The Bluejacket's Manual is the basic handbook for United States Navy personnel.

First issued in 1902 to teach recruits about naval procedures and life and offer a reference for active sailors, it has become the "bible" for Navy personnel, providing information about a wide range of Navy topics.

Seamanship, by Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, was the primary textbook about seamanship at the United States Naval Academy but was not used by enlisted men; many sailors at the time were still illiterate and in any case, the oral traditions and procedures of petty officers were the basis of enlisted sailors' education.

The Seaman's Handbook by LCDR Stephen B. Luce, saw general use in the Merchant Marine, but less in the Navy.

[2] 1902 saw the first publication of The Bluejacket's Manual, written by Lieutenant Ridley McLean, as well as the Recruit's Handy Book.