The fastest way to a promotion is through Hell

As I’m processing promotions for January 1944 (so far we have over 220 and I’m only half way through the month), I kept processing firemen promotions.  Many promotion for firemen came three at a time, one month after the other.  So I got curious, I had an image of a these guys in fire suits putting out fires and I thought, wow of all the jobs, why is this one so special?

Then I googled the job:  Fire and tend boilers. Operate, adjust and repair pumps. Oh, yeah work in the bowels of the ship, in a dark hot environment shoveling coal into a boiler (OK, the WWII cruiser didn’t use coal); but I think that’s my definition of Hell.

I remember my Dad talking about what a crappy job working in the engine room was and how he was happy to be in the signal area where you might get shot by a ‘nip zero’ but at least you could breathe!

So congratulations to all the firemen of the Boston, your promotions were well deserved!

Database update: I have 1,774 individual records with data, and I have 618 names without data.

Bill