United States Navy: World War I Officer Rank and Corps Insignia

Some aspects of U.S. Navy officer uniforms in the First World War marked the end of an era. After the war, the high-collared, braid-trimmed "military" blouse would give way to the international style double-breasted blue service coat, and a new system of insignia would de-emphasize the difference between line and staff corps officers. The insignia on this page were those authorized by the uniform regulations of 1913, revised in 1917.1 The change of July 1918 concerning chaplains is also illustrated. For the major changes to officer insignia that began in November 1918, please see: U.S. Navy Officer Corps Insignia Changes, 1918-1922.

Sections: Line | Medical Corps | Pay Corps | Chaplain Corps | Construction Corps | Professors of Mathematics | Civil Engineer Corps | Commissioned Warrant Officers | Warrant Officers

Commissioned Officers

Line Officers

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue Collar insignia, service dress blue Collar insignia, service dress blue Collar insignia, service dress blue
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Authorized Nov. 30, 1918 [2]
Shoulder mark Shoulder mark Shoulder mark Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia Sleeve insignia Sleeve insignia Sleeve insignia
Admiral of the Navy Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor


Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Lieutenant, junior grade
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Ensign

return to top


Medical Corps and Dental Corps

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Medical Director
with rank of Rear Admiral
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Medical Director
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Medical Inspector
with rank of Commander
Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Surgeon or Passed Assistant Surgeon with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Passed Assistant Surgeon or Assistant Surgeon with rank of Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Passed Assistant Surgeon or Assistant Surgeon with rank of Lieutenant (Medical Corps Reserve)
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Assistant Surgeon with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Dental Surgeon with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade

return to top


Pay Corps

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Pay Director
with rank of Rear Admiral
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Pay Director
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Pay Inspector
with rank of Commander
Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Paymaster or Passed Assistant Paymaster with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Passed Assistant Paymaster with rank of Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Passed Assistant Paymaster or Assistant Paymaster with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Assistant Paymaster with rank of Ensign

return to top


Chaplain Corps

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor


Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain
with rank of Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain with rank of Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain
with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade

The black trim in place of gold was unpopular with many chaplains, and some had appealed to the Secretary of the Navy for chaplains' insignia to be brought into line with that of other officers.3 On June 26, 1918, Change Number 19 to the uniform regulations4 was issued, and prescribed gold rank stripes for chaplains. Corps was to be indicated by "lustrous black cloth" between the stripes. Cap ornamentation was also changed to the standard of other staff officers, with gold chin straps and visor trim for higher ranks. The shepherd's crook was also officially authorized for Jewish chaplains.

Authorized June 26, 1918:

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor


Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain
with rank of Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain with rank of Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain
with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chaplain (Jewish)
with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade

return to top


Construction Corps

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Naval Constructor
with rank of Rear Admiral
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Naval Constructor
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Naval Constructor
with rank of Commander
Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Naval Constructor with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Naval Constructor
or Assistant Naval Constructor with rank of Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Assistant Naval Constructor
with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade

return to top


Professors of Mathematics

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor


Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Professor of Mathematics
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Professor of Mathematics
with rank of Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Professor of Mathematics
with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Professor of Mathematics
with rank of Lieutenant

return to top


Civil Engineer Corps

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Civil Engineer
with rank of Rear Admiral
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Civil Engineer
with rank of Captain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Civil Engineer
with rank of Commander
Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Civil Engineer with rank of Lieutenant Commander
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Civil Engineer or Assistant Civil Engineer with rank of Lieutenant
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Assistant Civil Engineer with rank of Lieutenant, junior grade
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Assistant Civil Engineer with rank of Ensign

return to top


Commissioned Warrant and Warrant Officers

Commissioned Warrant Officers

Commissioned warrant officers wore the commissioned officers cap device and used silver corps devices on the collar and shoulder marks with one exception: Chief pay clerks wore the oak sprig of the pay corps in gold, because the silver corps device on the collar was the insignia for assistant paymasters of ensign rank.

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

line

staff

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Boatswain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Gunner
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Machinist
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Carpenter
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Pharmacist
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Pay Clerk
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Chief Sailmaker

return to top


Warrant Officers

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

line

staff

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Boatswain
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Gunner
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Machinist
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Carpenter
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Pharmacist
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Pay Clerk
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Sailmaker

return to top


Mates

Mate was a rank which dated from the earliest days of the navy. Mates were enlisted men, senior to all chief petty officers, but wore uniforms identical to those of warrant officers. The last mates were appointed in the 1890s, and there were probably few in the navy by World War I, but their uniforms were still covered in the regulations for many years.

Cap badge, chin strap, and visor

Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Mate (20 years service)
Collar insignia, service dress blue
Shoulder mark
Sleeve insignia
Mate (under 20 years service)

Notes:

All text and images © Justin T. Broderick, 2013 unless otherwise indicated.