An outline of Kirk's Career According to TOS

[MAGolding]

An outline of Kirk's career according to the data in TOS. I assumed that Kirk's career followed a rather natural and normal case, except for being promoted to command of a starship at an unusually young age.

In my post number 37 on page 2 of the thread: https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/how-long-before-the-man-trap-did-mccoy-know-kirk.305541/page-2 I gave an outline of the career of Kirk as suggested by various statements in TOS, and trying to arrange the events in the simpliest order.

In post number 90 on page 5 of that thread UssGlenn asked:

This is great stuff, do you have it typed out in a year by year timeline so it's a little easier to digest?

So I guess I'll try a year by year timeline.

In the second season episode "Journey to Babel":

MCCOY: Mister Ambassador, I understand you had retired before this conference was called. Forgive my curiosity, but as a doctor, I'm interested in Vulcan physiology. Isn't it unusual for a Vulcan to retire at your age? After all, you're only a hundred and two.
SAREK: One hundred two point four three seven precisely, Doctor, measured in your years. I had other concerns.

Sarek presumably means his age at that moment is 102.437 Earth years, although he might have meant some other type of years which might have been considered to be "McCoy's" years, like years of the colony planet New Dixie where McCoy might have lived for years.

I am tempted to try dating every event in Kirk's live by YS dating, Years of Sarek's life expressed in Earth years, but I guess I will try YK dating, Years of Kirk's life.

In "The Deadly Years" Kirk and other officers suffer from a condition resembling ultra rapid aging. A competency hearing si to see if Kirk is still compent to command the Enterprise, and everything that Kirk forgets during the hearing is mentioned as evidence against his competency.

SPOCK: Thank you, Lieutenant. Doctor McCoy, Doctor McCoy!
MCCOY: (waking up) Yes, Spock? What is it?
SPOCK: Several hours ago, at the request of this board, you ran a complete physical examination of Captain Kirk.
MCCOY: I did.
SPOCK: Medical banks, compute described subject's physical age, using established norms as comparative base.
COMPUTER: Working. Subject's physical age based on physiological profile, between sixty and seventy two. Aging rapidly.
KIRK: No, I'm thirty four. I'm thirty four years old.
STOCKER: The computer differs with you, Captain.

So the computer says that Kirk's physical age is between 60 and 72, and Kirk says that his chronological age is 34. And I don't think that anyone says that Kirk forgot his actual chronolgical age.

Thus it is natural to assume that Kirk's chronogical age was between 34.0 (thirty four point zero) Earth years and 34.999 (thirty four point nne nine nine) Earth years during the hearing in "The Deadly Years, and thus to assume that KIrk was born between 34.0 (thirty four point zero) Earth years and 34.999 (thirty four point nne nine nine) Earth years before the hearing in "The Deadly Years". Though of course there is no absolute proof that those assumptions are correct.

So "The Deadly Years" can be dated to sometime between YK (Year of Kirk) 34.0 (thirty four point zereo) and YK 35.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine).

Making the arbitrary assumption that all episodes happen in order of seasons, but there is no way of telling which order the episodes within a season happen, each episode can possibly happen any time during the year that its season occupies.

Another arbitary assumption is that the episodes in each season of TOS happen during the course of one Earth year.

A third arbitrary assumption is that the end of one season leads immediately to the beginning of the next season.

Thus those three arbitary assumptions mean that the episodes of the three seasons of TOS could occupy as little time as a little over one year. The second season episodes are distrubed in an unknown way during the course of exactly one year, and the first season episodes could all be croweded into the last section of the year before, and the third season epsidoes could all be crowed into the beginning of the third year. Thus the episodes could be distributed over one whole year and two small fragments of other years.

Or the episodes in the three seasons could be spread out over three years, with the first episodes in the first season being almost three years before the last episodes in the third season.

If the five year mission lasted for 4.0 (four point zero) to 5.999 (five point nine nine nine) years,
the five year mission could have begun between 0 (zero) and 2.999 (two point nine nne nine) years before the beginning of the first season, and it might have ended between 0 (zero) and 2.999 (two point nine nne nine) years after the end of the third season, so long as the total length of the five year mission was between 4.0 (four point zero) and 5.999 (five point nine nine nine) years.

Kirk might have commanded the Enterprise only during the 4.0 (four point zero) to 5.999 (five point nine nine nine) years that the five year mission lasted. But Kirk could have commanded the Enterprise for an unknown period of time before and/or after the five year mission.

As written above, The Deadly Years" can be dated to sometime between YK (Year of Kirk) 34.0 (thirty four point zero) and YK 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine). And there is no way of telling, under my assumpitons, whether "The Deadly Years" was at the very beginning or the very end of the econd season's year, or somewhete in between.

So the second season of TOS could have lasted from YK 33.001 (thirty three point zero zero one) to YK 34.0 (thirty four point zero) if "The Deadly Years" happened at the very end of the year of the second season. Or the second season of TOS could have happened between YK 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine) and YK 35.999 (thirty five point nine nine nine) if The Deadly Years" happened at the very beginnng of the second season.

Thus we can deduce that the earliest possible beginning (under my assumptions) for the first season is YK 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and the latest possible end of the first season is YK 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine).

Thus we can deduce that the earliest possible beginning (under my assumptions) for the third season is YK 34.001 (thirty four point zero zero one) and the latest possible end of the third season is YK 36.999 (thirty six point nine nine nine).

YK 0 (Zero)

Kirk is born.

YK Unknown.

Kirk begins preparing himself for a career in Starlleet hoping to be as good an officer as possible. In "Court Martial":

KIRK: Two days ago, I would've staked anything on my judgment.
COGLEY: You did. Your professional career.
KIRK: I spent my whole life training for decisions just like that one. My whole life. Is it possible that when the moment came? No. I know what I did. You can pull out if you want to.

And it is quite possible that Kirk's family, or Kirk on his own initiative, began training and education to be a great starship captain while he was still a child.

YK 11.002 (eleven point zero zero two) to 14.999 (fourteen point nine nine nine)

The massacre of 4,000 colonists on Tarsus Four. James T. Kirk, a child, on Tarsus IV for unmentioned reasons, is a survivor and an eyewitness. Twenty years before the episode "The Conscience of the King":

COMPUTER: Library computer.
KIRK: History files. Subject, former Governor Kodos of Tarsus Four, also known as Kodos the Executioner. After that, background on actor Anton Karidian.
COMPUTER: Working. Kodos the Executioner, summary. Governor of Tarsus Four twenty Earth years ago. Invoked martial law. Slaughtered fifty percent of population Earth colony, that planet. Burned body found when Earth forces arrived. No positive identification. Case closed. Detailed information follows. On stardate 2794.7,

This is twenty years before Kirk is aged somewhere between 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine) during the first season.

YK Unknown.

Kirk first meets and becomes acquainted with Gary Mitchell. In my chronology this is probably a number of years before Gary enters the service and they become close friends. Thus this is probably while they are both still high school equivalent students before entering Starfleet Academy. The main clue to the date is that it is fifteen years before "Where No Man Has Gone Before".

Star date 1313.1. We're now approaching Delta Vega. Course set for a standard orbit. This planet, completely uninhabited, is slightly smaller than Earth. Desolate, but rich in crystal and minerals. Kelso's task, transport down with a repair party, try to regenerate the main engines, save the ship. Our task, transport down a man I've known for fifteen years, and if we're successful, maroon him there.

YK 17.0 (seventeen point zero) to YK 22.999 (twenty two point nine nine nine)

Kirk enters Starfleet Academy aged 17.0 (seventeen point zero) to 22.999 (twenty two point nine nine nine) if the age of entering Starfleet Academy is the same as the current age of entering United States military service academies.

YK 15.169 (fifteen point one six nine) to 19.333 (nineteen point three three three)

Earliest possible date for Kirk entering Starfleet Academy as a plebe and being harrassed by Finnegan. Earliest possible date of Kirk meeting and becoming friends with an instructor, Benjamin Finney. Calculated assuming that Finnegan graduated, or flunked out, or was expelled for misconduct, at the end of Kirk first academic year at the Academy, and thus 8 to 10 months, 0.666 (zero point six six six) to 0.833 (zero point eight three three) years after Kirk entered.

YK 15.169 (fifteen point one six nine) to 19.333 (nineteen point three three three)

Earliest possible date Benjamin Finney could have named his daughter Jame after James Kirk.

YK 16.002 (sixteen point zero zero two) to 19.999 (nineteen point nine nine nine)

The last time that Kirk saw Finnegan, an upperclassman, at Starfleet Academy fifteen years (fifteen point zero zero zero to fifteen point nine nine nine) before "Shore Leave", in the first season, when Kirk would be somewhere between 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and 34.999 (thrity four point nine nine nine).

FINNEGAN: Get up. Get up. Get up. Always fight fair, don't you? True officer and gentleman, you. You stupid underclassman. I've got the edge. I'm still twenty years old. Look at you. You're an old man.

KIRK: A lot of things. What's been happening to my people?
FINNEGAN: I never answer questions from plebes, Jimmy boy.
KIRK: I'm not a plebe. This is today, fifteen years later. What are you doing here?

YK 16.002 (sixteen point zero zero two) to 19.999 (nineteen point nine nine nine)

The last time Kirk sees his girlfriend Ruth, fifteen years (fifteen point zero zero zero to fifteen point nine nine nine) before "Shore Leave", in the first season, when Kirk would be somewhere between 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine).

KIRK: (into communicator) McCoy, do you read me? Ruth. Ruth, how can it be you? How could you possibly be here? You haven't aged. It's been fifteen years.

YK 18.835 (eighteen point eight three five) to 23.166 (twenty three point one six six)

Kirk may graduate from Starfleet Academy and be commissoned an ensign about 3 years and eight to ten months after entering aged 15.169 (fifteen point one six nine) to 19.333 (nineteen point three three three) if he enteredi Starfleet Academy at the age calculated from "Shore Leave". Ensign Kirk begins serving under Captain Garrovick according to "Obsession":

MCCOY: Captain Garrovick was very important to you, wasn't he, Jim?
KIRK: Yes. He was my commanding officer from the day I left the Academy. One of the finest men I ever knew. I could have killed that thing if I'd fired soon enough the first time.

YK 20.666 (twenty point six six six) to YK 26.832 (twenty six point eight three two)

Kirk may graduate from Starfleet Academy and be commissoned an ensign about 3 years and eight to ten months after entering aged 17.0 (seventeen point zero) to 22.999 (twenty two point nine nine nine) if the age of entering Starfleet Academy is the same as the current age of entering United States military service academies. Ensign Kirk begins serving udner Captain Garrovick according to "Obsession":

MCCOY: Captain Garrovick was very important to you, wasn't he, Jim?
KIRK: Yes. He was my commanding officer from the day I left the Academy. One of the finest men I ever knew. I could have killed that thing if I'd fired soon enough the first time.

Of corse it is psosible that for some reason Kirk could graduate faster the normal four year course of studies.

To be continued.

 

[Timo]

I'd start by dropping a few decimals there. "Fifteen" may mean anything between twelve and eighteen in practice, and "twenty" may range from eleven to 29, dependin'. So events that happened fifteen years prior to a statement may well have taken place six or seven years apart, assuming the speaker even got it right to begin with and isn't misremembering.

"Thirty-four" would be more telling, ranging from 33 to 34 in practice (say, the latter half of the year preceding Kirk's birthday is fine for this, too, in most cases - birthdays are anticipated events, after all, and rounding up isn't lying). Except it's spoken by a senile man nobody even bothers to contradict any longer, out of pity.

I say an outline should feature the decade-long error bars; a timeline construed with the three decimals should fit within the error bars but is but one of the options and may feature a sequence of events that isn't the only allowed one.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[johnnybear]

So Kirk would have been thirty two at the time of where No Man Has Gone Before? As I've always assumed!
JB

 

[UssGlenn]

I hope the end result here is to see you attach your date ranges to your best guess of actual years. You know, Kirk born March 22XX, 5 year mission ends 2270, Kirk turns 50 in 228X. that sort of thing. I'm sure you could estimate months in some cases. That's what I was picturing with
"easier to digest",

 

[jackoverfull]

Very interesting. Something worth noting: there is no guarantee that each season actually represents a year and especially WNMHGB is thought by many (including shatner in his books!) to be the only episode happening in the first year, with the rest of the first season happening in year 2, after a refit, and so on, putting TAS in year 5.

Also, VOY Q2 gives the end of Kirk’s *five year* mission in 2270, establishing that the enterprise did in fact complete the whole five years and setting definite dates for beginning and end of it.

 

[jackoverfull]

Also, could be worth checking Trials and Tribble-ations: I don’t remember if they give out an exact date there but if they do we retroactively have one for another TOS episode.

 

[Timo]

Sisko: "Stardate 4523.7."
Dulmur: "A hundred and five years, one month, and twelve days ago."
Lucsly: "A Friday."

Make of what what you wish; the SD for when Sisko states this is in fact unknown.

Nailing down TOS in Gregorian dates is certainly doable, but involves both assumptions and external sources. And if we're willing to accept DS9 as a source, we might just as well accept that it's a thousand stardates per calendar year, and those mark the transition from one year to another in TOS, too (thus nicely covering five of them). Although that's a stardate year, and the transition probably isn't between Earth December and January there.

Using stardates for TOS time intervals shorter than a year is not doable even with assumptions, external sources and a jackhammer. But the tolerances there are on the same order of magnitude as the "fifteen years ago" thing, so everybody is free to try the jackhammer anyway.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Farscape One]

"WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE" being the only episode from Kirk's first year of command on the Enterprise? Season 1 being year 2, season 2 being year 3, season 3 being year 4, and The Animated Series is year 5?

I never looked at it like that, but it does make a lot of sense. Given the only appearance of those uniforms in that second pilot, plus the date from "Q2", and calculating backward 105 years from "TRIALS AND TRIBBLE-ATIONS" (VOYAGER season 1 was established as being in 2371 by Chakotay in "EYE OF THE NEEDLE", which ran concurrently during DS9's season 3, making "TRIALS AND TRIBBLE-ATIONS" taking place in 2373.), and since "THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES" was in season 2, that would put it at 2268.

It certainly fits.

 

[jackoverfull]

Wouldn’t the 5 year mission finish in 2373, then, not 2370 as stated in Q2?

 

[Farscape One]

If you mean 2273 and not 2370, then no. What is said in "Q2" solidifies this.

Assuming the above theory is accurate, "THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES" occured in season 2, making it his third year in command. That puts it at 2268. I might have overly worded my thoughts. Here is a better view...

2266 - "WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE"
2267 - all episodes of TOS season 1
2268 - all episodes of TOS season 2
2269 - all episodes of TOS season 3
2270 - all episodes of TAS

 

[MAGolding]

So Kirk would have been thirty two at the time of where No Man Has Gone Before? As I've always assumed!
JB

Only if "Where No Man Has Gone Before", the second star Trek pilot, was actually during the first season of TOS. It is possible to consider that Where No Man Has Gone Before" happeened before all the other first season episodes, and thus possibly before the beginning of the first season.

I note that the calculations made under my assumptions make Kirk's age in the first season somewhere between 32.001 and 34.999. Exactly halfway between the two extremes would be exactly 33.5. If Where No Man Has Gone Before" was more thean 6 months before Kirk was 33.5, Kirk would be aged 32 during it.

 

[jackoverfull]

If you mean 2273 and not 2370, then no. What is said in "Q2" solidifies this.

Assuming the above theory is accurate, "THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES" occured in season 2, making it his third year in command. That puts it at 2268. I might have overly worded my thoughts. Here is a better view...

2266 - "WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE"
2267 - all episodes of TOS season 1
2268 - all episodes of TOS season 2
2269 - all episodes of TOS season 3
2270 - all episodes of TAS

Thanks for the clarification, works well for me.

 

[MAGolding]

I now resume my chonology of Kirk's career according to the evidence.

Included is the first part of the chronology, repeated from my post number one, with additions, and continued.

YK 0 (Zero)

Kirk is born.

YK Unknown.

Kirk begins preparing himself for a career in Starlleet hoping to be as good an officer as possible. In "Court Martial":

KIRK: Two days ago, I would've staked anything on my judgment.
COGLEY: You did. Your professional career.
KIRK: I spent my whole life training for decisions just like that one. My whole life. Is it possible that when the moment came? No. I know what I did. You can pull out if you want to.

And it is quite possible that Kirk's family, or Kirk on his own initiative, began training and education to be a great starship captain while he was still a child.

YK 11.002 (eleven point zero zero two) to 14.999 (fourteen point nine nine nine)

The massacre of 4,000 colonists on Tarsus Four. James T. Kirk, a child, on Tarsus IV for unmentioned reasons, is a survivor and an eyewitness. Twenty years before the episode "The Conscience of the King":

COMPUTER: Library computer.
KIRK: History files. Subject, former Governor Kodos of Tarsus Four, also known as Kodos the Executioner. After that, background on actor Anton Karidian.
COMPUTER: Working. Kodos the Executioner, summary. Governor of Tarsus Four twenty Earth years ago. Invoked martial law. Slaughtered fifty percent of population Earth colony, that planet. Burned body found when Earth forces arrived. No positive identification. Case closed. Detailed information follows. On stardate 2794.7,

This is twenty years before Kirk is aged somewhere between 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine) during the first season.

YK Unknown.

Kirk first meets and becomes acquainted with Gary Mitchell. In my chronology this is probably a number of years before Gary enters the service and they become close friends. Thus this is probably while they are both still high school equivalent students before entering Starfleet Academy. The main clue to the date is that it is fifteen years before "Where No Man Has Gone Before".

Star date 1313.1. We're now approaching Delta Vega. Course set for a standard orbit. This planet, completely uninhabited, is slightly smaller than Earth. Desolate, but rich in crystal and minerals. Kelso's task, transport down with a repair party, try to regenerate the main engines, save the ship. Our task, transport down a man I've known for fifteen years, and if we're successful, maroon him there.

YK 12.003 (twelve point zero zero three) to 17.997 (seventeen point nine nine seven).

The earliest possible date range for kirk to meet Gary Mitchell for the first time, counting from YK 28.002 to 32.998, the earliets possible date range for Kirk to take command of the Enterprise as calculated from "Amoke Time and "Journey to Babel" and thus the earleist possible date range for "Where No Man Has Gone Before"..

YK 17.0 (seventeen point zero) to YK 22.999 (twenty two point nine nine nine)

Kirk enters Starfleet Academy aged 17.0 (seventeen point zero) to 22.999 (twenty two point nine nine nine) if the age of entering Starfleet Academy is the same as the current age of entering United States military service academies.

YK 15.169 (fifteen point one six nine) to 19.333 (nineteen point three three three)

Earliest possible date for Kirk entering Starfleet Academy as a plebe and being harrassed by Finnegan. Earliest possible date of Kirk meeting and becoming friends with an instructor, Benjamin Finney. Calculated assuming that Finnegan graduated, or flunked out, or was expelled for misconduct, at the end of Kirk first academic year at the Academy, and thus 8 to 10 months, 0.666 (zero point six six six) to 0.833 (zero point eight three three) years after Kirk entered.

YK 15.169 (fifteen point one six nine) to 19.333 (nineteen point three three three)

Earliest possible date Benjamin Finney could have named his daughter Jame after James Kirk.

YK 16.002 (sixteen point zero zero two) to 19.998 (nineteen point nine nine eight).

Latest possible date range for Kirk to meet Gary Mitchell, calculated as fifteen years before "Where No Man Has Gone Before" if that episode happens sometime during the first season.

YK 16.002 (sixteen point zero zero two) to 19.999 (nineteen point nine nine nine)

The last time that Kirk saw Finnegan, an upperclassman, at Starfleet Academy fifteen years (fifteen point zero zero zero to fifteen point nine nine nine) before "Shore Leave", in the first season, when Kirk would be somewhere between 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and 34.999 (thrity four point nine nine nine).

FINNEGAN: Get up. Get up. Get up. Always fight fair, don't you? True officer and gentleman, you. You stupid underclassman. I've got the edge. I'm still twenty years old. Look at you. You're an old man.

KIRK: A lot of things. What's been happening to my people?
FINNEGAN: I never answer questions from plebes, Jimmy boy.
KIRK: I'm not a plebe. This is today, fifteen years later. What are you doing here?

YK 16.002 (sixteen point zero zero two) to 19.999 (nineteen point nine nine nine)

The last time Kirk sees his girlfriend Ruth, fifteen years (fifteen point zero zero zero to fifteen point nine nine nine) before "Shore Leave", in the first season, when Kirk would be somewhere between 32.001 (thirty two point zero zero one) and 34.999 (thirty four point nine nine nine).

KIRK: (into communicator) McCoy, do you read me? Ruth. Ruth, how can it be you? How could you possibly be here? You haven't aged. It's been fifteen years.

YK 18.835 (eighteen point eight three five) to 23.166 (twenty three point one six six)

Kirk may graduate from Starfleet Academy and be commissoned an ensign about 3 years and eight to ten months after entering aged 15.169 (fifteen point one six nine) to 19.333 (nineteen point three three three) if he enteredi Starfleet Academy at the age calculated from "Shore Leave". Ensign Kirk begins serving under Captain Garrovick according to "Obsession":

MCCOY: Captain Garrovick was very important to you, wasn't he, Jim?
KIRK: Yes. He was my commanding officer from the day I left the Academy. One of the finest men I ever knew. I could have killed that thing if I'd fired soon enough the first time.

YK 20.666 (twenty point six six six) to YK 26.832 (twenty six point eight three two)

Kirk may graduate from Starfleet Academy and be commissoned an ensign about 3 years and eight to ten months after entering aged 17.0 (seventeen point zero) to 22.999 (twenty two point nine nine nine) if the age of entering Starfleet Academy is the same as the current age of entering United States military service academies. Ensign Kirk begins serving under Captain Garrovick according to "Obsession":

MCCOY: Captain Garrovick was very important to you, wasn't he, Jim?
KIRK: Yes. He was my commanding officer from the day I left the Academy. One of the finest men I ever knew. I could have killed that thing if I'd fired soon enough the first time.

Of corse it is possible that for some reason Kirk could graduate faster the normal four year course of studies.

YK Unknown.

Ensign James Kirk and Lieutenant Benjamin Finney begin serving on the USS Republic, according to "Court Martial". According to "Obsession", their commanding officer was Garrovick. Kirk reports an error of Finney's, causing a rift between them.

KIRK: It's no secret. We were assigned to the same ship some years later. I relieved him on watch once and found a circuit open to the atomic matter piles that should've been closed. Another five minutes, it could have blown up the ship.
COMPUTER: Ship nomenclature. Specify.
KIRK: United Starship Republic, number 1371.
STONE: Continue.
KIRK: I closed the switch and logged the incident. He drew a reprimand and was sent to the bottom of the promotion list.
STONE: And he blamed you for that?
KIRK: Yes. He had been at the Academy for an unusually long time as an instructor. As a result, he was late in being assigned to a starship. The delay, he felt, looked bad on his record. My action, he believed, made things worse.

SHAW: With reference to Records Officer Finney, was there in his service record a reported disciplinary action for failure to close a circuit?
ENSIGN: Yes, ma'am.
SHAW: Was the charge in that instance based upon a log entry by the officer who relieved him?
ENSIGN: Yes, ma'am.
SHAW: And who was that officer?
ENSIGN: Ensign James T. Kirk.
SHAW: Louder, please, for the court.
ENSIGN: Ensign James T. Kirk.
SHAW: Now the Captain Kirk who sits in this courtroom?
ENSIGN: Yes, ma'am.

YK 18.002 (eighteen point zero zero two) to 21.998 (twenty one point nine nine eight)

Captain Pike and Lieutenant Spock on the Enterprise at Rigel VII and TAlos IV ("The Cage") thirteen years before "The Menagerie" Part 1 & Part 2. It is uncertain how long Spock served under Captain Pike before this.

MENDEZ: Present your evidence. Screen on.
SPOCK: This is thirteen years ago. The Enterprise and its commander, Captain Christopher Pike.

SPOCK: As I stated, gentlemen, this was thirteen years ago. We were on routine patrol when the ship's sensors detected something ahead. At first we were not certain what it was.

YK Unknown.

Ensign James Kirk is promoted to lieutenant. Presumably Kirk is promoted to lieutenant junior grade and then to lieutenant a few years later, but he is never described as a lieutenent junior grade.

YK 19.002 (nineteen point zero zero two) to 22.998 (twenty two point nine nine eight).

Latest possible date for Jame Finney, daughter of Benjamin Finney, to be named after James Kirk. Since James Kirk is a lieutenant during thus date range, and since Finney stopped being Kirk's friend while Kirk was still an ensign, this is the latest possible date range for Jame to be named after Kirk..

YK 19.002 (nineteen point zero zero two) to 22.998 (twenty two point nine nine eight).

Lieutenant Kirk conducts his first planetary survey, 13 years before "A Private Little War":

SPOCK: Aside from that, you say it's a Garden of Eden?
KIRK: Or so it seemed to the brash young Lieutenant Kirk on his first planet survey.

KIRK: When I left there thirteen years ago, those villagers had barely learned to forge iron. Spock was shot with a flintlock. How many centuries between those two developments?

YK 21.002 (twenty one point zero zero 2 to 24.998 (twenty four point nine nine eight).

The starship Farragut enounters a vampire space cloud at Tycho IV. Captain Garrovik and half the crew are killed, the executive officer and lieutenant Kirk survive, as does the vampire space cloud. Eleven years before "Obsession".

MCCOY: Am I? I was speaking of Lieutenant James T. Kirk of the starship Farragut. Eleven years ago, you were the young officer at the phaser station when something attacked. According to the tapes, this young Lieutenant Kirk insisted upon blaming himself.
KIRK: Because I delayed in firing at it.
MCCOY: You had a normal emotion. You were startled. You delayed firing for a grand total of perhaps two seconds.
KIRK: If I hadn't delayed, it would have been killed.
MCCOY: The ship's exec didn't seem to think so. His log entry was quite clear on the subject. Lieutenant Kirk is a fine young officer who performed with uncommon bravery.
KIRK: Don't you understand? It killed two hundred crewmen.
MCCOY: Captain Garrovick was very important to you, wasn't he, Jim?
KIRK: Yes. He was my commanding officer from the day I left the Academy. One of the finest men I ever knew. I could have killed that thing if I'd fired soon enough the first time.

YK 19.002 (nineteen point zero zero two) to 22.998 (twenty two point nine nine eight)

Dr. McCoy knows the future Nancy Crater, a woman of 25, and perhaps becomes involved with her, twelve years before "The Man Trap":

CRATER: Nothing. It's just that it gives me pleasure to know that she's gotten to see an old friend and has a chance for some company. It's different for me, I enjoy solitude. But for a woman. You understand, of course.
MCCOY: Well, it certainly hasn't aged her. She looks exactly as I knew her twelve years ago. Amazing, Jim. Like a girl of twenty five.

YK 21.002 (twenty one point zero zero two) to 24.998 (twenty four point nine nine eight)

Dr. McCoy and Nancy Crater split up, ten years before "the Man Trap":

KIRK: Professor Crater? Professor? Mrs. Crater? Nervous, Dr. McCoy?
MCCOY: Yeah, a little bit, I guess. You see, we walked out of each other's lives ten years ago. She married Crater, and for all I know she may have forgotten me completely. Of all the bonehead ideas, Jim, how'd I let myself in for things like this?
NANCY: (singing outside, then enters) Leonard!

McCoy may have still been a civilian at that time.

YK 19.000 (nineteen point zero zero zero) to 24.998 (twenty four pint nine nie eight)

In "The Corbomite Maneuver" Dr. McCoy talks about Captain Kirk about 11 years earlier. It is possible that McCoy knew Kirk then. Assuming that "about eleven years" was somehwere between ten and thirteen years gives the possible date range for when McCoy might have met Kirk, perhaps on a starship or starbase or at Starfleet Academy. It is possible that Kirk might have begun teaching at Starfleet Academy by the end of this time range.

MCCOY: I'm especially worried about Bailey. Navigator's position's rough enough for a seasoned man.
KIRK: I think he'll cut it.
MCCOY: Oh? How so sure? Because you spotted something you liked in him, something familiar, like yourself say about, oh, eleven years ago?

YK 21.002 (twenty one point zero zero 2 to 24.998 (twenty four point nine nine eight).

The calculated possible date range of the Vampire Space Cloud's fight with the USS Farragut. And thus probably the earliest possible date range for Lieutenant Kirk to return to Starfleet Academy to teach a course as an instructor.

YK 22.002 (twenty tow point zero zero 2 to 25.998 (twenty five point nine nine eight).

The earliest possible second year for Lieutenant Kirk to teach his course at Starfleet Academy. And thus the earliest possible year for new cadet Gary Mitchell to be warned about Kirk's class by upperclassmen as in "Where No Man Has Gone before".

DEHNER: I don't think so. I understand you least of all. Gary told me that you've been friends since he joined the service, that you asked for him aboard your first command.

MITCHELL: Well, I'm getting a chance to read some of that longhair stuff you like. Hey man, I remember you back at the Academy. A stack of books with legs. The first thing I ever heard from an upperclassman was, watch out for Lieutenant Kirk. In his class, you either think or sink.
KIRK: I wasn't that bad, was I?
MITCHELL: If I hadn't aimed that little blonde lab technician at you
KIRK: You what? You planned that?
MITCHELL: Well, you wanted me to think, didn't you? I outlined her whole campaign for her.
KIRK: I almost married her!

Thus Kirk and Mitchell seem to have become friends a number of years after they first met, if the course of Kirk's career was anything like a somewhat faster version of a normal Starfleet career. However, if fKirk had a very weird Starfleet careerr, he could have become friends with Gary Mitchell when they first met.

Fans have speculated that the "little blonde lab technician" who Gary distracted Kirk with was the future Dr. Carol Marcus, and thus that David was born at that time.

YK 22.752 (twenty two point seven five two) to 26.748 (Twenty six point seven four eight).

Earliest possible date range for birth of Dr. David Marcus, if the fan speculation that Carol Marcus and the "little blonde lab technician" were the saemperson is correct..

YK 17.001 (seventeen point zero zero one) to 25.997 (twenty five point nine nine seven)

Birth range of Doctor David Marcus, calculated from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan being fifteen years after "Space Seed" and assuming he would be about 25.001 to 30.001 in the movie.

YK 22.001 (twenty two point zero zero one) to 30.997 (thirty point nine nine seven)

Birth range of Doctor David Marcus, calculated from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier being twenty years after "Balance of Terror", and assuming that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is only a few months after Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and assuming David Marcus he would be about 25.001 to 30.001 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

YK 25.002 (twenty five point zero zero two) to 28.998 (twenty eight point neine nne eight)

Leila Kalomi meets Spock on Earth according to "This Side of Paradise". Spock is probably on Earth on Starfleet Business with Captain PIke, or maybe on leave visiting his parents and/or Amanda's relatives, and this is probably before Kirk commands the Enterprise or meets Spock:

ELIAS: You've known the Vulcanian?
LEILA: On Earth, six years ago.

YK 26.585 (twenty six point five eight five) to YK 28.666 (twenty eight point six six six)

The last time that Kirk and his former girlfriend Dr. Jacet Wallace saw each other, about six years and four to five months before "The Deadly Years".

KIRK: How long has it been?
WALLACE: Six years, four months, and an odd number of days. You mean you don't know?
KIRK: Well, it's been a long time. Things wouldn't change if it started all over again, would it? You have your job, I have my ship, and neither one of us will change.
WALLACE: You said it. I didn't. In all those years, I only heard from you once. A stargram when my husband died. You know, you never asked me why I got married after we called it off.

Kirk's words imply that he might have already have been in command of a ship by then. This might have been a ship which Kirk commanded before the Enteprise, mentioned in "Where No Man Has Gone Before":

DEHNER: I don't think so. I understand you least of all. Gary told me that you've been friends since he joined the service, that you asked for him aboard your first command.

Or possibly Kirk was already in command of the Enterprise at that time.

YK 28.335 (twenty eight point three three five) to 30.416 (thirty point four one six).

The last time that Kirk and his former girlfriend Areel Shaw see each other, about four years and and seven to eight months befoe "Court Martial":

KIRK; It's been, how long has it been?
SHAW: Four years, seven months, and an odd number of days. Not that I'm counting.

YK 28.002 (twenty eight point zero zero two) to 32.998 (thirty two point nine nine eight).

Spock visits his parents Sarek and Amanda, possibly on Vulcan, presumably taking leave to do so. This is the last time Spock does so for "four years", which I interpret as between 3.001 (three point zero zero one) and 4.999 (four point nine nne nine) years, before "Journey to Babel":

AMANDA: And you haven't come to see us in four years, either.

YK 29.349 (twenty nine point three four nine) to 33.345 (thirty three point three four five)

Latest possible range for Kirk to take command of the Enterprise. According to "The Menagerie", Pike ceased to command the Enterprise eleven years, four months and five days after the events on Talos IV. But if Spock began serving under Pike sometime before Talos IV Kirk could have become commander of the Enterprise earlier.

MENDEZ: You ever met Chris Pike?
KIRK: When he was promoted to Fleet Captain.
MENDEZ: About your age. Big, handsome man, vital, active.
KIRK: I took over the Enterprise from him. Spock served with him for several years.
SPOCK: Eleven years, four months, five days.

YK 30.349 (thirty point three four nine) to 33.345 (thirty three point three four five).

Latest possible age range for Kirk to take command of the Enterprise. Subtracting 11.347 years from 13.001 to 13.999 years, Pike stopped commanding the Enterprise 1.654 (one point six five four) to 2.652 (two point six five two) years before "The Menagerie". But if Spock began serving under Pike sometime before Talos IV Kirk could have become commander of the Enterprise earlier.

YK 31.000 (thirty one point zero zero zero) to 33.998 (thirty three point nine nine eight)

Latest possible date range for Kirk to begin working togehter with Spock, closely enough to know whether Spock is on duty or on leave, and thus probably the latest possible date range for Kirk to take command of the Enteprise. This should be at least two years before "Amok Time", though after Spock's last visit to his parents, which he presumably would have had to take leave for.

KIRK: I'm more interested in your request for shore leave. In all the years
SPOCK: You have my request, Captain. Will you grant it or not?
KIRK: In all the years that I've known you, you've never asked for a leave of any sort. In fact, you've refused them. Why now?

And i guess that is all that I can think of at the moment about evidence for the chronology of Kirk's career up to TOS.

 

[jackoverfull]

I was thinking we actually have enough evidence to establish kirk’s Birth year as 2233, how does it fit in this?

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/2233

 

[Albertese]

You and Sarek have the same habit of trying to establish matters to within about eight hours (a year to the third decimal place). It's a little tedious.

--Alex

 

[J.T.B.]

Ensign James Kirk is promoted to lieutenant.

Or lieutenant j.g., no?

 

[MAGolding]

I a m going to do a version where each event is date precisesly to the middle of its possible date range, to see how that works out. Stay tuned.

I was thinking we actually have enough evidence to establish kirk’s Birth year as 2233, how does it fit in this?

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/2233

One) Actually there is various evidence in varius productions which indicates that the official dates of many Star Trek productions are impossible. Since the official dates are not canonical it is possible that they are incorrect, and as I wrote there is some evidence that at least some of the official dates are totally impossible.

Two) As I have pointed out in several different threads, I think there is clear evidence for using several different calendar eras in Star Trek. The box in the upper right of the Wikipedia article calendar era lists the year 2020 in various calendar eras - 44 if I counted correctly, and there are other calendar eras which could be used.

And, noticing various evidence in various productions for the use of several different calendar eras to date events, I think that the United Earth government sometimes changes the official Earth calendar, adopting a new offical Earth calendar, or at least a new calendar era, to please some interest group who consider that calendar era represents tihem.

Therefore, there is no proof that any specific date given in any specific Star Trek production iuses the Christian era or Common era, except for about half a dozen - out of tens or hundeds of dates -which are specified as AD.

In "Where No Man Has Gone Before" there could be one, two, or three calendar eras used. What I can the Tarbolde- Mitchell era (TM) used by Mitchell to date Tarbolde's poem, the dates of birth of Mitchell and Dehner in their files, which I call Eldman Delman era, and the dates on Kirk's Tombstone. If all of those dates are years, they must be in three separate calendars.

The dates in the files and the dates on the tombstones could be stardates, and if so interpreting them correctly to understand how the starate system works in that era is important. I note that some people think that the C before the first number on Kirk's tombstone could be the date when Kirk took command of the Enterprise, or some other recent event, instead of Kirk's birth date.

Three) I also note that the idea that Mitchell was substantually older than Kirk seems unlikely due to the comparatively narrow range of ages for entering military service academies. Kirk was already a lieutenant teaching a course for a second year at least, when Mitchell was warned about it by upperclassmen.

You and Sarek have the same habit of trying to establish matters to within about eight hours (a year to the third decimal place). It's a little tedious.

--Alex

Here is something which could be considered a justification for years to three decimal places.

So if a year to a third decimal place is about 8 hours, about a third of a 24 hour day, and if it is also about the time that someone works during a day, it may be the length of a watch period in Starfleet, and it may be habit to call that work period a "day", as well as also calling a full 24 hour cycle a day.

If there are two different days used by Starfleet officers, one of them beimg about 8 hours long, then there is no contradiction between the TNG era stardates having about 1,000 stardate units in a year and about 1 stardate unit per "day". Otherwise the stardate system would be totallyi llogical and inconsitent.

So when and if the stardate system has one stardate per approximaely 8 hour workday or watch, it makes sense for characters to give years to three decimal places.

Or lieutenant j.g., no?

I have edited the post to mention that Kirk probably was promoted to lieutenant j.g. and then to lieutenant.

 

[Albertese]

.....
Here is something which could be considered a justification for years to three decimal places.

So if a year to a third decimal place is about 8 hours, about a third of a 24 hour day, and if it is also about the time that someone works during a day, it may be the length of a watch period in Starfleet, and it may be habit to call that work period a "day", as well as also calling a full 24 hour cycle a day.

If there are two different days used by Starfleet officers, one of them beimg about 8 hours long, then there is no contradiction between the TNG era stardates having about 1,000 stardate units in a year and about 1 stardate unit per "day". Otherwise the stardate system would be totallyi llogical and inconsitent.....

I have long thought that a stardate is eight hours on Earth. However, I stand by the concept that it's needless precision.

And I mean that as only a minor criticism, as I do find your conclusions very interesting.

--Alex

 

[MAGolding]

An outline of Kirk's career, mostly without date ranges.

This is done assuming that the seasons happen in the middle of their date ranges. All the chronological episodes happen exactly the middle of the date ranges of their seasons that were given above in post number 13. So the chronological episodes of each season have a specific date in Year's of Kirk instead of date ranges. the chronologicla episoides in the first season all happen at YK 33.5, the ones in the second season all happen at YK 34.5, and the ones in the third season all happen at YK 35.5.

And if an event is said to happen X years before an episode, instead of saying that it happened betwee X years and X plus 1 years befor that episode, the event will have happened halfway through the range, at X.5 years before the episode.

YK 0 Kirk born.

YK Unknown. Kirk begins study and training for Starfleet, possibly an intense and harsh regime, possibly as a child.

YK 13.0 Tarsus IV massacre.

YK 16.5 The earliest possible time Kirk could meet Gary Mitchell for the first time, if "Where No Man Has Gone Before" happens after Sulu begins serving with Kirk at YK 32.0.

YK 17.25 Kirk enters starfeet Academy, meets the bully Finnigan and Ben Finney. Earliest possible date Jame Finney could be named after Kirk.

YK 18.0 Last time Kirk sees Finnegan & Ruth. Finnegan may graduate. Kirk may go on the Axanar Peace Mission as a cadet.

YK 18.0 Kirk meets Gary Mitchell for the first time, if "Where No Man Has Gone Before" happens during the first season of TOS. if "Where No Man Has Gone Before" happens before the first season of TOS Kirk may meet Gary Mitchell earlier.

YK 20.0 Pike and Spock at Talos IV.

YK 21.0 Kirk graduates, is commisssioned ensign.

YK 21.0 McCoy, presumably a civilian, meets Nancy.

YK 21.0 Ensign Kirk reports Finney on the Republic, ending their friendship. The latest possible date Jame Finney could be named after Kirk.

YK 21.0 Kirk, a lieutenant or lieutenant j.g., makes his first planet survey, meets Tyree.

YK 22.0 In "The Corbomite Maneuver", McCoy talks about Kirk in this era, and so might meet him at this time.

YK 23.0 McCoy and Nancy split up.

YK 23.0 Kirk is a lieutenant j.g. or full lieutenant on the Farragut when it fights the vampire space cloud.

YK 23.0 Earliest possible date for Lt. Kirk to return to starfleet Academy and teach a course.

YK 19.0 to 24.0 Birth range of Dr. David Marcus, if he was aged 25 to 30 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and if that movie was 15.5 years after the first season.

YK 24.0 Earliest possible second year for Kirk to teach at Academy, and upperclassmen warn new cadet Gary Mitchell
about Kirk's class. Earliest possible date for Gary to plan blonde lab technician's attempt to marry Kirk.

YK 24.75 Earliest possible birth of David Marcus, if Carol Marcus was the "little blonde lab technician".

YK 24.0 to YK 29.0 Birth range of Dr. David Marcus, if he was aged 25 to 30 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and if that movie was 20.5 years after the first season.

YK Unknown. Kirk possibly promoted to lieutenant commander.

YK Unknown. Kirk possibly promoted to commander.

YK 27.0 Leila Kalomi meets Spock in Earth.

YK 28.084 to YK 28.167 KIrk and Janet Wallace break up. Kirk might already be in command of a ship at the time.

YK 28.834 to YK 28.917 Kirk and Areel Shaw separate.

YK 29.5 to YK 31.5 Spock visitis his parents 3.0 to 5.0 years before "Journey to Babel", presumbably before Kirk takes command of the Enterprise."

YK 31.346 If Spock began serving with PIke at the Talos IV event, he would stop serving with PIke at YK 31.316, 11.346 years later. Beginning of KIrk's command of Enterprise. If Spock began serving with Pike earlier, Kirk could begin command of the Enterprise earlier.

YK 32.0 Lt. Sulu begins serving with Kirk, 2.5 years before "The Deadly Years", on the Enterprise or on Kirk's previous command. If he is the same Sulu as the one in "Where No Man Has Gone Before", that episode must happen in or after YK 32.0.

YK 32.5 Latest possible date for Kirk to take command of the Enterprise, at least 2 years before "Amok Time" in the second season.

YK 33.5 First season episodes of TOS.

YK 34.5 Second season episodes of TOS/

YK 35.5 Third season episodes of TOS.

YK 35.5 earliest possible date for the five year mission to end.

YK 38.0 earliest possible date for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

YK 49.0 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - beginning near one of Kirk's birthdays, and 15 years after "Space Seed" in the first season - and the following movies up to Star Trek: V The Final Frontier, happening with a few months. Dr. David Marcus should be age 25 to 30.

YK 54.0 Earliest possible date of Star Trek: V The Final Frontier, - happening at least 20 years after "Balance of Terror" in the first season - and the previous movies back to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, all happening within a few months . Dr. David Marcus should be age 25 to 30.

The sources for those dates will be found in post number 13 above.

 

[Henoch]

I still like to "jackhammer" some of the information provided in TOS Stardates. Mainly, Season One is two years; Season Two is one and a half years; Season Three is one year. I put WNMHGB plus a quick refit before the start of the 5YM. TAS, if you consider it (and ignore its Stardates), both Seasons occur in a half year window after TOS Season Three, completing out the 5YM with the its last episode TC-CI a few months (4 months?) after the 5YM for special envoy duty in honor of Commodore April.

I also have WNMHGB still under the United Earth Stardate system normally starting on Jan.1, but transitioning to the Federation Stardate system during the refit which resets the Stardate back to 0000.0, and they change uniforms. Its start date may be tied to the formation of the UFP, for example. Charlie X gives Thanksgiving in that year (If 2266, then Nov. 22 for example), and if you back calculate Stardate 1535.8 to zero, then the start date is 5/10/2265. This also puts the launch of the 5YM to be slightly before one year and 4 month later or a little before September 2266 if Mudd's Women is close to its first mission.

Continuing with the same assumptions, then the 5YM ended around September 2271 (DS9 is not TOS/TAS/Kirk Movies), TCCI is around Jan. 2272. Add 2.5 years for Kirk's inactivity moves us to mid-2274 at the earliest for TMP. Space Seed occurs around July 2268, so plus ~15 years puts ST:TWOK at Kirk's birthday in 2283.