In Navy jargon, the goat locker is a lounge, sleeping area, and galley on board a naval vessel which is reserved for the exclusive use of chief petty officers.
In modern times, "goat locker" represents any gathering place, on- or off-ship, where Chief Petty Officers hold private functions.
The United States Navy, in respect for the position of Chief Petty Officers, formerly provided dinnerware made specifically for the goat locker.
The special insignia (topmark) used on this china to denote the Chief Petty Officer's Mess were the letters "USN" beneath the US Navy's "Fouled, Fluked, and Stocked Anchor".
Official china was produced for the US Navy by manufacturers such as Tepco, Shenango, Buffalo, Sterling and Homer Laughlin from the early 1930s through World War II, and was used until the 1960s when inventories were consumed.