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

U. S. Navy. Officer in overcoat

Rank: Lieutenant, indicated by the stripes on the shoulder marks and on the sleeves

U. S. Naval officers’ cocked hats and caps

1. Cocked hat, commissioned officers below Flag rank.

2. White cap, officers below rank of Commander.

3. Cocked hat, Flag officers.

4. Flag Officers’ cap.

5. Cap, Captain and Commander.

6. Cap, Staff Officers of Flag rank.

7. Staff Officers, rank of Captain and Commander.

8. Chaplain, rank of Captain and Commander.

9. Cap of officers below rank of Commander.

10. Cap, Warrant Officers.

11. Tropical helmet (not worn at present).

The winter service aviation uniform consists of a cap, coat, breeches and spiral wrap puttees of forestry-green woolen cloth, and tan leather shoes. The cap is exactly the same design and style as the white service cap except that the material of the crown above the black mohair band is of forestry-green cloth. The coat is the same as the white service uniform coat except that the material is forestry-green cloth. Standard navy gilt buttons are worn on this coat and the rank is shown by shoulder marks the same as those worn with the white service coat.

NAVAL AVIATION CORPS INSIGNIA

The Naval Aviation Corps insignia consist of a vertical foul anchor surcharged with a shield of the United States with eagle’s wings extending to the right and left of it as shown in the above illustration. These insignia are made of gilt metal and are worn upon the left breast by all Aviators in the Naval Service, that is by all officers and enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps who have qualified as Aviators and are detailed to duty with the Naval Aviation Corps.

The summer service flying uniform for officers of the Navy detailed for aviation duty and for officers of the Naval Reserve Flying Corps consists of a khaki coat of the same style as the white service coat, with which the shoulder marks indicating rank are worn, khaki breeches, woolen wrap puttees of drab color, tan shoes, and a khaki cap of the same style as the white cap.