Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-14
How Workers
AShOreCan Win
TheNavy~ f

"a ga swallow-tailed pennant that is awarded for
excellence in gunnery, battle practice and engi-
neerngis the most coveted prizes in the service
Whenever such letter is painted of Americas
batteshps sewed the left sleeve of sailor desg
mates of the crack warships of battle fleet
of the members who made it
Until the outbreak of the present Navy "E" awards
given only TO ships and the who operated them
the recognition by high authorities that the
Navy has fleet of factories of equal Importance to its
fleet of ships led the decision give the traditional
decoration TO plants, shpyards, and workers.
Now about a million in American industry
wearing this e. excellence production In this way,
our champions ashore with the dent
ca recognition reserved for its champions aflOaa way
of saying TO the workers of America, We'll Done
These E" pennants for companies and the e. badges
for workers only given after thorough investigation
by Navy board They hard to win ashore as at
For example out of approximately 1000 ordnance
prime than 100 have far achieved them
awarding these flags the special Navy board takes
into consideration factors t1) Production
pared with delivery schedules under the contract CD In
genuty methods of manufacture (3) Valuable sugges
tons in design changes to permit more rapid fabrication
ca Cooperation with personnel of the Navy Bureau con-
cerned
When an award is made the company receives
burgee" pennant bearing the Navy fouled
letter e and special button is given each
ploye the winning plant This button carries the Navy
anchor and Eagle the Navy "E" and the legend For
Production"
This Navy pennant is not awarded a permanent
factories Just the at have to enter
annual competition in order to win their the
factory has make good showing six months to
keep right to fly the burgee.
Production reviewed emi-annualy and if the
standard that originally won the honor maintained a
month period is added to the pennan In
dvidual plant employees however keep the right to
their e. buttons regardless of whether the right to fly
the pcnnant S by the company not.
In the first World War the Navy recognized the i'm
portance the who in the factories marching
by side with armed forces and the Secretary of
the Navy authorized plants devong at least so per cent OF
capacity the manufacturing of ordnance to fly
the flag of the Bureau o Ordnance
Remembering how this former plan had stimulated pro-
that is
ing bigger part in this made the decision with
the full approval of President Roosevelt of awarding Es"
to give credit where credit is justly due"
Ever since the creation of our Navy in Revolutionary
days recognition always given superior or
outstanding In the early times this award usually
took the form Of distribution TO victorious of ships
a the honors in battle and the capture
prizes later years different systems Of promotion and
other forms Of recognition substituted
The F. ponnant born 1905 when Captain Henry
Baldrdge USN. ,Rctred curator at the Naval
Academy Museum at Annapolis, but then Ensign
terry Officer suggested the present plan in making
target practice report II was officially adopted by the
Bllrclu Of Navigation IN 1906.
Since the p" system first instituted the crews
Of Uncle SANS warshps and planes have competed an
uually order TO the burEee
Al the years end the record OF each ship checked
The that has attained the highest rating engineer
ing entitled 20 paint the r. tunnels.
Crews with similar honors in gnnery affx the letter to
a bridge and men in individual turrets win
top prize may paint their particular turret Sea-
men responsible award are given
the privilege Of wearing tins e band
There is distinction between the type of badge given
fighting and that by workers ashore.
The Navy recognizes that the in the shops
and factories Of this country just important way
as that Of tho afloat.
Up 90 April 1, 1912 $50 companies and IS naval shore
establishments had been awarded the honor These
firms make every typo Of ship, armament guns, shells
planes, explosives and other war equipment
n Commenting recently mailing these top awards
industry Secretary the Navy Frank Knox pointed
out that che pa1lt s entitled 10 know that commeuda-
ton been earned b and labor which have
gone all out FOR onal defense"