Posted on Mar 30, 2017
What is the significance and meaning of "Manning the Rails" as ships come into port?
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A good question. As a topmast sailor, I've manned the yards (evenly spaced crew on each yard - the horizontal spar on a square-rigged tallship from which sails are hung). That practice evolved into manning the rails. In each case it is a method of saluting other ships and dignitaries or rendering a salute to a nation when entering a foreign port.
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MSgt James Mullis
My first thought, as a Safety guy, was they did it to keep the Captain from accidentally hitting the dock! Bazinga!
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A significant historical point is being missed. When you man the rails, the port can see that a bunch of sailors are not manning cannons below decks, hence the "I come in peace" aspect along with the exposure of the crew in the open. With many of these traditions, there's a practical basis. Another one has to do with the number of sideboys when piping an officer aboard. The more senior, you get more sideboys. Back in the day, people were ferried between ships by highlines or lifts. You needed more men to lift an admiral because they tended to be more portly, hence heavier, hence more muscle needed for the lift. When I was E-1/3 and had to do those duties, which were now purely ceremonial, we'd ask what "LAL" was it. LAL = Lard Ass Level.
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This custom evolved from the centuries old practice of "manning the yards." Men aboard sailing ships stood evenly spaced on all the yards and gave three cheers to honor a distinguished person.
Now men and women are stationed along the rails of a ship when honors are rendered to the President, the heads of a foreign state, or a member of a reigning royal family. Men and women so stationed do not salute. Navy ships will often man the rails when entering a port, or when returning to the ship's homeport at the end of a deployment.
Now men and women are stationed along the rails of a ship when honors are rendered to the President, the heads of a foreign state, or a member of a reigning royal family. Men and women so stationed do not salute. Navy ships will often man the rails when entering a port, or when returning to the ship's homeport at the end of a deployment.
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PO1 Mike Edgecomb
PO1 John Crafton - You are Correct. The confusion lies in the terms "Manning the Rail" and having the crew "at quarters". They are used synonomously but at Manning the Rail salutes can be rendered, at quarters - no salute. See below from the US Navy website:
Today, manning the rail is used in similar fashion in passing honors for the President of the United States, rulers of foreign nations, or members of a reigning royal family. According to the Basic Military Requirements (BMR) training manual, “Manning the rail consists of the ship’s company lining up at regular intervals along all weather deck rails. Normal saluting procedures are followed.”
Manning the rails has also become a traditional way to honor the USS Arizona Memorial when all U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Merchant Marine vessels transit Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. A ship passing the USS Arizona Memorial renders honors by sounding, “Attention,” and all hands topside render a hand salute until the ship has passed the memorial and “Carry on” is sounded (Connell and Mack).
A less formal ceremony than manning the rail is having the crew “at quarters.” The BMR states that the crew is paraded at quarters on ceremonial occasions, such as:
When the ship is entering or leaving U.S. ports at times other than operational visits,
When the ship is visiting foreign ports, or
When the ship is departing for or returning from extended deployments and other special occasions as determined by a superior.
Though returning to homeport from an extended deployment is considered an occasion for having the crew at quarters, they often times take part in manning the rail when approaching the pier as part of U.S. Navy homecoming traditions.
Today, manning the rail is used in similar fashion in passing honors for the President of the United States, rulers of foreign nations, or members of a reigning royal family. According to the Basic Military Requirements (BMR) training manual, “Manning the rail consists of the ship’s company lining up at regular intervals along all weather deck rails. Normal saluting procedures are followed.”
Manning the rails has also become a traditional way to honor the USS Arizona Memorial when all U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Merchant Marine vessels transit Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. A ship passing the USS Arizona Memorial renders honors by sounding, “Attention,” and all hands topside render a hand salute until the ship has passed the memorial and “Carry on” is sounded (Connell and Mack).
A less formal ceremony than manning the rail is having the crew “at quarters.” The BMR states that the crew is paraded at quarters on ceremonial occasions, such as:
When the ship is entering or leaving U.S. ports at times other than operational visits,
When the ship is visiting foreign ports, or
When the ship is departing for or returning from extended deployments and other special occasions as determined by a superior.
Though returning to homeport from an extended deployment is considered an occasion for having the crew at quarters, they often times take part in manning the rail when approaching the pier as part of U.S. Navy homecoming traditions.
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I'll defer to my Navy comrades for the official reason, but I'll bet the first time it happened was because some first mate didn't want his crew to look like a disorganized mob when they first sighted land or another ship after a long time at sea.
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I loved manning the rails. Pulling into Pearl Harbor and rendering honers as we pass the Arizona
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PO3 Donald Murphy
Very carefully! In addition to the "manning" aspect, a safety aspect is there too, so we'll all be in kapok life jackets, hence the "orange" shirts.
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