| Aerographer’s Mates prepare to launch a weather balloon aboard USS Independence (CV-22), during the carrier’s shakedown period. Commencing in 1933, senior petty officers began to rotate back to Naval Air Station Lakehurst for the annual Advanced Aerographer School, consisting of 6 months instruction with emphasis on forecasting. By the time World War II appeared on the horizon and this course of instruction was terminated, final Class Number 9 graduated 17 students in October, 1941. In early 1942, wartime expansion dictated larger class sizes to meet the needs of the fleet. Primary Aerographer School was re-sited off of the Primary Aerographer School on Naval Air Station Lakehurst to nearby Lakewood New Jersey, where the Navy had taken possession of a former Catholic Prep School. The prep school had been purchased earlier from the Claflin family and renamed The Newman School. Primary Aerographer School occupied a portion of The Newman School, called Locke Hall. Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) were added to the Aerographer rating for the 1st time. Class length was reduced from 12 to 10 weeks and classes overlapped each month, so that every month 125 men and 25 WAVES graduated. On August 8, 1942, the Aerographer rating was changed to Aerographer’s Mate by Circular Letter 113-42 in order to accommodate the new Warrant Officer specialty being established. Wartime personnel detailing was de-centralized from BuAer and pools of AerMs were accumulated in Norfolk, San Diego, Seattle and Alameda; and detailing authority was granted to the Aerological Officers at those locations. By the end of WW2 there were roughly 5,000 AerMs serving; but this was followed by rapid downsizing of the military when hostilities ended. For example, on July 16, 1945, the monthly quota for Class A Aerog School plunged from 64 to 12. This Advanced Class was re-established after the war, and Class B-1 with 29 students, Chief Aerographer and Aerographer 1st Class, graduated February 20, 1946. Then called “B School,” the course was shortened to 4 months. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1905.jpg |
| Image Size | 961.70 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3723 x 5689 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 30, 1943 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | |
| Country | Caribbean |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | 80-G-K-777 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
Author of the World War II Multimedia Database