[Milsurplus] Question on ship radio operator note

[Hubert Miller]

>From a mill-typed message from Alaska Steamship Company radio operator on S.S. Baranof ( later destroyed by Japanese aircraft in Aleutians. )

"HARVEY: REQUIRE A NEW RF PRIMARY CHOKE IN THE SARGENT RECEIVER THIS TRIP. THE THIRD CLAIMED STATIC BURNED THE OTHER ONE OUT, BUT IT LOOKED MORE 
LIKE TRANSMITTER RF TO ME.....
BELIEVE IF THE ENCLOSED WIRING DIAGRAM IS USED ON THE SPDT SWITCHES IN THE RECEIVING ANTENNA NETWORK, IT  WILL ELIMINATE RECEIVER BURNOUT...  AT 
PRESENT THERE IS NO PROTECTION AT ALL FOR THE EMERGENCY RECEIVER, OR ANY RECEIVER USED ON THE STANDBY ANTENNA....."

My question is, what does 'the third' mean in the above? A freighter - passenger ship wouldn't have 3 radio operators would it? Or 'third officer' ??
( Sargent 11 was main receiver; SW-3 was 'emergency receiver' ).
Note is undated, believe 1936-1938.
-Hue