Thanks for the input. Just to be clear on who is the navigator on other ships in other navies and the merchant marine, the following is provided. I served in the Navy for many years and hold a Master's License US Merchant Marine, unlimited tonnage, and have taught navigation at merchant marine schools since navigation is a big part of the US examinations for the various "tickets" meaning, mates and masters' licenses. At least it used to be. I am no longer in the game so not sure of how much weight celestial navigation might hold today.

Anyway, typically the Operations Officer was the assigned navigator on a diesel boat in the US Navy, but the XO (Executive Officer) could also be the navigator. Normally the Ops/Nav officer had one or two Junior Officers as assistants as Comm/EMO/Sonar.

As from the posts above, in the Kriegsmarine, the third officer would correspond to the US operations officer, our "third" officer.

In a nuclear attack boat, the Operations Officer, a Lieutenant Commander, is the Navigator. Of course, he has assistants.

On surface US ships, either the leading quartermaster or the Executive Officer is the Navigator, but not a hard and fast rule. Sometimes a Lieutenant might get the job if there was a surplus of officers, however, this officer depended greatly on the quartermasters for the job to get done. Certainly training in navigation was typical on all ships for all officers as part of their professional development. One thing to do it in school, another at sea.

In the merchant marine of nearly all countries, the second mate is the Navigator. There are no quartermasters of course, so by the time you are posted as second mate, you better know your stuff or you will be in trouble quick. That said, it is typical today in the small US Merchant Marine that all officers hold Masters' licenses.

All this said, I know in a U-boat the Navigator was assigned to the Obersteuermann which was a big difference from the US Navy for example. However in practice, the leading quartermaster in the US Navy held the same responsibility no matter who was labeled as "navigator".

I would like to see photos of a Obersteuerman taking a sextant shot, but nearly all photos are of either the CO, IWO or IIWO. Naturally, navigation was not just the responsiblity of one person, safe navigation over a 24 hour period was the responsibility of all the men during their watch and I am sure all knew how to navigate and did.

I also wonder how many sextant were issued to a U-boat. I am guessing two.

John