What those headstamps mean. The US 1, 3 and 6 pounders in particular.

[DEADLINE222]

Now I am on to something!

I was half asleep, browsing through "US Navy Projectile and Fuzes, 1945" and came upon an awesome image explaining what the headstamps mean on a lot of US naval casings and guns, as well as possibly shedding some light on projectile stampings.



Note that when NGF (Naval Gun Factory) is omitted and a contractor's initials are present, the superintendent's initials at the eight o'clock position are done away with as well.

The superintendent's initials apply only to the following:

WNY (Washington Naval Yard)
NGF (Naval Gun Factory)
USFGF (United States Naval Gun Factory)

Some of the superintendents initials of the WNY, NGF and USNGF are the following, with rough dates of position in office.

E.H.C.L. Eugene Henry Cozzens Leutze -1910
F.E.B Frank Edmund Beatty 1910-1913
J.H.G James H. Glennon 1915-1917
A.L.W Arthur Lee Willard -1917
A.W.G Albert W. Grant 1919-



Feel free to add or take away. Enjoy!

 

[Vasco Da Gama]

I thought I would add the Headstamps for 3 cases that made the journey across the Atlantic, all from the Washington Navy Yard. Pictured are a 3in/50 calibre (592mm) 1915, a 3pdr (376mm) 1904 and a 37mm long 1pdr (137mm) 1900. Many thanks for the explanation of the base markings, I had wondered about the various sets of initials. The 1900 case has F.E.B in the inspectors position, I wonder if Frank Beaty moved on to become the Superintendent in 1910 after being an inspector for a few years. Hope this helps in a small way.

 

[Western]

Thank you very much for these explains.
Here are some more headstamps. Who are the superintendents initials E.C.P. and G.P.?

 

[DEADLINE222]

I discovered the names I listed above by first finding E.H.C.L. ( Eugene Henry Cozzens Leutze).

There are several sources that indicate he was promoted and left the WNY in 1910.

After finding this information, I typed in Google "Washington Naval Yard Superintendent 1910".

Within the results there was a response indicative of who resumed command in 1910. After you gather this information you find when the next superintendent was promoted, the next started and so on. I would say there are a lot of superintendents between 1918 and the 1940s.

The information is out there. I will tell you it took me several hours to decode who or what E.H.C.L. is.

 

[DEADLINE222]

Thank you very much for these explains.
Here are some more headstamps. Who are the superintendents initials E.C.P. and G.P.?

(GP) G. T. Pettengill is my best answer. I can find only one document showing he was the superintendent in 1940. Perhaps they removed the "T" as a cost saving measure because of the war?

(ECP) Edward C. Pendleton is mentioned as being stationed at the WNY around the turn of the century, but nothing definitive supporting him as being superintendent.

 

[DEADLINE222]

The 1900 case has F.E.B in the inspectors position, I wonder if Frank Beaty moved on to become the Superintendent in 1910 after being an inspector for a few years. Hope this helps in a small way.

Sure. There are many documented examples of the superintendents having a lower office such as inspector, before eventually being promoted.

 

[Western]

I understand this is a lot of work to find all initials. There must be many more? I hope they will show up here.