Curiosity SLIDE:
How are sails, flags, and pennants cared for on a ship? Do they ever get washed? Are they treated with anything? Who is responsible for inspecting them and caring for them?
When someone is buried at sea, are they wrapped in a sail? Is anything unique done to the canvas wrapping the body? Who stores the canvas for such an eventuality?
If you can tell: Was Bin Laden wrapped in the same manner as our brave sailors or did they do/use something differently? (I’m hoping he was wrapped in pigskin.)
From Wikipedia, "The Master's main duty was navigation, taking the ship's position at least daily and setting the sails as appropriate for the required course and conditions. During combat, he was stationed on the quarterdeck, next to the captain. The Master was responsible for fitting out the ship, and making sure they had all the sailing supplies necessary for the voyage. The Master also was in charge of stowing the hold and ensuring the ship was not too weighted down to sail effectively. The Master, through his subordinates, hoisted and lowered the anchor, docked and undocked the ship, and inspected the ship daily for problems with the anchors, sails, masts, ropes, or pulleys. Issues were brought to the attention of the Master, who would notify the captain. The Master was in charge of the entry of parts of the official log such as weather, position, and expenditures."
In smaller ships where the Captain was the Sailing Master (this is where the term 'Master and Commander' came from) the daily non-navigation duties would devolve to the senior Master's Mate and from him to the other MMs. This rating evolved into the modern Quartermaster rating. The Navy, in it's infinite ..., wisdom, yea, let's go with wisdom, is merging the Quartermaster and Signalman ratings. These are not the only ratings being merged. I personally think this willy-nilly merging of ratings will come back to bite the Navy when they least expect it. GD bean counters. Penny wise and pound foolish.
Men who died and buried at sea were sewn into their canvas hammocks with a round shot at their feet. No, nothing special was done.
Modern burials at sea are mostly vets who have been cremated. This is the case for all Pearl Harbor vets who wish their ashes interred on the Arizona. Divers carefully place the urn on the deck taking care never to actually touch the ship themselves. Service members who die at sea are refrigerated until their remains can be returned to their families in accordance with their wishes.
I have no official knowledge of what was done for Bin Laden's burial at sea. I do know that all involved had to sign special non-disclosure statements. There were supposedly dire penalties involved for violation of the NDA.
SpyNavy
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)