INSIGNIA OF RANK AND CORPS
The rank of officers of the Navy is indicated in four ways: first, by stripes upon the sleeves of the special full dress coat, frock coat, evening dress coat, blue service coat and overcoat; second, by rank insignia on each side of the front opening of the collar of the blue service coat; third, by stripes upon the shoulder marks (or straps) worn on the white service coat, the mess jacket and the overcoat; and fourth, by rank insignia on the upper surface of the epaulets worn with special full dress, full dress and evening dress. These stripes indicating rank encircle the sleeves, the lower one being two inches above the edge of the sleeve and parallel to it; on all blue coats except the overcoat they are of gold lace braid, except for chaplains who wear black braid stripes; and on the overcoats of all commissioned officers they are of black mohair braid.
U. S. Navy. Officers’ sleeve braiding indicating rank
Gold braid on special full dress, full dress, evening dress and blue service coats. Black braid on overcoats, without the stars
| 1. Admiral of the Navy  | 2. Admiral |
| 3. Vice Admiral | 4. Rear Admiral |
U. S. Navy. Officers’ sleeve braiding indicating rank
Gold braid on special full dress, full dress, evening dress and blue service coats. Black braid on overcoats, without the stars
| 1. Commodore  | 2. Captain |
| 3. Commander | 4. Lieutenant Commander |
U. S. Navy. Officers’ sleeve braiding indicating rank
Gold braid on special full dress, full dress, evening dress and blue service coats. Black braid on overcoats, without the stars
| 1. Lieutenant | 2. Lieutenant, Junior Grade |
| 3. Ensign | 4. Lieutenant, Naval Militia |
U. S. Navy. Officers’ sleeve braiding indicating rank
Gold braid on special full dress, full dress, evening dress and blue service coats. Black braid on overcoats, without the stars
| 1. Chief Boatswain, Chief Gunner, Chief Machinist |
| 2. Chief Carpenter, Chief Sailmaker, Chief Pharmacist, Chief Pay Clerk |
| 3. Boatswain, Gunner, Machinist |
| 4. Carpenter, Sailmaker, Pharmacist, Pay Clerk, Mate |
The number, width and arrangement of the sleeve stripes indicating the rank of officers, as illustrated, are as follows:
Admiral of the Navy, two stripes two inches wide with one stripe one inch wide between them, the stripes being one-quarter of an inch apart.
Admiral, one stripe two inches wide with three stripes one-half an inch wide above it, the stripes being one-quarter of an inch apart.
Vice Admiral, one stripe two inches wide with two stripes one-half an inch wide above it, the stripes being one-quarter of an inch apart.
Rear Admiral, one stripe two inches wide with one stripe one-half an inch wide above it, the stripes being one-quarter of an inch apart.
Commodore, one stripe two inches wide.
Captain, four stripes each one-half of an inch wide, set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Commander, three stripes each one-half of an inch wide, set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Lieutenant Commander, two stripes one-half of an inch wide with one stripe one-quarter of an inch wide between them, the stripes being set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Lieutenant, two stripes one-half of an inch wide set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Lieutenant Junior Grade, one stripe one-half of an inch wide with one stripe one-quarter of an inch wide set one-quarter of an inch above it.
Ensign, one stripe one-half of an inch wide.
The sleeve stripes for Chief Boatswain, Chief Gunner, Chief Machinist, Chief Carpenter, Chief Sailmaker, Chief Pay Clerk and Chief Pharmacist of the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade or Ensign are of the same number and widths as those prescribed for Lieutenants Junior Grade or Ensign, except that when made of gold they are woven with dark blue silk thread for widths of one-half inch at intervals of two inches.
The Corps or branch of the service to which the officer belongs is indicated in connection with the rank stripes on the sleeves as follows:
All Line Officers wear a star embroidered in gold, one and one-eighth inches in diameter, on the outside of each sleeve of the special full dress coat, frock coat, evening dress coat and blue service coat, one quarter of an inch above the rank stripes.
For Line Officers of the Naval Militia the gold star is surrounded by a gold circle one and three-eighths inches in diameter.
Staff Officers wear the same sleeve rank stripes as those worn by the Line Officers of the same rank but they do not wear the gold star. The Corps to which Staff Officers belong is indicated by bands of colored cloth around the sleeves filling the intervals between the gold rank stripes, the colors and material of the stripes for the different corps being as follows:
- Medical Officers—dark maroon velvet.
- Pay Officers—white cloth.
- Professors of Mathematics—olive green cloth.
- Naval Constructors—dark violet cloth.
- Civil Engineers—light blue velvet.
- Medical Reserve Officers—crimson cloth.
- Dental Officers—orange colored velvet.
When but one stripe is worn, that is for officers of the rank of ensign, the colored cloth is made to show one-quarter of an inch on each side of the stripe.
For Staff Officers of the Naval Militia the colored corps stripes are broken for a distance of one and one-quarter inches at the center of the front of the sleeve.
The rank and corps of officers is shown on the blue service coat in two ways: first, by the stripes on the sleeves as above described; second, by rank and corps insignia worn on each side of the standing collar, to the right and left of the front opening at the neck.
These collar insignia are as illustrated, and consist of the insignia of rank in combination with the device indicating the corps of the wearer.
The Corps device or insignia, indicating to what corps or branch of the service the officer belongs, are:
Line Officers: a silver foul anchor, one and five-eighths inches long over all, one inch wide from tip to tip.
Medical Corps Officers: a silver acorn embroidered upon a gold spread oak leaf, stem to tip one and three-quarters inches, width one inch.
Pay Corps Officers: a silver oak sprig of three leaves and three acorns, one and three-quarters inches long by one inch wide.
Professors of Mathematics: a silver oak leaf and an acorn, one and three-quarters inches long and one inch wide.
Naval Constructors Corps: a gold sprig of two live-oak leaves and an acorn, one and five-eighths inches long and one and three-eighths inches wide.
Civil Engineers Corps: two crossed silver sprigs, each of two live-oak leaves and an acorn, one and three-quarter inches long and one inch wide.
Chaplains: a Latin cross embroidered in silver.
Medical Reserve Corps: a gold acorn embroidered upon a silver spread oak leaf, one and three-quarters inches long and one inch wide.
Dental Corps: a gold spread oak leaf with a silver acorn on either side of the stem, one and three-quarter inches long and one inch wide.
The rank insignia, indicating the rank of the wearer, are practically the same as those for the Army and the Marine Corps, and are as follows:
- Admiral—four silver stars.
- Vice Admiral—three silver stars.
- Rank of Rear Admiral—two silver stars.
- Rank of Commodore—one silver star.
- Rank of Captain—a silver spread eagle.
- Rank of Commander—a silver oak leaf.
- Rank of Lieutenant Commander—a gold oak leaf.
- Rank of Lieutenant—two silver bars.
- Rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade—one silver bar.
- Rank of Ensign—no insignia.
- Midshipman—a gold anchor.
The insignia indicating the rank and corps of officers are worn on each side of the collar of the blue service coat as illustrated; for Line Officers they are as follows:
Admiral of the Navy—four silver stars, the two end stars being surcharged upon gold foul anchors.
Admiral—four silver stars, the star nearest the back being surcharged upon a gold foul anchor.
Vice Admiral—three silver stars with a silver foul anchor in rear of them.
Rear Admiral—two silver stars with a silver foul anchor in rear of them.
Commodore—one silver star with a silver foul anchor in rear of it.
Captain—a silver spread eagle with a silver foul anchor in rear of it.
Commander—a silver oak leaf with a silver foul anchor in rear of it.
U. S. Navy. Officers’ insignia of rank and Corps on collar
of blue service coat, showing right side of collar
| 1. Admiral of the Navy  | 2. Admiral |
| 3. Vice Admiral | 4. Rear Admiral |
| 5. Commodore | 6. Captain |
U. S. Navy. Officers’ insignia of rank and Corps on collar
of blue service coat, showing right side of collar
| 1. Commander (Silver leaf)  | 2.Lieutenant Commander (Gold leaf) |
| 3. Lieutenant | 4. Lieutenant, Junior Grade |
| 5. Ensign | 6. Medical Officer with the rank of Captain |
Lieutenant Commander—a gold oak leaf with a silver foul anchor in rear of it.
Lieutenant—two silver bars vertical with a silver anchor in rear of them.
Lieutenant, Junior Grade—one silver bar vertical with a silver foul anchor in rear of it.
Ensign—a silver foul anchor.
Staff Officers of all ranks wear the Corps device or insignia indicating the particular corps to which they belong ([as described on page 121]) in place of the silver foul anchor above described and the same rank insignia for the different ranks as described for Line Officers. Thus, a Medical Director with the rank of Captain wears the silver spread eagle indicating the rank and the Medical Corps device of the silver acorn upon the gold leaf indicating the Medical Corps; a Pay Director with the rank of Captain wears the silver spread eagle indicating the rank and the silver oak sprig of three leaves and three acorns indicating the Pay Corps; a Chaplain with the rank of Commander wears the silver leaf indicating the rank and the silver Latin cross indicating his corps; a Professor of Mathematics with the rank of Commander wears the silver leaf indicating the rank and the silver oak leaf and acorn indicating the corps; a Naval Constructor with the rank of Commander wears the silver leaf indicating the rank and the silver two live-oak leaves and acorn indicating the Construction Corps; a Civil Engineer with the rank of Commander wears the silver leaf indicating the rank and the silver crossed live-oak leaves indicating the Corps of Civil Engineers; and a Dental Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant wears the two silver bars indicating the rank and the gold oak leaf and silver acorns indicating the Dental Corps.
The insignia showing the corps of the Chief Boatswain, Chief Gunner, Chief Machinist, Chief Carpenter, Chief Sailmaker, Chief Pharmacist and Chief Pay Clerk consist of devices worn on each side of the collar of the frock coat just above the V notch in the lapel, as follows:
Chief Boatswain—two foul anchors crossed, embroidered in silver, surcharged at the center by a gold five-pointed star.
Chief Gunner—a flaming spherical shell, embroidered in silver, surcharged at the center by a gold five-pointed star.
Chief Machinist—a three-bladed propeller embroidered in silver, surcharged at the center by a gold five-pointed star.
Chief Carpenter—a carpenter’s square, embroidered in silver with the point down.
Chief Sailmaker—a diamond embroidered in silver.
Chief Pharmacist—a caduceus, embroidered in silver.
Chief Pay Clerk—an oak sprig of three leaves and three acorns, embroidered in silver.
The Corps of Warrant Officers is also shown by corps devices worn on each side of the collar of the frock coat just above the V notch in the lapel, as follows:
Boatswain—two foul anchors crossed, embroidered in gold, surcharged at the center by a silver five-pointed star.
Gunner—a flaming spherical shell, embroidered in gold, surcharged at the center by a silver five-pointed star.
Machinist—a three-bladed propeller, embroidered in gold, surcharged at the center by a silver five-pointed star.
Carpenter—a carpenter’s square embroidered in gold with the point down.
U. S. Navy. Officers’ insignia of rank and Corps on collar
of blue service coat, showing right side of collar
| 1. Officer of the Pay Corps with the rank of Rear Admiral |
| 2. Naval Constructor with the rank of Captain |
| 3. Professor of Mathematics with the rank of Lieutenant |
| 4. Civil Engineer with the rank of Commander |
| 5. Chaplain with the rank of Commander |
| 6. Dental Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade |
U. S. Navy. Officers’ insignia of rank and Corps on collar
of blue service coat, showing right side of collar
| 1. Chief Boatswain and Boatswain |
| 2. Chief Sailmaker and Sailmaker |
| 3. Chief Gunner and Gunner |
| 4. Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacist |
| 5. Chief Machinist and Machinist |
| 6. Chief Pay Clerk and Pay Clerk |
| 7. Chief Carpenter and Carpenter |
| 8. Mate |
Sailmaker—a diamond embroidered in gold.
Pharmacist—a caduceus embroidered in gold.
Pay Clerk—an oak sprig of three leaves and three acorns embroidered in gold.
Mate—a binocular glass, embroidered in gold for a Mate of less than twenty years’ service and in silver for a Mate of over twenty years’ service.
Chief Boatswains, Chief Gunners and Chief Machinists, being Line Officers, wear the gold star above the sleeve stripes; while Chief Carpenters, Chief Sailmakers, Chief Pharmacists and Chief Pay Clerks, being Staff Officers, do not wear the star on the sleeve.
Boatswains, Gunners and Machinists, being Warrant Officers of the Line wear the gold star on the sleeve, but no stripes. Carpenters, Sailmakers, Pharmacists and Pay Clerks have the sleeves of the coat without decoration or insignia.
Chief Boatswains, Chief Gunners, Chief Machinists, Chief Carpenters, Chief Sailmakers, Chief Pharmacists and Chief Pay Clerks wear on the collars of their blue service coats the same devices showing their corps as those already described to be worn upon the collars of their frock coats; and the same is true of the Warrant Officers, Boatswains, Gunners, Machinists, Carpenters, Sailmakers, Pharmacists, Pay Clerks and Mates.
Shoulder marks for officers are worn on the white service coat, mess jacket and overcoat to indicate the corps and rank of the wearer. These marks are of dark blue cloth lined with black silk, stiffened so as to lie flat, 4½ to 5¼ inches long and 2¼ inches wide, finished with a triangular point and a gilt Navy button at the collar end, and they are worn on the top of each shoulder extending from the base of the collar to the shoulder seam.
The designs for the different ranks are as shown in the illustrations. For officers of the Line they are as follows:
Admiral of the Navy—covered with gold lace braid two inches wide, with four silver stars, the two end stars being surcharged upon gold foul anchors.
Admiral—covered with gold lace braid two inches wide, with four silver stars, the one nearest the collar end being surcharged upon a gold foul anchor.
Vice Admiral—covered with gold lace braid two inches wide, with a silver foul anchor and three silver stars, the anchor being nearest the collar end.
Rear Admiral—covered with gold lace braid two inches wide, with two silver stars and a silver foul anchor between them.
Commodore—covered with gold lace braid two inches wide, with one silver star and a silver foul anchor, the anchor being nearest the collar end.
Captain—a gold star at the collar end and four stripes of gold lace braid one-half of an inch wide, set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Commander—a gold star and three stripes of gold lace braid one-half of an inch wide, set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Lieutenant Commander—a gold star and two stripes of gold lace braid one-half of an inch wide with one such stripe one-quarter of an inch wide, between them, stripes set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Lieutenant—a gold star and two stripes of gold lace braid one-half of an inch wide, set one-quarter of an inch apart.
Lieutenant Junior Grade—a gold star and one stripe of gold lace braid one-half of an inch wide and one stripe one-quarter of an inch wide, set one-quarter of an inch apart.
U. S. Navy. Officers’ shoulder marks indicating rank.
Worn on the white service uniform coat,
the white mess jacket and the overcoat
| 1. Admiral of the Navy | 2. Admiral | 3. Vice Admiral |
| 4. Rear Admiral | 5. Commodore | 6. Captain |
| 7. Commander | 8. Lieutenant Commander | 9. Lieutenant |
U. S. Navy. Officers’ shoulder marks indicating rank.
Worn on the white service uniform coat,
the white mess jacket and the overcoat
| 1. Lieutenant, Junior Grade | 2. Ensign | 3. Chief Boatswain |
| 4. Chief Gunner | 5. Chief Machinist | 6. Chief Carpenter |
| 7. Chief Pharmacist | 8. Chief Pay Clerk | 9. Chief Sailmaker |
Ensign—a gold star and one stripe of gold lace braid one-half of an inch wide.
For officers of the Staff Corps of the rank of Rear Admiral or Commodore the shoulder marks are the same as those for Rear Admiral or Commodore of the Line, except that in place of the silver anchor the corps device indicating the corps to which the officer belongs is used.
For officers of the Staff Corps below the rank of Commodore the stripes for the different ranks are the same as those described for officers of the Line but the star is omitted, the Corps to which the officer belongs being indicated by stripes of colored cloth filling the spaces between the gold stripes, the colors and materials being as follows:
- Medical Corps Officers—dark maroon velvet.
- Pay Corps Officers—White cloth.
- Professors of Mathematics—olive green cloth.
- Naval Constructors—dark violet cloth.
- Civil Engineers—light blue velvet.
- Medical Reserve Officers—crimson cloth.
- Dental Officers—orange colored velvet.
The shoulder marks for Chief Boatswain, Chief Gunner, Chief Machinist, Chief Carpenter, Chief Sailmaker, Chief Pharmacist and Chief Pay Clerk, bear the gold stripes indicating their rank of the same width and position as in the case of other officers of their rank, except that the gold stripe is broken at the center by a section of one-half of an inch embroidered in dark blue silk, and the corps is shown by the insignia as described for each on [page 124] to be worn on the collars of the frock coats. The insignia in each case are placed on the center of the strap above the stripe.
The shoulder marks for Warrant Officers, Boatswains, Gunners, Machinists, Carpenters, Sailmakers, Pharmacists and Pay Clerks, bear the same insignia indicating the corps of the wearer as those for the Chief Boatswains, Chief Gunners, Chief Machinists, Chief Carpenters, Chief Sailmakers, Chief Pharmacists and Chief Pay Clerks, but the gold stripes indicating rank are omitted.
The shoulder marks for Mates bear a binocular glass embroidered in gold for mates of less than twenty years’ service and in silver for those of over twenty years’ service.
The rank and corps of officers of the Navy is shown upon the gold epaulets worn with special full dress, full dress and evening full dress uniforms by the regular rank and corps insignia placed upon the top of the epaulet. These insignia are the same for the different ranks or grades as those worn on the collars of the blue service coats.
For Officers of the Staff the epaulets have the same insignia for indicating the rank as in the case of the corresponding rank of officers of the Line, but to indicate the particular corps to which the wearer belongs the proper Corps insignia or devices are substituted in the place of the silver foul anchors worn by officers of the Line.
The gilt buttons worn by officers of the Navy upon the coats for which they are prescribed bear in relief an eagle with wings lifting above an anchor placed horizontal; surrounded by thirteen five-pointed stars and a plain circle.
U. S. Navy. Officers’ shoulder marks indicating rank.
Worn on the white service uniform coat,
the white mess jacket and the overcoat
| 1. Boatswain | 2. Gunner | 3. Machinist |
| 4. Carpenter | 5. Pay Clerk | 6. Sailmaker |
| 7. Pharmacist | 8. Mate | 9. Lieutenant Commander, |
|  Naval Militia |
U. S. Navy. Cap insignia
| 1. Commissioned officers | 2. Warrant officers |
Service Buttons for Officers | |
| 3.U. S. Navy | 4. U. S. Naval Reserve |
| 5. U. S. Coast Guard | 6. U. S. Public Health Service |
| 7. Collar insignia, Lieutenant, U. S. Naval Reserve, showing left side of collar | |
Aiguilettes worn by Naval Officers are loops of plaited blue and gold cord terminating in gilt metal ornaments decorated with silver anchors. They are worn by personal aids to the President and the Secretary of the Navy, aides at the White House, members of the personal staff of a Flag Officer in command of a fleet or subdivision of a fleet, and by aides to the Commandants of Naval Stations and the Superintendent of the Naval Academy.
The personal aides to the President wear the aiguilettes on the right side and all other officers for whom they are prescribed wear them on the left side.
They are worn with all uniforms to indicate the special duty of the wearer as an aide entitled to convey the orders of the officer to whose staff he is assigned.
The Sword knot for naval officers is a loop of gold braid ending in a bullion tassel, worn on the hilt of the sword. The original purpose of this loop was to wear it around the right wrist when the sword was carried in the hand to prevent the loss of the sword if it should be accidentally dropped or knocked from the hand in combat. The sword knot is worn by commissioned officers only.
Officers of the Line and of the Staff Corps of the Naval Reserve Force wear the same rank marks as those described for the officers of the regular Navy, but, instead of the silver anchor for the Line Officers and the various Corps devices and insignia to indicate the Corps or branch of the service of the Staff officers of the Staff of the regular Navy, they wear the Naval Reserve Force device on the collar of the blue service coat.
The Naval Reserve Force Device or insignia is of the same design as the device worn on the front of the cap by commissioned officers of the Navy. It is one inch in height, made of metal, the shield and eagle being of silver and the crossed anchors of gold.
The gilt buttons worn by officers of the Naval Reserve Force are of the same sizes as those worn by the officers of the regular service but the design is different, and by this design the fact that an officer is a member of the Naval Reserve Force is shown when he is wearing any uniform having gilt buttons. The Naval Reserve Force gilt button for officers bears a plain vertical anchor and the letters U. S. N. R., as illustrated.