Random TOS stuff

[Nerys Myk]

I was going to post this in The Spock's Rank thread, but it was closed for being long dead. So here's a thread for Random TOS stuff

That is my take on the whole "second officer" thing as well. The Captain would be the "first officer" in that vernacular. "Second officer" would mean 2nd in command.

Referenced as "Commander" does not preclude a Lt. Cmdr rank. In TNG, LaForge & Worf are referred to as LT while wearing Junior Lt. Pips, and Data wears Lt. Cmdr pips.

One in universe explanation could be the 2nd in command getting extra braids for some reason.

There were lots of uniform inconsistencies as well.

Wardrobe famously mixed up the Delta insignias in WNMHGB (Mitchell & Denher are switched).

Uhura is in yellow in Corbomite (1st produced after Pilots). Sulu has different jobs. Spock is half "Vulcanian" in early episodes.

Deltas were all over the map in WNMHGB. Scotty and Kelso (in coral) wear the Science "eye". Dehner, Piper and Sulu (in science blue) wear the Engineering "wrench". Smith is in gold but wears the "wrench."

 

[The Salt Umpire]

That was the oldest thread I've seen resurrected since I joined last year.

 

[drt]

Deltas were all over the map in WNMHGB. Scotty and Kelso (in coral) wear the Science "eye". Dehner, Piper and Sulu (in science blue) wear the Engineering "wrench". Smith is in gold but wears the "wrench."

The production wasn’t entirely consistent with badge/shirt color in “The Cage” either (plus there’s also a “c” badge in that episode), which calls into question what the symbols were intended to mean in the first place. I don’t recall seeing it mentioned in “The Making of…” book or any other official publication (but entirely possible my old man brain no longer retains that information), and we’ve now given them meanings based on how it ultimately ended up.

 

[BillJ]

Deltas were all over the map in WNMHGB. Scotty and Kelso (in coral) wear the Science "eye". Dehner, Piper and Sulu (in science blue) wear the Engineering "wrench". Smith is in gold but wears the "wrench."

Laundry service screwed up that day…

 

[Maurice]

The production wasn’t entirely consistent with badge/shirt color in “The Cage” either (plus there’s also a “c” badge in that episode), which calls into question what the symbols were intended to mean in the first place. I don’t recall seeing it mentioned in “The Making of…” book or any other official publication (but entirely possible my old man brain no longer retains that information), and we’ve now given them meanings based on how it ultimately ended up.

From our article Emblem-atic:

One—looking rather like a letter C—appeared only in the first pilot and then vanished. An early version of it appears on the Theiss jacket sketch above. We’ve encountered no primary source documentation to confirm what it meant, but it’s only seen on the blue shirts of two nonspeaking young men on the Enterprise bridge, neither of whom sports any braid on their uniform cuffs.

 

[The Salt Umpire]

Since they are obviously crew to be wearing an Enterprise parabola, they're cadets.

Unapproved pic source with the crew patches for all Constitution class starships, you'll have to click to see them. The Intrepid's is the IDIC symbol.

https://forums.scifi-meshes.com/uploads/vb_attachments/1127/105245.jpg

 

[CoveTom]

Since they are obviously crew to be wearing an Enterprise parabola, they're cadets.

Unapproved pic source with the crew patches for all Constitution class starships, you'll have to click to see them. The Intrepid's is the IDIC symbol.

https://forums.scifi-meshes.com/uploads/vb_attachments/1127/105245.jpg

Cadets out on a real mission? This wasn't a training cruise gone wrong like in TWOK. This was actual duty out on the frontier. Why would cadets be there?

 

[Just a Bill]

Unapproved pic source with the crew patches for all Constitution class starships

Sorry, but not only are the fan-made patches anti-canonical, so is the myth that every ship had its own patch. For the receipts, read @Maurice's excellent Emblem-atic article.

 

[The Salt Umpire]

Well dang, sorry.

 

[BillJ]

Well dang, sorry.

It doesn't need to be official to be enjoyable. I like seeing how fans interpret certain details.

 

[Just a Bill]

It doesn't need to be official to be enjoyable. I like seeing how fans interpret certain details.

Yep, it's all cool as long as we can also preserve the facts. Everybody wins.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Cadets out on a real mission? This wasn't a training cruise gone wrong like in TWOK. This was actual duty out on the frontier. Why would cadets be there?

The US Navy sends midshipmen out on a "summer cruise" aboard active duty ships
AI said
A US Naval Academy summer cruise is a required, hands-on training program where midshipmen experience real Navy and Marine Corps life by serving aboard warships, submarines, or aviation units worldwide, gaining practical leadership skills and operational exposure in areas like standing watches, participating in drills, and exploring career paths beyond classroom learning. It's immersive, practical training, not a vacation, designed to prepare future officers for the realities of fleet life.

 

[Maurice]

Yep, it's all cool as long as we can also preserve the facts. Everybody wins.

 

[Henoch]

The US Navy sends midshipmen out on a "summer cruise" aboard active duty ships

I agree; Pike's ship/cruise has cadets aboard. Kirk's ship does not since it is on a 5 year mission (the concept of a 5YM didn't exist yet during the first pilot). In addition, Starfleet (not called that at the time) has specific training ships for cadets. As Pike says at the end of the episode:

PIKE: As in all ship's doctors are dirty old men. What are we running here, a cadet ship, Number One? Are we ready or not?

 

[Maurice]

I agree; Pike's ship/cruise has cadets aboard.

I don't think the episode supports the contention at all. You can infer it, but it's not clear either way.

 

[Just a Bill]

I'd love to know whether the word "cadet" appears in any version of the script, or a call sheet. I've heard the claim more than once that the weird emblem means cadet, but I've never seen anyone cite a source.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I'd love to know whether the word "cadet" appears in any version of the script, or a call sheet. I've heard the claim more than once that the weird emblem means cadet, but I've never seen anyone cite a source.

I tend to doubt it.
The "Cs" may be security officers. Clipboard guy on the bridge and turbolift guard both seem to have the "C". Though its hard to tell with "Turbo". Another possibility is "crewman". Though the "C" only seems to be on blueshirts and Yeoman Colt sports a "wrench", but she might be an NCO.

 

[CoveTom]

C is clearly for cookie, and that's good enough for me.

 

[Set Harth]

 

[korblborp]

it makes me think of a turbolift