"A Bitchy Sailor Is A Happy Sailor"

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The origin of the anecdotal “A bitching sailor is a happy sailor” is probably long lost to history. It probably goes back to the big WWII when there was a ship where all the sailors were bored and complaining. The captain asked the salty ol’ chief why the men were so miserable. The chief, who was a bit of a sado-masochist probably replied…

"Sir, a bitching sailor is a happy sailor."

The captain smiled and walked away.

Hell, the phrase probably even existed aboard Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. Lord knows nothing is perfect and there’s always something to complain about.  Sailors will complain about the food, the pay, berthing conditions, uniforms … you name it! But it was never anything deserving of mutiny. It probably came about the time men first set sail into the ocean blue.  But rather you’re a civilian type or a salty seagoing scallywag, bitching simply is part of human nature.

 

Unlike the other services the rank and rate of a sailor are all built into one package.  Rather you’re a Boatswainmate, Machinistmate, a Gunnersmate, or a damned Operations Specialist … hell even Yeomen and Disbursing Clerks liked to bitch … the one skill that holds true to all is that they always seem to bitch!  Rather it be peace or war, the story of a sailor is one of man vs man, machine and/or nature.  Yes, the sea may be your mistress but she is also your most dangerous foe. It’s normal for the crew to complain because it’s human nature. So to understand the phrase is to understand that a bitchy sailor is a healthy sailor. If they ain’t bitch’n then something is probably really wrong!!!