u.s. merchant marine academy: cadet corps & regiment of midshipmen insignia, headwear, & uniform survey
The insignia worn by cadets, cadet-midshipmen (C/M), and midshipmen (M/N) at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point has undergone several changes as the mission and focus of the institution has evolved over time. Some insignia have held over between periods – the most enduring being the program identifiers and the U.S.N.R. pin – whereas others have disappeared entirely – such as the pair known as “Manholes.” Below please find sketches of the uniform insignia worn by cadets in various periods; all line drawings are either adapted from or are included in the 1942 Uniform Regulations for the United States Maritime Commission Cadet Corps.
The study of insignia may be quite dry and it is quite easy to become concerned with what was worn when and in which circumstance. The Cadet Corps offers a unique challenge in the study of its insignia since changes were done on the fly and not documented. The first decade of the Cadet Corps saw many inconsistencies in insignia and uniforms since the program was not so much concerned about how a cadet looked, rather on how to get them to sea. This survey sketches the major currents in uniforms and insignia and is informed by period photographs, regulations, and items in my collection.
Many thanks are due to Dr. Joshua Smith of the American Merchant Marine Museum for opening the Museum’s collections to me and sharing some important documents which verified many of my hunches.
- u.s. department of commerce mail cadets 1928-1938
- u.s. maritime commission cadet corps 1938-1941
- u.s. merchant marine cadet corps 1942-1943
- u.s. merchant marine cadet corps 1943-1945
- u.s merchant marine academy regiment of midshipmen 1990s-2000s
slides: “Uniforms of the United States Merchant Marine Academy Cadet Corps” (presentation 17 may 2021)
