FRIDAY FOTO (September 3, 2021)

Master of His Domain.

(U.S. Navy Courtesy Photo) CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE PHOTO.

Chief Boatswain’s Mate Chris Sherman, the port operations tug master for Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, helps the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) into its berth on August 4, 2021.

Connecticut, a Seawolf-class fast attack submarine, assigned to Submarine Force Pacific, is based at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, in Washington state.

Boatswain’s Mate and Gunner’s Mate are the oldest, continually serving ratings in the U.S. Navy, Considered the “backbone of the Navy,” boatswains’ mates train, direct, and supervise personnel in ship’s maintenance duties in all activities relating to the deck, boat seamanship, painting, upkeep of ship’s external structure, rigging and deck equipment. Boatswain’s mates duties cover a large spectrum and range widely depending on the capacity and mission of the vessel or shore installation to which they are assigned.

For a sense of what Boats Sherman’s tug looks like, take a look at the photo below. It was taken May 1, 2002 when the then-brand new USS Connecticut departed Submarine Base New London, Connecticut on her first, scheduled deployment.

(U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Apprentice Woody Paschall)