Chapter IV: Uniforms and Insignia of the United States Army (2)

_The full dress uniform_ for enlisted men is the same as their dress uniform with the addition of a breast cord of the distinctive color of the corps or arm of the service to which they belong. This breast cord is a double plaited loop of round cord worn from one shoulder to the other across the breast with a single cord passing across the back and the front loop ending on the right side in two plaited plates and two tassels.

_The fatigue uniform_ consists of brown canvas or duck working coat and trousers. This is a working uniform. A fur cap is furnished for wear in very cold weather.

_The overcoat_ for enlisted men is a double-breasted ulster made of olive-drab cloth, extending eight to ten inches below the knee (overcoats extending to the knee are authorized for wear in the field), buttoning to the neck with two rows of large flat buttons of the same color as the coat, and having a wide rolling collar. It has a pleat down the center of the back.

_Rain clothes_ for enlisted men are olive-drab waterproof coats or the poncho or rubber blanket worn in the fashion of a cape. Rubber boots are used when required, as in wet trenches.

INSIGNIA OF RANK FOR ENLISTED MEN

The rank of the various noncommissioned officers of the United States Army and Marine Corps and the rating of the corresponding petty officers of the Navy is usually indicated by chevrons, a form of badge derived from the days when heraldry played a great part in the world’s affairs.

“Chevron” is an architectural term denoting the rafters of a roof meeting at an angle at the upper apex, and it is derived from the French word “_chevre_,” a goat, and so used on account of the fancied resemblance of a pair of such rafters to the horns of a goat.

The chevron in heraldry was employed as a badge of honor to mark the main supporters of the head of the clan, “the top of the house,” and it came to be used in various forms as an emblem of rank for the knights and men-at-arms in feudal days, and from this resulted its common use as an insignia of rank in the armies and navies of the present day.

In some countries chevrons are used as insignia of rank for commissioned officers as well as for noncommissioned officers, but in the United States service the use of chevrons is confined to the latter class.

In the United States Army and Marine Corps the chevrons are worn with the point up but in the Navy they are worn with the point down.

The chevrons indicating the rank of noncommissioned officers are worn midway between the shoulder and the elbow on both sleeves of the service coats, full dress coat and overcoat.

The chevrons for the dress coat are 3¼ inches wide made of stripes of cloth of the distinctive color of the corps, department or arm of the service, each stripe being ⅜ of an inch wide.

1. First Sergeant 2. Company Supply Sergeant

3. Sergeant 4. Corporal]

1. Electrician Sergeant, First Class 2. Electrician Sergeant, Second Class

3. Battalion Supply Sergeant 4. Stable Sergeant]

Coast Artillery Corps

1. Master Electrician 2. Engineer, Coast Artillery Corps

3. Master Gunner 4. Fireman, Coast Artillery Corps]

Coast Artillery Corps

1. Gun Commander 2. Gun Pointer

3. Casemate Electrician 4. Chief Planter and Chief Loader

5. First Class Gunner 6. Second Class Gunner

7. First Class Observer and Plotter 8. Second Class Observer]

These distinctive colors for the chevrons for noncommissioned officers of the various corps, departments and arms of the service are:

Field Artillery and Coast Artillery scarlet.
Cavalry yellow.
Infantry white.
Engineers scarlet piped with white.
Ordnance black piped with white.
Hospital Corps maroon piped with white.
Quartermaster Corps buff.
Army Service Detachment,
U. S. Military Academy green piped with white.
Army Service School Detachment green.

The chevrons for the service coats, the overcoat and the olive-drab shirt are of the same size and design as those for the dress coat except that they are made of olive-drab material, the shade being slightly darker than that of the coat.

There are also a number of special badges to designate certain men assigned to special duties, such as cook, chief mechanics, artificer, farrier, saddler, horseshoer, first and second class gunners, electricians, engineer, gun commander and gun pointer. These special badges are of the same color as the chevrons and are worn in the same manner.

The chevrons and special badges for the different ranks and duties in the various corps, departments and arms of the service are as follows:

Regimental Sergeant Major—Chevron of three stripes and three
arcs of a circle below them.
Sergeant Major Senior Grade, Coast Artillery—The same.
Quartermaster Sergeant, Senior Grade—The Quartermaster Corps
insignia with a wreath below and a star above it.
Master Hospital Sergeant—The caduceus insignia of the Medical
Corps with a wreath below and a star above it.
Master Engineer, Senior Grade—The castle insignia of the
Engineer Corps with a wreath below and a star above it.
Master Electrician, Coast Artillery—A design representing
forked lightning with a wreath below it and a star above.
Master Electrician, Signal Corps—A wreath with forked lightning
at the top and the Signal Corps insignia in the center.
Master Electrician, Quartermaster Corps—A wreath with forked
lightning at the top and the Quartermaster Corps insignia in
the center.
Band Leader—Chevron of three stripes and two arcs of a circle
below them with a trumpet in the center.
Hospital Sergeant, First Class—Chevron of three stripes and one
arc of a circle below them with a caduceus in the center.
Hospital Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with a caduceus
below them.
Engineer Coast Artillery Corps—A design representing an engine
governor with a wreath below it and a star above.
Ordnance Sergeant—Chevron of three bars with one arc below it
and the insignia of the Ordnance Corps in the center.
Sergeant Quartermaster Corps—Chevron of three stripes with the
insignia of the Quartermaster Corps below them.
Supply Sergeant, Regimental—Chevrons of three stripes with
three horizontal bars below them.
Battalion or Squadron Sergeant Major—Chevron of three stripes
with two arcs of a circle below them.
Sergeant Major Junior Grade, Coast Artillery—Chevron of three
stripes with two arcs of a circle below them.
Supply Sergeant, Battalion—Chevron of three stripes with two
horizontal bars below them.
First Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with a diamond shaped
lozenge below them.
Sergeant First Class, Medical Department—Chevron of three
stripes and an arc below them with the caduceus device in the
center.
Sergeant, First Class, Quartermaster Corps—Chevron of
three stripes with one horizontal stripe below and the
Quartermaster Corps insignia in the center.
Sergeant, First Class, Corps of Engineers—Chevron of three
stripes with one arc of a circle below them and the Engineer
Corps insignia in the center.

1. Quartermaster Sergeant 2. Sergeant, First Class 3. Sergeant

4. Corporal]

1. Sergeant, First Class 2. Sergeant 3. Corporal

4. Lance Corporal]

Sergeant First Class, Signal Corps—Chevron of three stripes
with one arc of a circle below and the Signal Corps insignia
in the center.
Electrician Sergeant, First Class, Coast Artillery—Chevron
of three stripes with a wreath below it and a device
representing forked lightning in the center and a short
stripe between the wreath and the lightning.
Assistant Engineer, Coast Artillery—A device representing an
engine governor with a wreath below it.
Master Gunner, Coast Artillery—A projectile placed vertically
with a wreath below it and a star above it.
Band Sergeant and Assistant Leader of U. S. Military Academy
Band—Chevron of three stripes and two arcs of a circle below
them and a lyre in the center.
Assistant Band Leader—Chevron of three stripes and one arc of a
circle below them and a trumpet in the center.
Sergeant Bugler—Chevron of three stripes with a bugle below them.
Electrician Sergeant Second Class, Coast Artillery—Chevron
of three stripes with a wreath below them and a device
representing forked lightning in the center.
Radio Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with a device
representing forked lightning below them.
Color Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with a star below.
Sergeant—Chevron of three bars.
Company Supply Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with one
horizontal bar below them.
Mess Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with a crescent below them.
Stable Sergeant—Chevron of three stripes with a horse’s head
below them.
Fireman, Coast Artillery—Chevron of one stripe with one arc of
a circle below it and a device representing the governor of
an engine in the center.
Corporal—Chevron of two stripes.
Lance Corporal (Acting Corporal)—Chevron of one stripe.
Chief Mechanic—Two hammers crossed with a wreath below them.
Cook—A device representing a cook’s hat.
Artificer—Two hammers crossed.
Horseshoer—A horseshoe, toe up.
Mechanic—Two hammers crossed.
Saddler—A saddler’s round knife, edge up.
Wagoner—An eight spoke wheel.
Musician—A lyre.
Trumpeter—A bugle.
First class Private of Engineers—The castle insignia of the
Engineer Corps.
First class Private, Signal Corps—The Signal Corps insignia,
two crossed flags and a vertical torch.
First class Private Ordnance Corps—The Ordnance Corps insignia,
a bursting spherical shell.
First class Private Hospital Corps—The Hospital Corps insignia,
a caduceus.
First class Private, Quartermaster Corps—The insignia of the
Quartermaster Corps.
Casemate Electrician, Coast Artillery—A mine case with a bar
below it, enclosed in a circle.
Badge for Excellence at Target Practice, Coast Artillery—The
figure “1.”
Chief Planter, Coast Artillery—A mine case enclosed in a circle.
First class Gunner, Gun Company, Coast Artillery—A projectile,
point up, with a bar below it.
Second class Gunner, Gun Company, Coast Artillery—A projectile,
point up.
First class Gunner, Mine Company, Coast Artillery—A mine case
with a bar below it.
Second class Gunner, Mine Company, Coast Artillery—A mine case.
Gun Commander, Coast Artillery—Two crossed cannon with a bar
below, enclosed in a circle.
Gun Pointer, Coast Artillery—Two crossed cannon enclosed in a
circle.
Observer and plotter, Coast Artillery—An equilateral triangle
with a bar below it, enclosed in a circle.
Observer, Second Class, Coast Artillery—An equilateral triangle
enclosed in a circle.
First Class Private, Signal Corps—The crossed flags and
torch device of the Signal Corps.

1. Ordnance Sergeant 2. Sergeant of Ordnance Corps

3. Corporal of Ordnance Corps 4. First Class Private of Ordnance Corps]

1. Sergeant, First Class 2. Sergeant 3. Corporal

4. Lance Corporal]

_Cap Insignia._—The insignia for the front of the caps of all enlisted men are circular disks one and one-half inches in diameter with a raised rim encircling the coat of arms of the United States, made of gilt metal for dress caps and of bronze metal for service caps.

_Collar Insignia._—The corps, department or arm of the service of enlisted men of the U. S. Army is shown by insignia on the coat collars.

_For blue dress and white coats_ these insignia, of gilt metal, worn on each side of the neck opening, consist of block letters and special devices in rear of the letters. The letters “U. S.” for Regular Army, “U. S. V.” for Volunteer Army, “U. S. R.” for Enlisted Reserve Corps, “U. S.” with “N. G.” superimposed for National Guard drafted into the Federal service and “U. S.” with “N. A.” superimposed for National Army. The special devices are:

_Band Musician_—A lyre with the numbers or letters surcharged
upon the face indicating the corps or regiment to which
the band belongs; for the Coast Artillery the number of
the band, for Engineer bands a castle, for Infantry,
Cavalry and Field Artillery bands the number of the
regiment, for the Military Academy band the letters “M.
A.,” for bands of the Native Troops in the Philippines the
letter “P,” for the band of the Porto Rico regiment the
letters “P. R.,” for bands of Disciplinary Barracks the
letters “D. B.” and for the Recruiting Service bands the
letters “R. S.”
_Cavalry_—Two sabers in their scabbards crossed with the
edges up, with the number of the regiment in the upper
angle and the letter of the troops in the lower angle.
_Coast Artillery_—Two cannon crossed with the muzzles up,
without the number of the company.
_Field Artillery_—Two cannon crossed with the muzzles up, the
number of the regiment in the upper angle and the letter
of the battery in the lower angle.
_General Recruiting Service._—The letters “R. S.” enclosed in
a wreath with number of company below.
_Electricians_—A symbol representing forked lightning.
_Engineers_—The turretted castle device of the Engineer Corps
with the number of the regiment above it and the letter of
the company on the face of the device.
_Hospital Corps_—The caduceus device.
_Infantry_—Two rifles crossed with muzzles up, the number
of the regiment in the upper angle and the letter of the
company in the lower angle, for the Porto Rico regiment
the letters “P. R.” in the upper angle and for Philippine
Native Troops the letter “P.” in the upper angle.
_Ordnance Corps_—A spherical shell flaming at the top.
_Quartermaster Corps_—A sword and key crossed on a wheel
surmounted by an eagle.
_Signal Corps_—Two signal flags crossed with a torch.
_Service Schools and Military Academy Detachments_—Two disks
with raised rim encircling on one a hammer and quill
crossed and one the letters “U. S.”
_U. S. Military Academy Artillery Detachment_—Two cannon
crossed with the letters “M. A.” in the upper angle and
“D. E. T.” in the lower angle.
_U. S. Military Academy Cavalry Detachment_—Two sabres in
their scabbards crossed with the letters “M. A.” in the
upper angle and “D. E. T.” in the lower angle.
_U. S. Military Academy Engineer Detachment_—The turretted
castle device of the Engineer Corps with the letters “M.
A.” above it and “D. E. T.” across the face.
_Headquarters Company, Infantry, Cavalry and Field
Artillery_—The distinctive insignia of the regiment to
which it belongs with the number of the regiment in the
upper angle and the letters “H. Q.” in the lower angle.
_Machine Gun Company, Infantry, Cavalry and Field
Artillery_—The distinctive insignia of the regiment to
which it belongs with the number of the regiment in the
upper angle and the letters “M. G.” in the lower angle.
_Supply Company, Infantry, Cavalry and Field Artillery_—The
distinctive insignia of the regiment to which it belongs
with the number of the regiment in the upper angle and the
letter “S” in the lower angle.
_U. S. Army Disciplinary Barracks Guard_—The letters “D. B.
G.” in gothic design enclosed in a wreath with the letter
of the company below.
_Noncommissioned Officers of Disciplinary Battalions_—The
letters “D. B.” in gothic design enclosed in a wreath with
the letter of the company below.
_Noncommissioned Staff Officers of Engineers_—The turretted
castle device of the Engineer Corps with the number of the
regiment above it.

1. Band Leader 2. Assistant Leader, West Point Band

3. Chief Trumpeter 4. Sergeant, Band]

1. Master Electrician, Quartermaster Corps

2. Master Signal Electrician

3. First Class Private, Signal Corps 4. Wagoner

5. First Class Private, Quartermaster Corps 6. Farrier

7. Chief Mechanic 8. Mechanic or Artificer]

_For Service coats_ the collar insignia consist of bronze metal disks with a raised rim, worn on each side one inch from the neck opening. The disk on the right side bears the letters “U. S.” with the number of the regiment or, where there is no regimental organization, the number of the unit if there is one. To designate men of the Volunteers, Reserves, National Guard and National Army the letters “U. S.” have superimposed upon them the letters “V,” “R,” “N. G.” or “N. A.” respectively. The disk on the left side bears the special device of the corps, department or arm of the service with the letter of the company, battery or troop below it, except for the Engineers where the letter is above the device. The special devices referred to are the same as the gilt ones already described with the following exceptions:

_Corps of Interpreters_—The letters “INT.”
_Machine Gun Battalions or Squadrons_—The letters “M. G.” in
the upper angles of the crossed rifles or sabers.
_Corps of Intelligence Police_—The letters “I. P.”
_Headquarters of Brigades and Higher Units_—The letter “H.”
_Headquarters of Trains_—The letter “T.”
_General Recruiting Service_—The letters “RS.”
_Disciplinary Barracks Guard_—The letters “DBG.”
_Trench Mortar Organizations_—Crossed cannon with the letters
“TM” in the upper angle.
_Anti-aircraft Artillery_—Crossed cannon with the letters “AA”
in the upper angle.

ARMY AVIATION SERVICE INSIGNIA

For officers these insignia are worn on the left breast and are as follows:

_Military Aviator_—Two wings with a shield between bearing the
letters “U. S.” and a star above, embroidered in silver on a
blue background except the letters which are in gold thread.
_Junior Military Aviator and Reserve Military Aviator_—The
same, omitting the star.
_Military Aeronaut_—Two wings with a balloon between bearing
the letters “U. S.” and a star above, embroidered in white on
a blue background except the letters which are in gold.
_Junior Military Aeronaut and Reserve Military Aeronaut_—The
same, omitting the star.
_Observer_—A letter “O” with a single wing on the left of it
embroidered in white on a blue background.

For enlisted men the insignia are embroidered in white on a blue sleeve cap let in at the shoulder seam and extending down the sleeve 5½ inches:

_Enlisted Aviator_—Two wings with crossed propellers between
them and the number of the squadron above.
_Aviation Mechanician_—A circle enclosing crossed propellers
with the number of the squadron above.
_Other Enlisted Men_—The same, omitting the circle.

1. First Class Gunner, Mine Company

2. Second Class Gunner, Mine Company

3. First Class Private, Engineer Corps

4. First Class Private, Hospital Corps

5. Saddler, Cavalry 6. Horseshoer, Cavalry 7. Cook

8. Badge for Excellence in Target Practice, Coast Artillery]

1. Infantry, Porto Rico Regiment 2. Infantry

3. Native Philippine Troops 4. Cavalry

5. Artillery 6. Engineer Corps

7. Hospital Corps 8. Ordnance Corps 9. Quartermaster Corps

10. Band Musician, Engineers 11. Electrician 12. Signal Corps

13. Band Musician 14. Band, Philippines 15. Band, Porto Rico]

_Brassards_ are bands of cloth worn on the sleeves to designate officers and men assigned to special duties.

_Red Cross Brassard._—In time of war with signatories of the Geneva Convention all persons in the military services who are rendered neutral by the terms of that convention wear upon the left arm above the elbow a brassard of white cloth bearing upon it a Geneva cross in red cloth while on duty in the field of operations. The persons entitled to wear this brassard are surgeons, members of the hospital corps, nurses, chaplains and the personnel engaged exclusively with the removal and transportation of the sick and wounded.

_Brassards_ worn on the right upper arm are of the following distinctive colors: _blue_ for agents and signalmen, _green_ for guides and scouts, _red_ for orderlies and messengers, _white_ for trench cleaners, _yellow_ for members of parties carrying munitions, material, food or water, _khaki with the word “Salvage” in red letters_ for members of salvage parties, and _blue with the letters “M. P.” outlined in white thread_ for members of the Military Police.

_Field Clerk’s Brassard._—Field clerks of Engineers wear upon the left arm above the elbow a brassard of maroon colored cloth with white edges.

_Service Stripes._—All enlisted men of the Army who have served one or more enlistments in the Army, Navy or Marine Corps wear one stripe for each such enlistment on each sleeve of the dress coat midway between the wrist and the elbow. These service stripes are three-eighths of an inch in width and are placed diagonally across the outside of the sleeve.

The color of the stripe is that of the branch of the service in which the enlistment that it represents was served, as follows:

Cavalry, yellow.
Artillery, scarlet.
Engineers, scarlet piped with white.
Infantry, white.
Hospital Corps, maroon piped with white.
Ordnance, black piped with scarlet.
Signal Corps, orange piped with white.
Quartermaster Corps, buff.
Service School Detachment, green.
Service Detachment, Military Academy, green piped with white.
U. S. Navy, scarlet piped with yellow.
U. S. Marine Corps, yellow piped with scarlet.

_Buttons._—The buttons worn by enlisted men of the Army on the dress coat are of gilt metal and bear the coat of arms of the United States in relief; those worn on the service coats are of the same size and design but are made of dull finish bronze metal, and those worn on the overcoat are large bronze flat buttons of the same design.

_Identification Tag._—Each officer and enlisted man of the U. S. Army is required to wear two aluminum identification tags about the size of a silver half dollar whenever the field kit is worn, one tag to be suspended from the neck underneath the clothing by a cord or thong of leather passed through a hole in the tag, the second tag being suspended from the first one by a cord or thong. Each tag bears stamped upon it the name, rank, company, regiment and corps of the wearer. This tag is for use in identifying the wearer in case of death or serious wounds. In case of death one tag is buried with the body and the duplicate is kept with the record of the place of burial and the cause and date of death.

1. Aviator (Regular aviators have a silver star above the shield. Junior and Reserve aviators have no star)

2. Observer 3. Enlisted Aviator

4. Aviation Mechanic 5. Other enlisted men]

1. All enlisted men, right side of collar 2. Cavalry

3. Infantry 4. Field Artillery

5. Coast Artillery 6. Engineer Corps

7. Quartermaster Corps 8. Signal Corps]

1. Hospital Corps 2. Ordnance Corps

3. Band Musician 4. Electrician

5. Infantry, Porto Rico Regiment 6. Infantry, Native Troops, Philippines

7. Recruiting Service 8. Prison Guard]

_Identification Patch._—In order that the men in an advance line of attack upon the battlefield may be recognized by the officers who are controlling their advance and accurately placing the curtain of shrapnel fire ahead of them, it has become necessary to prescribe identification patches upon the backs of the men’s coats between the shoulders. These identification patches are of different designs and colors to mark the different regiments and brigades, circles, triangles, squares and other shapes being used. The shape and color of these patches is not laid down in uniform regulations in the United States Army, but these details are prescribed from time to time in orders from Headquarters of the Field Armies.

_United States Guards_, _National Army_, are organized into battalions for guard duty in the United States during the period of the existing emergency. Their prescribed uniform is the blue dress uniform of the regular army with blue overcoats and the customary insignia.

_Citizen’s Training Camps._—The uniform for members of these camps consist of olive-drab shirt, breeches and coat, canvas leggings, russet shoes, and field hat with red, white and blue hat cord. The bronze letters “U. S. T. C.” are worn on the collar, and on the left forearm a badge with the same letters.

_Reserve Officers’ Training Corps._—The uniforms are olive-drab or “Cadet gray.” Insignia of rank are of white metal for cadet officers and gilt for instructors; _Colonel_, three diamonds; _Lieutenant Colonel_, two diamonds; _Major_, one diamond; _Captain_, three disks; _First Lieutenant_, two disks, _Second Lieutenant_, one disk. Sergeants and corporals wear chevrons prescribed for the Regular Army. On the cap is a wreath enclosing the letters “R. O. T. C.” in bronze and the same letters are worn on the collar. On the left arm is a badge with “R. O. T. C.” embroidered in the color of the arm of the service.