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, Seamanship, published in 1863 by LCDR Stephen B. Luce was one of the primary sources for training midshipmen at United States Naval Academy.

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 304 Envelope 1902 (reprint) 1st Reprint LT Ridley McLean William H. Moody USNI USNI 1978 E.L. Beach 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 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 850 Hardcover 1918 6th 1st LT Norman Van Der Veer Josephus Daniel Military Publishing Co. Military Publishing Co. 1918 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 1940–43 784 Hardcover 1943 11th 7 None A.T. Church USNI USNI 1943–44 1145 Hardcover 1944 12th 1 None A.T. Church USNI USNI 1944 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 1947–48 622 Hardcover 1950 14th 27 None Hon. Francis Matthews / J.W. Roper USNI USNI 1950–57 828 Semi-hardcover 1957 15th 7 CAPT John V. Noel VADM James Holloway USNI USNI 1957–59 647 Semi-hardcover 1960 16th 4 CAPT John V. Noel VADM W.R. Smedberg III USNI USNI 1960–62 641 Semi-hardcover 1963 17th 6 CAPT John V. Noel VADM W.R. Smedberg III USNI USNI 1963–66 684 Semi-hardcover 1968 18th 3 None MCPON Delbert Black USNI USNI 1968–69 756 Hard or softcover 1973 19th 8 LCDR Arnold S. Lott MCPON Robert J. Walker USNI USNI 1973–77 644 Softcover 1978 20th 21 Bill Bearden MCPON Thomas S. Crow / MCPON W.H. Plackett USNI USNI 1978–89 611 Hard or softcover 1990 21st 9 Bill Bearden MCPON John Hagan / MCPON Duane Bushey USNI USNI 1990–96 771 Hard or softcover 1998 22nd   LCDR Thomas J. Cutler MCPON Jim Herdt USNI USNI 1998 643 Hard or softcover 2002 23rdblue jackets manual 2002 wayback.archive.org 2012-08-07   LCDR Thomas J. Cutler MCPON John Hagan USNI USNI 2002 648 Hardcover 2009 24th   LCDR Thomas J. Cutler MCPON Joe R. Campa, Jr. USNI USNI 2009 694 Hardcover 2015 25thThe Bluejacket's Manual, 25th Edition   LCDR Thomas J. Cutler   USNI USNI 2017 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 712 Hardcover

References