usms – Page 2 – Ian Watts

March 8, 2010January 8, 2022

U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Officer

U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 2 – Variant 2)
One piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length.
Coro (Cohn & Rosenberger) hallmark.
Anchor and device stamped brass, sterling plated (marked); red enamel band and shield.
Mid-to-post Second World War era; 1942-1947.

This is the second design of the USMS CPO hat badge; the first was worn briefly from 1941, up until WSA control of the USMS in July 1942 with the illustrated badge appearing in August 1942. The former badge may be found in plain brass as well as in plated silver – as is the case of this badge. The second design is almost always found in silver plate or less common brass; any others are patterns or reproductions. Enterprising merchant seaman have been known to buff the plate off, showing yellow medal underneath. The illustrated badge is of the second type and variant two – it differs from the first with a few stylistic differences – a difference in shield configuration and the inclusion of a motto, and punctured anchor ring. The first employs blue enamel as opposed to red. Interestingly enough, the changed design did not stylistically match that of the contemporary uniform coat, cap and shoulder board buttons and snaps which were altered at the same time as the hat badge.

A miniature of this device was authorized and manufactured for wear on overseas caps.

USMS CPO Hat badge, obverse.

USMS CPO Hat badge, reverse.
A close-up of the reverse details the Coro (Cohn & Rosenberger) hallmark as well as the Sterling denotation. Coro, as a corporate name came to be in 1943; however, the incuse hallmark “Coro” with a distinct curly-queue C in serif font dates to 1940 and underwent minor variations until 1945. Moreover, due to wartime metal shortages, Coro produced Sterling insignia items under Government contract from 1942-1947. With the aforementioned in mind, this hallmark adequately dates the device to the early-to-mid 1940s, contemporaneous with USMS insignia change.

USMS CPO Hat badge, production hub.
This hub is composed of hardened steel; of interest are the alignment pins used in the creation of dies. I have already written about production methods specifically outlining the purpose of a hub, here. If you visit the image’s page on Flickr, and select “All Sizes”, the original size can give you a better idea of the intricacy of design and even the parts of the hub that have been buffed and chiseled.

One reason that dies do not show up often in collections is that as dies wear out, they are taken out of production, defaced and melted down; hubs survive due to the fact that more than one master is required for die production. In terms of USMS hat insignia, hubs are few and far between as there were not a whole lot of insignia houses producing USMS devices.

This specific die was sourced from an estate in Rhode Island; which corresponds to the fact that this is perhaps indeed a Coro hub (see above). Prior to, during and following the Second World War, Coro had a large jewelry factory in Providence, Rhode Island. Thus far, I have only seen period USMS CPO (Type 2 – Variant 1 & Variant 2) badges with Coro hallmarks.

united states maritime service: an introduction

The United States Maritime Service (USMS) was established in 1938. It was the body responsible for training merchant seamen as legislated for by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. During the Second World War, it performed the essential function of training over 100,000 individuals to fill berths on United States merchantmen as either unlicensed or licensed crew members. To do such, it operated about two dozen training establishments including training stations, training ships, upgrade schools, and the Merchant Marine Academy and its satellite Basic Schools, as well as correspondence courses. Post-war, the USMS’ functions were curtailed and its personnel slashed. Over the decades, the numbers of individuals in the Service steadily declined until reaching the handful of cadre of the present day. By the mid-2000s, the USMS was comprised only of a handful of administrators at State Maritime schools and those in leadership positions at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. In the 2020s, USMS commissions were opened to civil service employees at Kings Point, and its ranks were bolstered as a result.

Benny Leonard Enrollment, Manhattan, October 23, 1942.

The Service began as a training organization, and then its ranks grew as licensed officers of the American Merchant Marine sailed on War Shipping Administration-owned ships. Besides instructors and administrators who came from the maritime industry, it initially inducted members of the American Merchant Marine into its ranks after they had taken part in its training programs. Joining the USMS was wholly voluntary; its numbers were bolstered by the law that holding active, sailing membership in the Service exempted a seaman from the draft; military planners did not state as such, but while serving on a merchant ship, seamen were an important munition that was far more costly to replace than a soldier or a sailor due to their compartmentalized knowledge.

Table of Maximum Rank for Appointment, 1942-43

Table of Maximum Rank for Appointment, 1944

Table of Maximum Rank for Appointment, 1948

At the close of the Second World War, Administrators in Washington D.C. floated the idea that all U.S. merchant seamen join the USMS to create something akin to the British Merchant Navy. This proved unpopular with the maritime unions at the time, with the Masters, Mates, and Pilots union leading the charge that such a move was akin to Fascist regimentation. This proved to be the Death Knell of the Service; its role was diminished and it shuttered its schools for unlicensed seamen. These training programs were ostensibly taken by the unions, and to some respect by the U.S. Navy. By the late 1950s, licensed officer training remained on the books for the USMS, but only in the context of the State Nautical schools and the United States Merchant Marine Academy; it stopped offering officer upgrade schools and stopped its correspondence courses. At the Academy, the USMS remains since a uniformed staff promotes the military aspect of the Academy; although it may be argued such a system is anachronistic and made sense in the context of a world war – a war long passed.

The legacy of the wartime USMS was a highly-trained core of Merchant Marine officers and seamen who led the United States shipping industry through the difficulties of the post-war Cold War up until the first Gulf War. After these seamen retired, the failure in government foresight and sole dependence upon private industry to recruit, train, and retain merchant seaman has resulted in a decline of a maritime workforce. The USMS remains and continues as an integral part of the training program at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.

USMS Vice Admiral flag. circa 1947. Col.: Anon.

usms rates, 1945

In June 1945, the United States Maritime Service published the first information manual for uniformed employees (enrollees) of the USMS; they were called “Ship’s Company.” Among other topics, the manual illustrated all extant rates and rating badges. Altogether, the service had fifty-two possible rates with thirty-three unique insignia. Prior to 1945, it seems no two training stations had the same rate abbreviations in effect; e.g. Fort Trumbull and Sheepshead Bay have HA and HPHAA, respectively for PhM! I imagine the 1945 manual was a means to codify rates and their responsibilities.

The USMS had its Ship’s Company divided into five distinct branches. almost along the same lines as the United States Navy and Coast Guard: Seaman Branch, Artificer Branch Engine-room Force, Artificer Branch, Special Branch, and Commissary and Steward Branch.

After the publication of the manual in 1945, it appears that Seamen, Firemen, and Hospital Apprentices received rating badges which comprised of a small rating insignia over horizontal stripes.

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Rating insignia……………………..	Rate title & abbreviation…………….	Description
	Baker Bkr	Measures and mixes ingredients, forms dough, operates ovens and other baking apparatus, and produces bread, rolls, cakes, pies, and pastries; may instruct trainees in baking procedures and practices. Petty Officer 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Class only. Commissary and Steward Branch.
	Boatswain’s Mate BM	Supervises seamen in the performance of deckhand duties, such as marlinspike seamanship, cargo handling, ship maintenance, lowering and handling of lifeboats, and operation of blocks, tackle, stages, rigging, deck machinery, and anchor and mooring gear; may assist in the training of seamen in the above duties. Petty Officer 2nd Class and above. Seaman Branch.
	Boatswain’s Mate A (Master-at-Arms) BMA	Performs general police duties of a Master-at-Arms and enforces rules and regulations; supervises chow formations, work details, the escorting of sections to classrooms, barracks, and other buildings, &c; takes muster, maintains order and posts fire watches; receives, checks, and records cleaning gear received and keeps logs; supervises entrance and exit of all personnel at the station or ship; assigns barracks, bunks, and lockers; may be assigned to barracks as Master-at-Arms. Petty Officer 2nd Class and above. Seaman Branch.
	Buglemaster Bgmstr	Trains and supervises buglers and drummers; may act as drum major, leading drum and bugle corps in conjunction with a band on the field playing marches containing bugling. Petty Officer 2nd Class and above.
	Bugler Bugle	Sounds necessary bugle calls. Seaman 1st & 2nd Class
	Carpenter’s Mate CM	Uses hand and power woodworking tools to construct, alter, repair, and maintain all structures made of wood, including rough carpentry work, finish carpentry work, cabinet making and joinery; repairs to wooden boats, buildings, furniture, &c; also lays and repairs linoleum; aboard ship sounds bilges, maintains watertight doors, ports, and hatches; and may handle anchor windlass. Artificer Branch.
	Chief Commissary Steward CCS	Supervises and coordinates activities of the bake shop, galley, and mess hall; plans menus and keeps records; directs cookings and preparation of foods; buys food and directs stowing of provisions; may instruct trainees in food stowage, preparation, issuance, records. Rank of Chief Petty Officer only. Only Bakers and Cooks may advance to CCS. Commissary and Steward Branch.
	Cook Ck	Prepares food for general or officers’ mess; may plan menus; inspects and stows provisions; operates and maintains all mechanical equipment used in the preparation of food; maintains galley and equipment in a sanitary condition; may instruct trainees in food handling, stowage, and preparation. Petty Officer 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Class only. Commissary and Steward Branch.
	Coxswain Cox	Performs duties of a boat coxswain during lifeboat instruction periods, instructing in handling sweep oar or tiller, and issuing commands and taking complete charge of the boat; responsible for lifeboat equipment; performs the less responsible and more routine duties of a Boatswain’s Mate. 3rd Class only. Seaman Branch.
	Coxswain A (Master-at-Arms) CoxA	Responsibilities the same as Boatswain’s Mate A. 3rd Class only. Seaman Branch.
	Electrician’s Mate EM	Lays out, assembles, install, test, repairs, and maintains in operating condition, all electrical fixtures, apparatus, equipment, circuits, motors, and wiring; uses wiring diagrams in construction, installation, and repair of equipment; winds armatures, replaces defective wiring, and makes connections for new electric installations; replaces burnt out fuses; replaces small parts on motors, cleans and oils motors, and repairs electrical fixtures. Artificer Branch, Engine Room Force.
	Fireman F	Under close supervision, performs the more routine and less complex duties of the rating for which he is sticking; is usually assigned to some branch of the engine department, in which he may stand fireroom watches, assist in machine shop, boiler room, engine room, or electric shop; may assist in the practical training of trainees who are assigned to duty in the fireroom. No rank badge. USMS lacked strikers badges. Firemen are non-rated and hold the ranks of Apprentice Seaman (AS), Fireman 2nd Class (F2C), and Fireman 1st Class (F1C). Artificer Branch, Engine-room Force.
	Gunner’s Mate GM	Instructs trainees in operation, and maintenance and repair of guns and small arms used aboard ship; performs maintenance and repair duties connected with ordnance equipment and supplies used for instruction and security purposes aboard station and training ship; maintains records and prepares reports; supervises air raid practice drills and manning of guns by ship’s company. Seaman Branch.
	Hospital Apprentice HA	Under close supervision performs the more routine nursing and first aid duties in sick bays and wards; sterilized and prepares equipment; maintains sanitary conditions of sick bay and wards. No rank badge. USMS lacked an apprentice badge. Hospital Apprentice are non-rated and hold the ranks of Apprentice Seaman (AS), Hospital Apprentice 2nd Class (HA2C), and Hospital Apprentice 1st Class (HA1C).
	Machinist’s Mate MM	Operates, maintains, overhauls, and makes adjustments and repairs on all main and auxiliary engines and machinery powered by steam, including reciprocating steam engines and steam turbines, and their auxiliary engines; may perform engine room watches aboard ship, and performing oiler’s duties; may instruct trainees in the operation and maintenance of external combustion engines and machinery, and watchstanding procedures. Artificer Branch, Engine-room Force.
	Machinist’s Mate S (Shop Machinst) MMS	Constructs and repairs all kinds of metal parts, tools, and machines; operates machine tools including lathe milling machine, planer, shaper, drill press, bench grinder, and power hack saw; uses hand tools, including scrapers, chisels, files, and measuring instruments; reads blueprints and prepares specifications; may instruct trainees in the operation of machine tools. Artificer Branch, Engine-room Force.
	Metalsmith M	Repairs piping, draws out, and anneals and case-hardens metals; does all types of welding, brazing and soldering, and heats and shapes metal stock to repair and manufacture tools and parts; lays out metalwork jobs; prepares specifications and time and material estimates. Artificer Branch.
	Motor Machinist’s Mate MoMM	Operates, maintains, overhauls, and makes adjustments and repairs on engines operated by internal combustion, such as Diesel and gasoline engines; may instruct trainees in the operation and maintenance of internal combustion engines and machinery, and watchstanding procedures. Artificer Branch, Engine-room Force.
	Musician Mus	Plays one or more musical instruments in the band or orchestra at ceremonies and entertainments, and while marching in military formation; may take charge of band or orchestra; may make musical arrangements or plan programs. Special Branch.
	Painter Ptr	Prepares, mixes and applies paints on ship or at training stations, using brushes or spray gun; maintains all paint tools and paint lockers; cleans, sands, and finishes wood floors. Artificer Branch.
	Pharmacist’s Mate PhM	Administers first aid, medications, Wasserman tests, and inoculations; conducts physical examinations, treats minor ailments, performs nursing duties, and assists at operations; compounds drugs, makes laboratory analyses, and assists in hospital administration; maintains medical records and prepares reports; assists in the inspection of galleys and cafeteria; may instruct trainees in first aid and prevention of venereal ‘disease and use of prophylactics; may instruct in Hospital Corps School in duties of a Pharmacist’s Mate aboard ship. Petty Officer 3rd Class and above. Special Branch.
	Photographer’s Mate PhoM	Operates, adjusts, and maintains photographic equipment; takes pictures, using still and motion picture cameras; does darkroom and related work, developing negatives, and making contact and projection prints. Special Branch.
	Printer Prtr	Performs any or all of the duties in connection with setting type by hand and operating a platen-type press; assembles type and cuts in chases; makes ready, tends, and supervises feeding of press, inserting forms, adjusting ink rollers and ink flow, and feeding paper into feedboard. Special Branch.
	Printer L (Lithographer) PrtrL	Performs duties in connection with reproduction of material by the lithographic process; may transfer images from photographic negatives to zinc plates for printing (transferring), or make ready and tend the operation of single or multi-color lithographic press. Special Branch.
	Printer M (Multilith Operator) PrtrM	Operates a machine (Multilith) that prints from special plates onto a rubber blanket, the ink then being transferred from the blanket onto the blank sheet of paper, (offset principle); prepares process plates, sets up and tends the operation of the machine, adjusting p rin ting plate, ink flow, speed of machine, and paper feed; may also direct operation of duplicating equipment for reproducing typewritten or handwritten matter by forcing ink through a cut stencil onto the sheets of duplicate paper. Special Branch.
	Quartermaster QM	Stands bridge watch and keeps rough deck log and engine bell book; stands gangway watches in port; corrects and revises pilot charts; acts as helmsman at wheel; maintains physical appearance of bridge; may instruct trainees in steering, watch standing routines, and Rules of the Road. Seaman Branch.
	Radioman RM	Instructs classes in theory, operation, maintenance, and repair of radio equipment, transmitting and receiving of messages by code, and operation of typewriter by touch method; performs maintenance and repair duties connected with equipment used for instruction and administrative purposes; designs and constructs equipment otherwise unobtainable; may send and receive code messages and repair and maintain radio transmitters aboard training ship. Artificer Branch.
	Seaman S	Under close supervision, performs ordinary deck duties in connection with the upkeep and operation of a ship; stands wheel and lookout watches and acts as messenger; may perform the more routine and less complex duties of the rating for which he is striking; assists in the instruction of training in deck subjects. Unless noted, Seamen are non-rated and hold the ranks of Apprentice Seaman (AS), Seaman 2nd Class (S2C), and Seaman 1st Class (S1C).
	Shipfitter SF	Uses hand and machine tools of shipfitter’s shop to lay out metal sheets and sections for repairs to structures on ships and stations; bends, repairs, and fits pipes, tubings and structural sections; does forging and soldering; lays out, assembles and installs pipe, fittings and fixtures for sanitary hea ting> drainage and other piping systems. Artificer Branch.
	Ship’s Service Man B (Barber) SSMB	Cuts hair, and where facilities permit, performs other barber services; maintains tools and equipment in sanitary and operating condition. Special Branch.
	Ship’s Service Man C (Cobbler) SSMC	Resoles, reheels, and repairs shoes, rebuilding them when necessary; maintains equipment in operating condition. Special Branch.
	Ship’s Service Man L (Laundryman) SSML	Marks, lists, and sorts incoming articles; washes and removes stains from clothes and uniforms; operates and maintains washing equipment, extractors, tumblers, presses, and flatwork ironers; finishes, folds, assembles, and packs finished articles. Special Branch.
	Ship’s Service Man T (Tailor) SSMT	Sews by hand and by machine; makes repairs, sews on rating badges and insignia, and makes alterations; presses garments by hand and by machine, removes spots and stains, and maintains equipment in operating condition. Special Branch.
	Signalman SM	Instructs trainees in sending and receiving of messages by flaghoist, blinker, semaphore, distress and emergency signals, and any other method used in maritime communications; performs maintenance and repair duties connected with signal equipment; may send and receive signal messages aboard ship. Seaman Branch.
	Special Artificer I (Instruments) SAI	Repairs office machines such as typewriters and calculators, or watches and clocks. Artificer Branch.
	Specialist (A) Sp(A)	Performs duties associated with the physical training program; instructs in swimming, calisthenics, gymnastics, or boxing; organizes, leads, instructs and referees games; may organize sports programs. Special Branch.
	Specialist (C) Sp(C)	Interviews, tests or classifies enrolled personnel; assists in classifying trainees for branch testing and selecting candidates for advanced training. Special Branch.
	Specialist (F) Sp(F)	Firefighter. This includes men with experience as civilian firemen who are now serving as key men in fire-fighting organizations; operates portable and movable pumping and fire-fighting equipment used to extinguish fires; organizes and directs fire drills; maintains fire-fighting equipment in good repair and operating condition; conducts fire prevention inspections. Special Branch.
	Specialist (I) Sp(I)	Operates, adjusts, and maintains mechanical tabulation equipment. Special Branch.
	Specialist (M) Sp(M)	Performs duties associated with the handling of mail; sorts, forwards and distributes incoming mail; sells stamps and money orders; handles parcel post, insured and registered mail. Special Branch.
	Specialist (PR) Sp(PR)	Performs public relations duties; prepares publicity campaigns and releases. Special Branch.
	Specialist (R) Sp(R)	Interviews, selects, and processes applicants for training and for administrative duty; verifies credentials and checks qualifications Special Branch.
	Specialist (S) Sp(S)	Patrols shore and port areas; verifies the right of officers and men to wear Maritime Service uniform and insignia; curbs boisterous activities of Maritime Service personnel. Special Branch.
	Specialist (T) Sp(T)	Performs duties in connection with instruction in technical fields; performs duties such as the following: teaches or tests enrollees in basic, preliminary, and specialized fields, or develops educational materials. Special Branch.
	Specialist (TR) Sp(TR)	Operates transportation vehicles; including station wagons, trucks, tractors, buses, cranes, etc.; maintains vehicles and makes routine repairs. Special Branch.
	Specialist (W) Sp(W)	Assists chaplain with clerical work connected with religious and social welfare activities; assists at religious services. Special Branch.
	Specialist (X) Sp(X)	Specialists not elsewhere classified who perform any of the following duties: (1) developing and constructing training aids, (2) preparing blueprints, (3) supervising the operation of the telephone switchboard, (4) landscaping and gardening, (5) producing creative art, (6) operating Vari-typer, or (7) performing editing duties. Special Branch.
	Steward St	Serves and directs serving of food in officers’ mess; supervises preparation of salads, sandwiches, and beverages; does short-order cooking; plans menus, keeps records and makes required reports; supervises steward’s mates in cleaning and maintaining officers’ quarters; may instruct trainees in duties of a messman and steward aboard ship. Commissary and Steward Branch.
	Steward’s Mate StM	Serves at table; takes care of officers’ quarters and laundry; assists cooks, ship’s cooks, and stewards in performance of more routine duties requiring little skill. Commissary and Steward Branch.
	Storekeeper SK	Keeps records and performs clerical, filing, and typewriting duties; makes entries in records; requisitions, receives, stows, and issues stores; checks invoices and takes inventories; prepares correspondence; in Disbursing Department, computes pay, prepares pay lists and tax records, maintains financial records, prepares financial records, prepares financial statements, and prepares vouchers for, or makes payments in cash to member of ship’s company and trainees; in the Supply Department, Commissary Department, Ship’s Service Store, or Clothing Locker, receives, checks, and stows stores; issues or sells gear and small stores; maintains and periodically takes inventories, and keeps records of all transactions. Special Branch.
	Water Tender WT	Stands watches, maintaining water level in boilers, and directing firemen in their duties; operates, maintains and repairs boiler room equipment, including pumps, condensers, valves, manifolds, strainers, heaters, control valves, atomizers, and regulating valves; may instruct trainees in fireman and water tender duties aboard ship. Artificer Branch, Engine-room Force.
	Yeoman Y	Performs typing, stenographic, clerical, filing, and other office duties. Special Branch.

Within each of the branches, there were specific rates a set means of advancement between pay grade. Rates, pay grades, and minimum time required in each pay grade are noted in the chart below.

References

United States Maritime Service, Personnel Procedures Unit. General Information Manual. USMS, June 1945.

usms shoulder boards

United States Maritime Service Shoulder Boards

United States Maritime Service took its uniform and insignia cues from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy; U.S. Code called for adherence to the rank structure of the former. Just as the relatively new U.S. Coast Guard placed its distinguishing device – a shield – in the place of the U.S. Navy officer executive star or corps device, the USMS followed the same precedent. Given that the Service was young, it was struggling to find a unified visual identity at the time of the United States’ entry into the Second World War.

During the war, the USMS had three devices on its shoulder boards: a stylized USMS shield in Art Deco style, a “Gold shield of U.S. Maritime Commission,” and an anchor or a corps device within a wreath. The device, along with construction of board, buttons, design of wreath, strap material, and stitching pattern may be used to date a shoulder board – and taken altogether, speak of the organizational changes within the USMS.

The Art Deco shield – as seen in the header image – was reproduced in bullion on shoulder boards and cuff devices and was worn by all commissioned officers of the USMS beginning in 1938. By March 1943, this device was abandoned for the familiar corps device within a wreath. This diverged from the U.S. Coast Guard wherein U.S. Navy corps device capped the shield. The Gold shield – or the central shield of the U.S. Maritime Commission logo – appeared as early as 1938 on the cuffs of District Instructor attached to the U.S. Maritime Commission Cadet Corps; it also appeared as a device on both the former and latter’s shoulder boards. The Gold shield disappeared from Cadet Corps uniforms by 1944. By contrast, District Instructors used the same shield device through 1942 and abandoned it in 1943 around the same time as the mass re-branding and re-design of USMS insignia. For a brief period in 1943 – between February and July 1942 – District Instructor shoulder boards used the U.S. Coast Guard button; this was due to the Cadet Corps instruction and USMS moving to the U.S. Coast Guard. by instructors when the instruction of the Cadet Corps was assumed by the U.S. Coast Guard; afterward, this changed to a USMS button when the Cadet Corps and all seamen training became the responsibility of the USMS.

1938-1942

U.S. Maritime Commission - U.S. Maritime Service, Captain. circa 1938-1941.

U.S. Maritime Commission - U.S. Maritime Service, Ensign. circa 1938-1941.

1943 regulations

1942-present

U.S. Maritime Service. Vice Admiral. circa 1945-1975.
ex-Richard R. McNulty estate.

U.S. Maritime Service. Lieutenant Commander.

U.S. Maritime Service. Lieutenant Commander. Reverse.

U.S. Maritime Service. Lieutenant Commander. circa 1943-45.

U.S. Maritime Service. Lieutenant Commander. circa 1943-45. Reverse.

U.S. Maritime Service. Lieutenant, junior grade.

U.S. Maritime Service. Lieutenant, junior grade. Reverse.

U.S. Maritime Service. Officer Trainee. Detail.

U.S. Maritime Service. Officer Trainee. circa 1943-45.

U.S. Maritime Service. Officer Trainee. circa 1943-45. Detail.

U.S. Maritime Service. Commander? Detail.

U.S. Maritime Service. Enaign. circa 1945.

1944 engineer corps

U.S. Maritime Commission - U.S. Maritime Service, Lientenant, Engineer Corps. circa 1944-45.

staff corps 1940s

U.S. Maritime Service - Lieutenant (j.g.), Supply. circa 1942-1945.

U.S. Maritime Service - Ensign, Supply. circa 1944-45.

U.S. Maritime Service Officer, Pharmacist-Purser (Ensign), 1943.

U.S. Maritime Service - Ensign, Radio. circa 1944-45.

warrant officers 1940s

U.S. Maritime Service - Chief Ship's Clerk. circa 1942-43.

U.S. Maritime Service - Pay Clerk. circa 1944-1945.

U.S. Maritime Service - Pharmacist. circa 1944-45.
note: using Cadet Corps buttons.

U.S. Maritime Service - Radio Electrician. circa 1944-45.

References

Bunkley, Joel William. Military and naval recognition book; a handbook on the organization, uniforms and insignia of rank of the world’s armed forces; etiquette and customs of the American services; complete description and colored plates of U.S. decorations, medals and ribbons (4th Ed.). D. Van Nostrand Co., New York., 1943. [text prepared September 1943].

usms uniforms: enlisted & unlicensed trainees

USMS Chief Petty Officer, 1944

Pea Coat. War Shipping Administration, Training Organization, 1940s. Col. IW.

USMS Trainee, 1943

usms garrison caps

In mid-1944 the U.S. Maritime Service published two guides on how to wear its uniforms and insignia – codifying practices once left up to the discretion of the wearer. The first guide was in the form of a pamphlet and was distributed to individuals who graduated from officer upgrade schools, and the second was a spread of two pages in the U.S. Maritime Service magazine, MAST (June 1944). The first guide, along with Joel Bunkley’s 1943 study is often the only cited resource on U.S. Maritime Service officer insignia.

Being that the U.S. Maritime Service was governed to have a rank structure like that of the U.S. Coast Guard, individuals in the Service wore uniforms similar to those of their Coastie comrades. It follows that the array of pins and badges found on USCG uniforms – within reason and context – would have a U.S. Maritime Service version. However, in analyzing the aforementioned guides, both the 1944 officer guide and Bunkley book did not detail garrison cap wear and insignia, whereas the second U.S. Maritime Service publication did.

Uniforms left to right: Officer, Warrant, CPO (note 8 buttons), Enlisted.

Below is a gallery of period Second World War U.S. Maritime Service garrison caps and cap badges. These caps and devices were prescribed for wear in less formal settings. The dark blue was for wear with reefers, and the khaki cover for wear with the working khaki uniform. The CPO badge on the cap was almost exclusively worn by USMS Chief Petty Officers and not student enrollees in officer upgrade schools – despite the fact, the latter shared full-size cap badges with former. The USMS over the shield device was authorized for U.S. Maritime Service enlisted employees and disbursed in late 1945 when U.S. Maritime Service went the route of issuing all service members jacket-style uniforms and moved away from U.S. Navy-type jumpers. Within the gallery, of note is the U.S. Maritime Service cadre badge with the screw-post sheared off. This meant it was an early pre-1942 (possibly ersatz) garrison cap badge.

An example of the dark blue garrison cap may be seen in the official photograph of Leonard W. Valentine after his award of the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal.

usmma uniforms: service dress khaki 1960-1970

service dress khaki, 1960-1970

This uniform coat was put together by a collector not so much to deceive but as a display item. The thought was to represent the working, shipboard uniform of a radio technician from the early Second World War. The buttons, lack of service ribbons, and U.S.N.R. badge are correct for the period; the coat is not.

One of the first clues to determine the date of a uniform from Kings Point is to take a look at the clothing tags. This tag was in use from the late 1940s through the 1960s with little variation. Wartime tags were those of Naval supply depots and local tailors; the Academy did not have a “uniform shop” until peacetime. The next hint is the coat’s material. It is a wool-cotton blend; this is discernable by the slight shiny appearance of the coat and the tight warp and weft of the cloth. Coats with this material were issued to the fleet through the Vietnam War era. Service dress khakis were an innovation during the Second World War since they did not require specialized dry-cleaning facilities – being cotton they could be washed and pressed without issue (as a comparison, see a United States Maritime Service service dress khaki coat from the 1940s). The expedience factor of laundering the service dress khakis was lost in the decades following the Second World War.

If this were a midshipman or ex-midshipman coat, an area of concern is the placement of the U.S.N.R. badge. Cadet-midshipmen received a healthy dose of demerits for improper wear of insignia. The badge slightly covers the leading edge of the pocket. From 1942 onward, the badge was always 1½” above the pocket opening.

usmm uniforms: slate gray uniform, 1943

On 16 April 1943 the Chief of Naval Personnel sent a letter to “All Ships and Stations” causing nothing short of a tempest in a teapot. The order authorized the creation of the working slate gray uniform (this uniform is known alternately as “working grays” or simply “grays”). As uniforms go, this one was immediately unpopular among all those mandated to wear it and was so divisive that it was unofficially banned for wear in the Pacific Fleet. Despite its unpopularity, it remained an option for inclusion in seabags until 15 October 1948 and was finally abolished on 15 October 1949. Since the U.S. Navy set the style for uniforms worn by the seagoing professions during the Second World War, examples of the uniform occasionally appear with United Maritime Service insignia affixed.

In the early days of the Second World War, the United States Navy found itself without a transitional uniform to bridge the gap between semi-formal wear and one which could withstand the rigors of shipboard work – and keep those in command positions identified as such. Dungarees were a common item worn by enlisted sailors and officers alike; the only difference was the cap – seamen wore the white cap whereas officers and chief petty officers wore a cap with a visor. Regulations forbade the wear of such clothing offbase or in an office setting; thus U.S. Navy leadership took a cue from their aviators who adopted U.S. Army workwear – and clothed all officers in khaki uniforms with removable collar insignia denoting branch and rank (vid. ALNAV 16, 21 February 1941 – digest in Bureau of Navigation Bulletin, No. 291, April 26, 1941, p. 28). This proved a popular solution and soon most officers and chief petty officers wore their khakis with pride. As for the grays, bit of background on this uniform is useful.

The adoption of grays was not so much a practical matter than one of service pride. Fleet Admiral of the U.S. Navy Ernest J. King felt khakis smacked too much of the United States Army and wanted a proper Navy uniform; he saw this in the slate gray which he had a hand in designing. Yet, the slate gray was not Admiral King’s first foray into a uniform’s redesign. In the name of camouflage, he once ordered all enlisted sailors on the USS Texas to dye one of their white uniforms brown in a vat of coffee; this was an experiment that failed – as the sailors ended up with uneven colors ranging from “ecru to chocolate brown.” Admiral King gave up on that idea, but continued to tinker with uniforms as a staff of his related:

Vice Admiral Harry Sanders (1974). “King of the Oceans,” *Naval Institute Proceedings*, Vol. 100, August 1974. p. 56.

Legend has it Admiral King admired the Royal Air Force gray uniform so much he had his own herringbone twill version made up in U.S. Navy cut; and, his wife had a hand in the design the distinctive shoulder boards For him, grays were an instant sartorial success; thus began his offensive on the working khaki – which incidentally he authorized in an ALNAV in April 1941. Nevertheless, a full two years later, the working khaki was fast-tracked for abolition.

Not content with simply adding a new work uniform to replace the khaki, Admiral King decided to re-think the traditional service dress blue uniform – the classic officer rig of a reefer with six buttons – several months later after the announcement of the grays. With the adoption of grays, the khaki uniform was to be phased out. For visor caps (combination caps), the idea was gold chinstraps and scrambled eggs on visors would only be worn with dress blue and white uniforms; for service dress blues, and working khakis and working grays, the visor cap would have a black chinstrap with black buttons and plain visors. Muddling matters, blue service dress coats (reefers) would be worn with a gray instead of a white shirt – the gray shirt would have the collar insignia approved for the khaki shirt. As a cost-saving measure, the reefer was to have stripes on the outside of the cuff, and not all the way around. Grays also had blue-black plastic buttons, and the initial working gray shoulder boards were rounded at the top and covered in gray cloth with rank denoted by black lace.

Officers protested loudly about the changes in headwear, and the cap idea that came forth in June 1943 was scrapped after a month on the books – although scrambled eggs remained abolished for the duration of the war except in full dress. Officers also did not like the mix-and-match shirt situation; white shirts continued to be worn with reefers and gray with grays. Finding and buying shoulders boards was problematic; in August 1943, the standard Navy-blue with gold lace shoulder boards were authorized for wear with the working gray uniform. The blue-black plastic buttons on grays were made optional and gold buttons were authorized. The relaxed regulations on gold buttons and traditional shoulder boards were rescinded in 1946. Yet, prior to the reversal, local commands were given latitude in determining what shoulder boards and buttons were appropriate for wear.

SecNav BuPers-329-MEB 29 May 1946 Enclosure A prior to policy reversal.

As for cap ornamentation, only the standard U.S. Navy Officer cap badge was authorized on visor caps with gray covers. Some collectors of U.S. Navy insignia claim large-size bronze U.S. Navy Officer cap badges were worn – this is incorrect; the only bronze cap badges manufactured during the Second World War were miniature devices for wear on the visor caps of U.S. Navy Officers assigned to U.S. Marine Corps units (vid. BuPers Circ. Letter 47-44, 31 March 1944). Other collectors surmise black full-size cap badges were worn; however, these are post-war Balfour productions for use on pith helmets in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The black cap badges are an early (failed) example of the U.S. Navy’s attempt to subdue all metal insignia. The logic is understandable given the Navy’s mania for matching insignia components – although grays tossed all reason aside!

1960s USN Officer (Subdued), Balfour B-1 obverse.

1960s USN Officer (Subdued), Balfour B-1 reverse.

With the constant re-writing of regulations in an attempt to appeal to those who were to wear the uniform, the working gray was never as popular as the working khaki uniform. The working khaki was never abolished – with the nation at war, khakis were awash in the disbursement system and the procurement of grays’ fabric competed with soldier’s fatigues since they were of the same weight; and, since clothing the infantry was of tantamount priority, a uniform redo for the U.S. Navy officer and petty officer community was of secondary importance. When Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz succeeded Admiral King in 1944, he reversed the order to abolish the working khaki uniform. Nevertheless, the sometimes derisively called, “Bus driver gray,” “Dishwater gray,” “King gray,” or “Confederate Navy” uniform remained mainly worn on the East Coast, but eventually migrated to the Pacific Theater of Operations with by war’s end – much to the chagrin of Admiral Nimitz, no doubt. However, with Admiral King’s retirement, the working gray uniform went along with him.

Although United States Maritime Service did not have regulations on the books governing the wear of working grays, it was worn by East Coast ship’s officers and at USMS officer-upgrade schools.

slate gray uniform, usmm

slate gray garrison cap, usms

The full dittybag entry for the garrison cap is here.

Of particular interest with this uniform are the blackened bronze buttons and the either “vegetable ivory” or rubber buttons. These are positively black instead of the blue-black of U.S. Navy regulations and are the star-anchor-star design of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Cadet Corps. The shoulder boards are those of a third mate with cap-bodkin buttons of the same pattern as the buttons on the coat.

However, the presence of the buttons is not proof of the uniform being worn or issued at Kings Point – I have no photographic evidence of cadet-midshipmen ever wearing grays – only a graduate (see below). These same buttons were worn by members of the ATS; thus it may be a case of button re-appropriation by suppliers. And ATS deck officers did wear these generic shoulder boards. Yet, the USNR badge in combination with the junior rank does point to the owner being a Kings Pointer.

The garrison cap was in the pocket of the working gray uniform’s coat. It is not as faded as the rest of the uniform and is in relatively good condition. Both visor and garrison cap were authorized for wear with grays. A garrison cap would be worn solely aboard ship or at shore installations; a visor cap could be worn “walking out.”

If we are to follow U.S. Navy regulations for the placement of the rank insignia, the rank pin is supposed to be on the seam. In taking a closer look at the rank device on the cap, it does not match the lace on the boards affixed to the coat – it does match an unphotographed pair of USMS lieutenant boards that were in the pocket along with the cap.

Academy-issued uniform? Probably not. Kings Pointer in the employ of the ATS? Possibly maybe. But probably not since the Army at the time, as lax as it was with uniforms, didn’t appreciate USMS insignia on its uniforms. A Kings Pointer in the Merchant Service? Definitely maybe.

The above photograph – circa August 1945 – is a clear example of the working gray uniform as worn by a graduate of Kings Point. Although it is often difficult to determine whether a uniform is khaki or gray due to similarities in shading in period black and white photographs; the cut of the pockets indicate this uniform is indeed gray – during the Second World War, working gray coats have patch pockets, not bellows style like a khaki coat. Of note is the use of the embroidered USNR badge – more often than not, this was used on gray uniforms and not on khaki uniforms; the use of the USNR badge on my uniform detailed above is not common, but not unheard of.

The above is one of the few photographs I have come across of a Merchant Marine officer wearing grays – judging by the gilt buttons and shoulder boards with gold lace, date this photograph as being taken in 1943. His rank is a bit tricky: if his shoulder boards are USMS – he is either a first mate aboard a troopship or the skipper of a Liberty or oiler; if his boards are Merchant Marine, he is most probably a first mate.

March 10, 2010October 6, 2019

U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps

U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps (pre-1942)
Yellow-goldenrod thread.
Embroidered anchor on wool backing and mohair band.
Pre-to-early Second World War era; 1939-1942.

From the period following the First World War through the Depression, the U.S. Merchant Shipping industry was in a shambles: once profitable companies faltered and fell, ocean-going trade evaporated and even intercoastal shipping dried up. As a result, companies went bankrupt, very few ships were built and crews manning the ships dwindled to a very few. It is also during this period that U.S. maritime unions started operating in full swing, and involved themselves in vicious internecine fighting and bitter struggles with steamship carriers. Of those seamen that survived the wreckage, their efficiency and morale was at an all time low. With the passing of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, Congress abolished the ineffective U.S. Shipping Board and ushered in a new age for the U.S. Merchant Marine. The formerly under-regulated industry came under federal control and found itself subject to an array of programs and regulations. A few of salient features of the Act were the formulating and subsidizing the construction of U.S.-flag ships, as well as the formal training of men to man the ships.

With the passage of the Merchant Marine Act, the U.S. Maritime Commission came into being. The organization was ostensibly “to further the development and maintenance of an adequate and well balanced American merchant marine, to promote the commerce of the United States, and to aid in the national defense.” It too, became embroiled in the old system of unions and steamship carrier falterings. To prop up the maritime industry, the USMC eventually bought out insolvent carriers thereby ringing whole shipping lines under federal control. With the storm clouds of war looming on the horizon, the Merchant Marine Act defined the entirety of the U.S. Merchant Marine as a military auxiliary in the event of war; furthermore, officers and crew of U.S.-flag ships could be pressed into the service of the U.S. Navy.

One of the most sweeping changes made by the act was that the Merchant Marine be “manned with a trained and efficient citizen personnel.” The Act did not offer any specifics for the USMC; but soon after, the Bland Amendment of June 1938 created the United States Maritime Service for “training of licensed and unlicensed merchant marine personnel.” Shortly thereafter, Congress enacted the Naval Reserve Act bringing all officers of U.S. public vessels into the U.S. Navy reserve as well as cadets (now cadet-midshipmen) at Federally-funded state maritime and the soon-to-be-created Federal system. It is worth mentioning that the U.S. Maritime Commission’s first report to Congress in January 1939 suggested the establishment of a federal cadet system augmenting the pool of graduates from state and private schools – moreover along with traditional sea-handling, the system should emphasize naval science. Congress acted quickly and a series of Maritime Service cadet schools opened in the Pacific, Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Navy, Coast Guard and USMS personnel trained the cadets, with licensure remaining in the hands of the Coast Guard. With the declaration of war, the training of the Merchant Marine Cadet Corps was transferred to the Coast Guard in February 1942 and then to the War Shipping Administration in Fall of the same year.

The presented hat badge dates from the period between the founding the the Federal Merchant Marine Corps just prior to the Second World War and the institution of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1942 through the creation of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Cadet Corps Regiment on Dedication Day, November1943. By early 1944, midshipman-cadets began wearing midshipman hat badges mirroring their colleagues at the U.S. Navy Academy in Anapolis. This hat badge is an embroidered anchor on a wool backing and mohair band; this specific example was removed from a hat and stored over the period of several years. Bands, such as this were an integral part of the hat to which it was affixed, and did not slide off easily as is the case with removable covers and bands of the present-day; hats were spot cleaned or taken to the cleaners. With the United States’ formal entry into the war, the U.S. insignia industry servicing maritime and Naval concerns changed its means and modes of production. The older, elegant hat devices made of woven bullion and metallic thread were replaced by metal hat badges and other removable devices; although, those who had means and money continued to purchase and wear embroidered insignia. For cadets, who were rapidly moved through the federal training system, it was more expedient and cost-effective to use stamped metal devices and removable bands. This badge is the last of an era; from this point forward, stamped devices were and continue to be employed.

U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps hat badge (pre-1942), obverse.
Period photographic evidence points to the fact that leading up to the Second World War and in the initial year of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s operation, cadet-midshipmen wore embroidered hat badges, rather supplanted by the more common stamped metal (brass, gold plated or gold fill). The presented item may be a custom piece – as the majority of cap devices of the period were comprised of metal thread (bullion) on wool backings – as opposed to silk or composite thread. It is important to remember that the USMMCC was quite small in the period leading up to the institution of the USMM school system and uniforms were not always that – uniform – young men on the Gulf coast did not always wear the same kit as their colleagues on the West or even the East coast.

U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps hat badge (pre-1942), obverse detail.

U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps cadet-midshipman, SUNY Maritime period (1939-1941).

U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps cadet-midshipmen, SUNY Maritime period (1939-1941).
The cadet-midshipmen are shown photographed in working khaki manning a monomy in Long Island Sound. Note that the young gentlemen are not wearing garrison hats, pointing to the fact that this photograph is pre-Regiment. The make of their combination hats is consistent with late-1930s and early Second World War construction. Their uniform shirts lack insignia of any sort, underscoring the same.