Submarine Cards
Lighting in submarines involved wearing red goggles to preserve night vision for viewing instrument panels. The goggles solved one problem but created another: the red suits on playing cards were not visible through the red goggles.
Service aboard U.S. submarines involved wearing ‘Red Adaptation Goggles’ in lighted spaces to preserve night vision for viewing instrument panels. The goggles solved one problem but created another: the red suits on playing cards were not visible through the red goggles. The Electric Boat Company published special playing cards with the Hearts and Diamonds outlined in black and the red indices repeated in black. The cards were printed by Brown & Bigelow Co. of St. Paul, Minnesota. Awkward at best, they were only partially successful either by day or by night. However, the deck emphasises the importance attached to playing cards for servicemen. See the Box►
Piers MacLean wrote: “My grandfather worked for Cunard for most of his career but also served as a RNR officer on submarines in the 1930s. During WW2 he served on or commanded a number of vessels on anti-submarine duties and convoy protection in the North Atlantic up to about 1943 prior to taking up other appointments at Greenwich and in Italy. I am not sure at what point the cards would have come into his possession. EBCo also appear to have made motor torpedo boats and there is a similar type of card for red light use showing a PT boat design with ‘Knights of the Sea’ inscribed.”
By Barney Townshend
Member since October 06, 2015
Retired Airline Pilot, interested in: Transformation Playing Cards, Karl Gerich and Elaine Lewis. Secretary of the EPCS. Treasurer of the IPCS.
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