | OCLC 2548907 | 304 | Envelope |
| 1902 (reprint) | 1st | Reprint | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | USNI | 1978 E.L. Beach | ISBN 0870211072 | 304 | Envelope |
| 1903 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1903 P.R. Alger | None | 391 | Envelope |
| 1904 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1904 P.R. Alger | None | 391 | Envelope |
| 1905 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1905 P.R. Alger | None | 391 | Envelope |
| 1907 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1907 P.R. Alger | None | 391 | Book |
| 1908 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1908 P.R. Alger | None | 407 | Book |
| 1911 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1911 P.R. Alger | None | 407 | Envelope |
| 1911 | 2nd | 2nd | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1911 P.R. Alger | None | 407 | Book |
| 1913 | 2nd | 1st | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1913 R. Earle | None | 407 | Envelope |
| 1913 | 2nd | 2nd | LT Ridley McLean | William H. Moody | USNI | Lord Baltimore Press | 1913 E.J. King | None | 407 | Book |

### Later editions

Bluejacket's Manual Editions by Year :
| Year | Edition | Printing | Author | Forward/Intro | Publisher | Printer | Dated | ISBN/OCLC | Pages | Binding |
| 1914 | 1st | 1st (5 parts/1 vol.) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 849 | Book |
| 1915 | 2nd | 1st (5 parts/1 vol.) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 849 | Book |
| 1915 | 2nd | 1st (Book 1/pt. 1) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 222 | Book 1/4 |
| 1915 | 2nd | 1st (Book 2/pt. 2) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 247 | Book 2/4 |
| 1915 | 2nd | 1st (Book 3/pt. 3) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 274 | Book 3/4 |
| 1915 | 2nd | 1st (Book 3/pt. 4) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 74 | Book 3/4 |
| 1915 | 2nd | 1st (Book 4/pt. 5) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 47 | Book 4/4 |
| 1915 | 3rd | 1st (5 parts/1 vol.) | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | None Listed | None | 879 | Book |
| 1916 | 4th | 1st | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | Mar 1916 | None | 845 | Book |
| 1917 | 4th | 1st | None | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | Mar 1916 | None | 845 | Book |
| 1917 | 5th | 1st | LT Norman Van Der Veer | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | Nov 1916 | None | 845 | Book |
| 1917 | 5th | 1st | LT Norman Van Der Veer | Josephus Daniel | Military Publishing Co. | Military Publishing Co. | Nov 1916 | OCLC 14201704 | 845 | Book |
| 1918 | 5th | 1st | LT Norman Van Der Veer | Josephus Daniel | USNI | Franklin Printing | Nov 1916 | None | 845 | Book |
| 1918 | 6th | 1st | LT Norman Van Der Veer | Josephus Daniel | Edwin Appleton | Edwin Appleton | 1918 | OCLC 317209669 | 850 | Hardcover |
| 1918 | 6th | 1st | LT Norman Van Der Veer | Josephus Daniel | Military Publishing Co. | Military Publishing Co. | 1918 | OCLC 8137959 | 821 | Hardcover |
| 1922 | 6th | 1st | CDR C.C. Soule | Edwin Denby | Gvmt Printing Office | Gvmt Printing Office | Sep 1922 | None | 518 | Hardcover |
| 1922 | 6th | 2nd | CDR C.C. Soule | Edwin Denby | Gvmt Printing Office | Gvmt Printing Office | 1924 | None | 518 | Hardcover |
| 1927 | 7th | 1st | None | Curtis D. Wilbur | Gvmt Printing Office | Gvmt Printing Office | May 1927 | None | 958 | Hardcover |
| 1927 | 7th | 2nd | None | Curtis D. Wilbur | Gvmt Printing Office | Gvmt Printing Office | 1928 | None | 958 | Hardcover |
| 1938 | 8th | 1st | None | William Leahy | USNI | USNI | Mar 1938 | None | 836 | Hardcover |
| 1938 | 8th | 2nd | None | William Leahy | USNI | USNI | May 1938 | None | 836 | Hardcover |
| 1938 | 8th | 3rd | None | William Leahy | USNI | USNI | June 1938 | None | 836 | Hardcover |
| 1939 | 9th | 4th (Rev. 8th edition) | None | G.V. Stewart | USNI | USNI | Mar 1939 | None | 834 | Semi-hardcover |

### WWII Editions

Bluejacket's Manual Editions by Year :
| Year | Edition | Printings | Author | Forward/Intro | Publisher | Printer | Dated | ISBN/OCLC | Pages | Binding |
| 1940 | 10th | 5 | None | G.V. Stewart | USNI | USNI | 1940–43 | OCLC 560958256 | 784 | Hardcover |
| 1943 | 11th | 7 | None | A.T. Church | USNI | USNI | 1943–44 | OCLC 155725915 | 1145 | Hardcover |
| 1944 | 12th | 1 | None | A.T. Church | USNI | USNI | 1944 | OCLC 9358944 | 585 | Hardcover |

### Post-war editions

Bluejacket's Manual Editions by Year :
| Year | Edition | Printings | Author | Forward/Intro | Publisher | Printer | Dated | ISBN/OCLC | Pages | Binding |
| 1946 | 13th | 3 | LT Charles Ross | A.T. Church | USNI | USNI | 1947–48 | OCLC 801977902 | 622 | Hardcover |
| 1950 | 14th | 27 | None | Hon. Francis Matthews / J.W. Roper | USNI | USNI | 1950–57 | OCLC 3032167 | 828 | Semi-hardcover |
| 1957 | 15th | 7 | CAPT John V. Noel | VADM James Holloway | USNI | USNI | 1957–59 | OCLC 20269963 | 647 | Semi-hardcover |
| 1960 | 16th | 4 | CAPT John V. Noel | VADM W.R. Smedberg III | USNI | USNI | 1960–62 | OCLC 17452212 | 641 | Semi-hardcover |
| 1963 | 17th | 6 | CAPT John V. Noel | VADM W.R. Smedberg III | USNI | USNI | 1963–66 | OCLC 11142117 | 684 | Semi-hardcover |
| 1968 | 18th | 3 | None | MCPON Delbert Black | USNI | USNI | 1968–69 | OCLC 1468065 | 756 | Hard or softcover |
| 1973 | 19th | 8 | LCDR Arnold S. Lott | MCPON Robert J. Walker | USNI | USNI | 1973–77 | ISBN 0870211099 | 644 | Softcover |
| 1978 | 20th | 21 | Bill Bearden | MCPON Thomas S. Crow / MCPON W.H. Plackett | USNI | USNI | 1978–89 | ISBN 0870211129 | 611 | Hard or softcover |
| 1990 | 21st | 9 | Bill Bearden | MCPON John Hagan / MCPON Duane Bushey | USNI | USNI | 1990–96 | ISBN 0870212591 | 771 | Hard or softcover |
| 1998 | 22nd | | LCDR Thomas J. Cutler | MCPON Jim Herdt | USNI | USNI | 1998 | ISBN 1557500649 | 643 | Hard or softcover |
| 2002 | 23rd | | LCDR Thomas J. Cutler | MCPON John Hagan | USNI | USNI | 2002 | ISBN 1557502218 | 648 | Hardcover |
| 2009 | 24th | | LCDR Thomas J. Cutler | MCPON Joe R. Campa, Jr. | USNI | USNI | 2009 | ISBN 1591141532 | 694 | Hardcover |
| 2015 | 25th | | LCDR Thomas J. Cutler | | USNI | USNI | 2017 | ISBN 1612519741 | 784 | Hardcover |
| 2023 | 26th | | LCDR Thomas J. Cutler, USN (Ret); MCPO Mark T. Hacala, USN (Ret); MCPO Paul A. Kingsbury, USN (Ret) | | USNI | USNI | 2023 | ISBN 1682478432 | 712 | Hardcover |