Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) was formed on 2 August 1949, under a directive issued by Secretary of Defense James V. Forrestal which established the organization “in order to provide, under one authority, control, operation and administration of ocean transportation […] for all agencies or departments of the National Military Establishment,” the organization becoming active on 1 October 1949. A total of approximately 320 ships were transferred to the new command from the U.S. Navy Transportation Service and the U.S. Army. Thirty-five of these ships had been controlled by the U.S. Maritime Commission, while thirty-seven (from the Navy Transportation Service) were commissioned Navy ships operated by Navy crews. The remainder of these vessels, comprised of auxiliaries of all types, were designated “U.S. Naval Ships” (U.S.N.S.) and were operated by merchant marine civil service crews. The organization’s name was changed to Military Sealift Command (MSC) in 1970.
The Military Sea Transportation Service used the same uniforms as one of its predecessors, the Army Transportation Corps – Water Division. Some insignia from the U.S. Army was retained but given a distinct U.S. Navy slant.
Despite MSTS’ creation in 1949, it effectively came into being with the ocean-going vessels of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps – Water Division merging with the U.S. Navy’s analog on 1 March 1950. It would be from that date that all civilian mariners of MSTS would don the insignia of the new service; although, after some trial and error in the various commands, the U.S. Navy published uniform and insignia regulations in January 1952.
All items on this page are from a single individual who had the surname Bishop. The blue uniform has the cuff lace of a Third Assistant Engineer; whereas the shoulder boards worn on the khaki coat are those of a Fourth Assistant Engineer or Licensed Junior Engineer – yet the collar devices on the khaki shirt are those of a Third Assistant Engineer.
service dress blues, 1950-1965
The “dragging” anchor – a horizonal anchor – with the letters MSTS placed on the shank dates the uniform from 1950 through 1965. Note the lack of a sword-slit in the reefer; this small detail belies the fact that the uniform was purchased at a civilian uniform shop for merchant mariners.
The configuration of cuff devices is topsy-turvy; instead of the two props following the configuration of the collar devices and shoulder boards (see below), they are opposite. Perhaps they were mistaken for stars when the regulations were drawn up, or their configuration is a wry classist slight as the props of a U.S. Navy enlisted machinist’s mate insignia have the two props pointing up. This gaff was remedied by the formal publication of uniform regulations in 1962.
The licensed officers of MSTS did not appreciate their insignia, and after fifteen years of use, it was redesigned in 1965. From personal correspondence with a former MSTS Master:
If ever anyone had any doubt about the absolute disdain, or contempt the Navy had for the Merchant Marine Officer in the early days of MSTS, he only had to look at how they uniformed them. Gone was the ornate cap device of the ATS, and in place was a grotesque depiction of two crossed stockless, or patent anchors. As if this wasn’t enough, they had to add insult to the use of the old-fashioned anchor collar device by showing it “dragging” […] the postion of the officer’s bars – instead as being upright, or dissecting the angle of the collar, it is sideways.
Not only in this insidious fashion were the Merchant Officers degraded, but in the Navy’s MSTS Magazine they would never use the captains’ title of “captain” when referring to a Mariner, but “Master”. When they started, ten, or more years after taking over from the Army, to use the title “Captain” for Mariners, it was always in lower case… the Navy officer being in upper case – all letters. Also, insistent until I retired twelve years ago, they had ships captains display an anchor (at first dragging), over the four gold stripes. This of course put the Captain in the Deck Department, which of course he isn’t… he’s not in any department, not even on the Crew List, or shouldn’t be anyways, but MSTS/MSC has him there. I never displayed anything over my stripes, and if perchance was extended the use of a star, that I wouldn’t of had displayed, for even for themselves, the Navy can’t get that right. If you’ve noticed, the single point is down, or in the case of shoulder boards – pointing outboard. How bloody unbalanced can one get?
Oh yes…they also insisted that Captains wear an eagle on one collar point, and an anchor on the other – there again putting the Captain in the Deck Dept. I displayed – like the Navy – two eagles. Out of uniform? Good grief…out of costume! We were ripe for Disney!
Finally, one day, someone discovered these antics for what they were, overrode the pin-heads, and got the uniform regs straightened out. Gone was the “draggin’ anchors”, gruesome crossed stockless anchors, and even issued a new Cap Device, though tin…
officer cap, 1965
The cap is transitional and in its present configuration would be worn in a wear-out period. Usually, the U.S. Navy published changes to uniform regulations that specified the period of time for new uniform and insignia to be changed. This cap has the old-style MSTS officer’s cap badge along with second-style of MSTS buttons (in use from 1965 through August 1970). Of interest is the cap band – it is that of a U.S. Navy commissioned officer; MSTS officers had cap bands that followed the edges of their badges.
Please see the following page for more images of the cap.
khaki uniform, 1950-1965
The khaki uniform was the working uniform of officers aboard MSTS vessels. The almost daily use is indicated by the absence of gilt from the high-relief areas on the buttons – this suggests repeated thumbing of the buttons to secure and remove the coat. Of note is the design of the buttons: whereas the reefer has MSTS buttons, this uniform coat has U.S. Navy officer and CPO buttons. The buttons are sewn on to the coat, meaning the coat was purchased with the buttons affixed and the owner decided against purchasing another set specifically for the coat. Often, if buttons are removable, they are interchanged between blue and khaki coats.
shoulder boards, 1950-1965
Following U.S. Navy insignia design logic for officers, two props of the propellor face outboard, just as do the props of the U.S. Navy commissioned engineering warrant officer’s shoulder boards.
MSTS Uniform chart, 1962
msts cpo’s khaki coat
From the outset of the creation of MSTS, Able Seamen having seniority in position over Ordinary Seamen rated a uniform akin to that of a U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer. Although Able Seaman did not hold a military rank, they were styled as Chief Petty Officers in the eyes of the MSTS military organization. This is an important point to consider when talking about civilians in the military employ – by giving them uniforms like their host service, but stripping it of insignia, does mark the civilian apart; however, calling (and having in print), CPO for AB begins a troublesome identification. Nevertheless, below is an example of a CPO uniform from the mid-1960s, from around 1965 as the button attests. Note the lack of epaulet loops – this is the only indicator of the rank of the coat’s owner.
