Army and Navy Uniforms and Insignia / How to Know Rank, Corps and Service in the Military and Naval Forces of the United States and Foreign Countries

by Dion Williams

Officers of the Navy

• COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE LINE
• 1. Admiral of the Navy.
• (This rank is now vacant. By special act of Congress it was conferred upon Admiral George Dewey on March 2, 1899, and held by him until his death on January 16, 1917. The rank is the same as that of Admiral of the Fleet in foreign navies and that of Field Marshal in foreign armies.)
• 2. Admiral.
• 3. Vice Admiral.
• 4. Rear Admiral.
• 5. Commodore.
• (This rank was abolished for the active list by act of Congress on March 3, 1899, and since that date has been held by officers of that rank on the Retired List of the Navy only.)
• 6. Captain.
• 7. Commander.
• 8. Lieutenant Commander.
• 9. Lieutenant.
• 10. Lieutenant Junior Grade.
• 11. Ensign.
• 12. Chief Boatswain.
• Chief Gunner.
• Chief Machinist.
• (The commissioned officers of these three titles are of the same grade; they rank next after ensigns.)
• COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE MEDICAL CORPS
• 1. Medical Director with the rank of Rear Admiral.
• 2. Medical Director with the rank of Captain.
• 3. Medical Inspector with the rank of Commander.
• 4. Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
• 5. Passed Assistant Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
• 6. Passed Assistant Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 7. Assistant Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 8. Assistant Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
• 9. Dental Surgeon with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
• 10. Chief Pharmacist.
• COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE PAY CORPS
• 1. Pay Director with the rank of Rear Admiral.
• 2. Pay Director with the rank of Captain.
• 3. Pay Inspector with the rank of Commander.
• 4. Paymaster with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
• 5. Passed Assistant Paymaster with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
• 6. Passed Assistant Paymaster with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 7. Passed Assistant Paymaster with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
• 8. Assistant Paymaster with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
• 9. Assistant Paymaster with the rank of Ensign.
• 10. Chief Pay Clerk.
• COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE CORPS OF NAVAL CONSTRUCTORS
• 1. Naval Constructor with the rank of Rear Admiral.
• 2. Naval Constructor with the rank of Captain.
• 3. Naval Constructor with the rank of Commander.
• 4. Naval Constructor with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
• 5. Naval Constructor with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 6. Assistant Naval Constructor with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 7. Assistant Naval Constructor with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
• 8. Chief Carpenter.
• Chief Sailmaker.
• COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE CORPS OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
• 1. Civil Engineer with the rank of Rear Admiral.
• 2. Civil Engineer with the rank of Captain.
• 3. Civil Engineer with the rank of Commander.
• 4. Civil Engineer with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
• 5. Civil Engineer with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 6. Assistant Civil Engineer with the rank of Lieutenant.
• 7. Assistant Civil Engineer with the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
• 8. Assistant Civil Engineer with the rank of Ensign.

Chaplains hold the relative rank of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant or Lieutenant, Junior Grade, according to length of service.

Professors of Mathematics hold the rank of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander or Lieutenant according to length of service. This corps was established to provide especially trained mathematicians for duty as astronomers at the Naval Observatories and as Instructors at the Naval Academy, but pursuant to the act of Congress of August 29, 1916, no further officers are to be commissioned in this corps.

In the days of sailing ships officers having the title of Sailmaker were provided for the then important work of superintending the manufacture of sails, but since the advent of steam and electricity this branch has been discontinued and only a few are still borne on the official register. The commissioned officers of this branch have the title of Chief Sailmaker and relative rank the same as that of Chief Boatswain, Chief Gunners, Chief Machinists, Chief Carpenters, Chief Pay Clerks and Chief Pharmacists, that is, they rank with but next after Ensigns.