Specialist (Topographic Draftsman)
The history gives 1948 as the year of the change, without a month or day.
Source extraction notes
Malin/BUPERS source assertion: Established 1948 from the ratings of Carpenter's Mate (CB) (Draftsman), Electrician's Mate (CB) (Draftsman), Shipfitter (CS) (Mechanical Draftsmen), Specialist (X) (Engineering Draftsman), Specialist (X) (Topographic Draftsmen), Specialist (X) (Cartographers), and Specialist (P) (Photogrammetry). | included in Draftsman 1948. Normalized as merged/included. Reconciles 2 reciprocal, grade-specific, or repeated source assertions for the same predecessor/date.
Source documents (2)
Reviewed September 23, 2026 against references 1, 2 and 3.
- Charles A. Malin/Bureau of Naval Personnel, Compilation of Enlisted Ratings and Apprenticeships, U.S. Navy, 1775 to 1969 (rev. Dec. 1969)
1. #anchord, Draftsman entry; #anchors, Specialists (X) (TD) Topographic Draftsman entry; reproduced on archived Ohio PDF p. 7, 18 · source dated December 1969 · cited by the explanation
Open source document (opens in a new tab)3.Charles A. Malin/Bureau of Naval Personnel, Compilation of Enlisted Ratings and Apprenticeships, U.S. Navy, 1775 to 1969 (rev. Dec. 1969) · event transcription · docs/legacy-data/navy-rating-history.jsonl:121; #anchord, Draftsman entry; #anchors, Specialists (X) (TD) Topographic Draftsman entry; reproduced on archived Ohio PDF p. 7, 18 · cited by the explanation
Open source document (opens in a new tab) - Charles A. Malin/Bureau of Naval Personnel, Abbreviations Used for Navy Enlisted Ratings (1970)
2. alphabetic abbreviation list, Sp(X)(TD), DM entries · source dated 1970 · cited by the explanation
Open source document (opens in a new tab)