skivvy waver
n. From skivvies, slang for underpants
1. In US Navy, a signalman. Derived from the supposed resemblance of semaphore flags to garments.
2. One who stirs up trouble. Derived from the belief that Signalmen delivered bad news for sailors. See "blaming the messenger."
1. In US Navy, a signalman. Derived from the supposed resemblance of semaphore flags to garments.
2. One who stirs up trouble. Derived from the belief that Signalmen delivered bad news for sailors. See "blaming the messenger."
Line from Daryl Ponicsan's novel, "The Last Detail." A character addresses Signalman 1st Class (SM1) Buddusky: Butt out, skivvy waver!
skivvie waver
Old navy nickname for a Signalman. The Signalman was a rating from 1921-2004. Consisted of primarily of Visual Communications between ships. Morse Code via Flashinig signal light, Semaphore hand/flag signals and Signal flags flow from a halyard (Line) on the mast of a ship and basic naval honors and ceremonies. Time and Technology finally caught up to this Job skill, which most who have mastered it consider it a now lost art form.
Those damn Skivvie Waver's are a bunch of skates!! We're down here sweepin' and swabbin' and they just sit up there on the Signal Bridge and drink soda and eat geedunk.