I have been doing some genealogy research and sent off for my grandfather's military service record. He served in the Navy in World War 1. He enlisted in February 1918 and was honorably discharged in May, 1919. Such a short time there wasn't much they could find/send. However, what they sent listed his last Grade/Rank/Rating as LQM.

My google fu must be weak as I was unable to find anything on the rating (I assume it is a rating). I also assume the QM has to do with Quarter Master but that is just an assumption.

So, I turn to the all knowing Sig Forum community to clarify this rating for me. I'm grateful for as much information as you can provide on the rating (what it is, what the job entailed, etc.)

Thanks in advance!

Leading Quarter Master ???

Maybe, MAYBE:
Printer (L) (Lithographers), and Printer (M) (Offset Process)

I know that doesn't make much sense, perhaps there were slashes or parentheses somewhere in there?

EDIT:
Could have been an Landsman(Quartermaster), kind of a quartermaster in training.
**"Landsman" was the lowest rate of the United States Navy in the 19th and early 20th centuries; it was given to new recruits with little or no experience at sea. Landsmen performed menial, unskilled work aboard ship.

**From wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsman_(rank)

I found this online -

Genuine WW2 Italian MVSN Fascist Boot/Trench Dagger Knife W/Scabbard Vintage LQM

So what was "vintage LQM"?

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
EDIT:
Could have been an Landsman(Quartermaster), kind of a quartermaster in training.
**"Landsman" was the lowest rate of the United States Navy in the 19th and early 20th centuries; it was given to new recruits with little or no experience at sea. Landsmen performed menial, unskilled work aboard ship.

Bingo. LQM almost certainly denotes a Landsman Quartermaster.

In the WW1-era US Navy, a Landsman was be the lowest rate in the Artificer Branch, which includes Quartermaster. (Landsmen were equivalent to E1, and were referred to as Seaman 3rd Class or Seaman Apprentices in some of the other fields.)

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
I found this online -

Genuine WW2 Italian MVSN Fascist Boot/Trench Dagger Knife W/Scabbard Vintage LQM

So what was "vintage LQM"?

Completely unrelated.

That's a WW2-era Italian Blackshirt knife, that someone has carved their initials of "L. Q. M." into the wooden handle.

Nothing to do with WW1-era US Navy ratings.

quote:

Originally posted by olfuzzy:
Leading Quarter Master ???

Not aware of such a thing, but I seriously doubt you're "leading" much of anything with 15ish months of service, total. 15 months which would have included his time going through basic, then maybe a year in the fleet.

Might also be QM(L) - Quartermaster (Listening)

I couldnt find any listing for Landsman Quartermaster