United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War I
The United States Army's enlisted rank insignia that was used during World War I differs from the current system. The color scheme used for the insignia's chevron was olive drab for field use uniforms or one of several colors (depending on the corps) on dress uniforms. The chevron system used by enlisted men during World War I came into being in 1895, and was changed to a different system in 1919. Specification 760, which was dated May 31, 1905 contained 45 different enlisted insignia that varied designs and titles by different corps of the army. General Order Number 169, which was enacted on August 14, 1907, created an even larger variety of enlisted rank insignia. Pay grades were not yet in use by the U.S. Army. The pay system identified the job assignment of the soldier. By the end of World War I, the system contained 128 different insignia designs.[1]
Field service rank insignia
1st grade | 2nd grade | 3rd grade | 4th grade | 5th grade | 6th grade | 7th grade | 8th grade | 9th grade | 10th grade | 11th grade | 12th grade |
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Regimental sergeant major | Regimental supply sergeant | Battalion sergeant major | Color sergeant | First sergeant | Mess sergeant | Stable sergeant | Company supply sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal/Private first class (from 1920) | Private |
Other rank insignia
Other ranks and pay grades that held distinctive insignia not shown here included:
Cavalry
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Infantry
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Coast artillery corps
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Field artillery
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Signal corps
- Master signal electrician
- Sergeant first class
- Sergeant
- Corporal
Engineer corps
- Master engineer senior grade
- Master engineer junior grade
- Master sergeant
Medical department
- Master Hospital Sergeant
- Hospital Sergeant
- Sergeant first class
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Lance corporal
- Private
Ordnance department
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Lance corporal
- First class private
Post non-commission staff
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See also
References
- "U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry-History of Enlisted Ranks". Archived from the original on 2010-06-29. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
External links
- Roots Web World War I Army Rank Insignia Identification
- Roots Web World War I Uniforms
- Military Historians-Chevrons
- U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry-History of Enlisted Ranks
- Emerson, William K. (Winter 2004). "The Army's Last Set of Confusing Chevrons". Military Collector & Historian. 56 (4): 219–233. Retrieved 22 April 2019.