United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War I

The United States Armys 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 on July 17, 1902,General Order 81, July 17, 1902 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 similar to the current system were not yet in use by the U.S. Army, and instead, the pay system reflected the job assignment of the soldier rather than their rank. By the end of World War I, the system contained 128 different insignia designs.

Examples of pre war dress insignia No insignia Regimental sergeant major Infantry Hospital Sergeant Medical Department Battalion Sergeant Major Army Service School Detachment Sergeant First Class Corps of Engineers Ordnance Sergeant First Sergeant Infantry Sergeant Quartermaster Corps Sergeant Signal Corps Sergeant Cavalry CorporalArtillery Private

Rank insignia used during the war The ranks used by the army during the war (1917-1918), by branch, were:

Cavalry Regimental Sergeant Major Band Leader Until December 1917 Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Band Leader After May 1918 Supply Sergeant, regimental Squadron Sergeant Major First Sergeant First Sergeant (Drum Major) Assistant Band Leader until December 1917 Assistant Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Assistant Band Leader After May 1918 Sergeant Bugler Until December 1917 Sergeant Bugler December 1917 to May 1918 Sergeant Bugler After May 1918 Color Sergeant Sergeant Supply Sergeant Until May 1918 Supply Sergeant after May 1918 Mess Sergeant Until May 1918 Mess Sergeant After May 1918 Stable Sergeant until May 1918 Stable Sergeant After May 1918 Band Sergeant Until December 1917 Band Sergeant After December 1917 Corporal Corporal Bugler After July 1918 Band Corporal Until December 1917 Band Corporal After December 1917 Cook Horseshoer No Insignia No Insignia No Insignia Saddler Wagoner Mechanic Musician First Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician First Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class After December 29, 1917 Bugler First Class After July 1918 Bugler After December 1917 Private First ClassNo Insignia Private

Infantry Regimental Sergeant Major Band Leader Until December 1917 Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Band Leader After May 1918 Supply Sergeant, regimental Battalion Sergeant Major First Sergeant First Sergeant (Drum Major) Assistant Band Leader until December 1917 Assistant Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Assistant Band Leader After May 1918 Sergeant Bugler Until December 1917 Sergeant Bugler December 1917 to May 1918 Sergeant Bugler After May 1918 Color Sergeant Sergeant Supply Sergeant Until May 1918 Supply Sergeant after May 1918 Mess Sergeant Until May 1918 Mess Sergeant After May 1918 Stable Sergeant until May 1918 Stable Sergeant After May 1918 Band Sergeant Until December 1917 Band Sergeant After December 1917 Corporal Corporal Bugler After July 1918 Band Corporal Until December 1917 Band Corporal After December 1917 Cook Saddler No Insignia No Insignia No Insignia Wagoner Musician First Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician First Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class After December 29, 1917 No Insignia Musician Third Class December 29, 1917 1918 Bugler First Class After July 1918 Bugler After December 1917 Private First Class Private

Coast Artillery Corps Source:

Sergeant Major Senior Grade Master Electrician Band Leader Until December 1917 Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Band Leader After May 1918 Engineer Supply Sergeant, Regimental Sergeant Major JuniorGrade First Sergeant Electrician Sergeant First Class Until May 1918 Electrician Sergeant First Class After May 1918 Assistant Engineer Master Gunner Assistant Band Leader until December 1917 Assistant Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Assistant Band Leader After May 1918 Sergeant Bugler Until December 1917 Sergeant Bugler December 1917 to May 1918 No Insignia No Insignia Sergeant Bugler After May 1918 Oiler, Mine Planter Service After July 1918 Steward, Mine Planter Service After July 1918 Electrician Sergeant Second Class Until May 1918 Electrician Sergeant Second Class After May 1918 Radio Sergeant Until May 1918 Radio Sergeant After May 1918 Sergeant Supply Sergeant Until May 1918 Supply Sergeant after May 1918 Mess Sergeant Until May 1918 Mess Sergeant After May 1918 Band Sergeant Until December 1917 Band Sergeant After December 1917 Fireman Until December 1917 Fireman After December 1917 Corporal Corporal Bugler After July 1918 No InsigniaNo Insignia Band Corporal Until December 1917 Band Corporal After December 1917 Cook Mechanic Assistant Steward Mine Planter Service After July 1918 Musician First Class Until December 29, 1917 No Insignia No Insignia Musician Second Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician First Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class After December 29, 1917 Bugler First Class After July 1918 No Insignia No Insignia Bugler After December 1917 Deckhand Mine Planter Service After July 1918 Private First Class Private

Field Artillery Regimental Sergeant Major Band Leader Until December 1917 Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Band Leader After May 1918 Supply Sergeant, regimental Battalion Sergeant Major First Sergeant First Sergeant (Drum Major) Assistant Band Leader until December 1917 Assistant Band Leader December 1917 to May 1918 Assistant Band Leader After May 1918 Sergeant Bugler Until December 1917 Sergeant Bugler December 1917 to May 1918 Sergeant Bugler After May 1918 Color Sergeant Sergeant Supply Sergeant Until May 1918 Supply Sergeant after May 1918 Mess Sergeant Until May 1918 Mess Sergeant After May 1918 Band Sergeant Until December 1917 Band Sergeant After December 1917 Corporal Corporal Bugler After July 1918 Band Corporal Until December 1917 Band Corporal After December 1917 Cook Horseshoer Saddler Wagoner No Insignia No Insignia No Insignia Chief Mechanic Until May 1918 Chief Mechanic After May 1918 Mechanic Musician First Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician First Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class AfterDecember 29, 1917 Musician Third Class After December 29, 1917 Bugler First Class After July 1918 Bugler After December 1917 Private First Class No Insignia Private

Signal Corps Aviator Until creation of the Air Service in July 1918 Master Signal Electrician Until May 1918 Master Signal Electrician After May 1918 Sergeant First Class Until May 1918 Sergeant First Class After May 1918 Chauffeur First Class (Rank Created July 24, 1917)40Stat244 Sergeant Until May 1918 Sergeant After May 1918 Chauffeur (Rank Created July 24, 1917) Corporal Until May 1918 Corporal After May 1918 Cook No Insignia Horseshoer Private First Class Private

Corps of Engineers Regimental Sergeant Major Master Engineer Senior Grade Band Leader Until December 1917 Band Leader From December 1916 to May 1918 Band Leader After May 1918 Master Engineer Junior Grade Supply Sergeant, regimental Battalion Sergeant Major Supply Sergeant, Battalion First Sergeant Sergeant First Class Until May 1918 Sergeant First Class After May 1918 Assistant Band Leader Until December 1917 Assistant Band Leader From December 1916 to May 1918 Assistant Band Leader After May 1918 Sergeant Bugler Until December 1917 Sergeant Bugler From December 1916 to May 1918 Sergeant Bugler After May 1918 Color Sergeant Sergeant Supply Sergeant Until May 1918 Supply Sergeant After May 1918 Mess Sergeant Until May 1918 Mess Sergeant After May 1918 Stable Sergeant Until May 1918 Stable Sergeant After May 1918 Band Sergeant Until December 1917 Band Sergeant After December 1917 Corporal Corporal Bugler After July 1918 Band Corporal Until December 1917 Band Corporal After December 1917 Cook Horseshoer Saddler Wagoner No Insignia No Insignia No Insignia Musician First Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class Until December 29, 1917 Musician First Class After December 29, 1917 Musician Second Class After December 29, 1917Special Regulations 42, Change 1, December 29, 1917 Musician Third Class After December 29, 1917 No Insignia Bugler First Class After July 1918 Bugler Private First Class Private

Medical Department Master Hospital Sergeant Hospital Sergeant Until May 1918 Hospital Sergeant After May 1918 Sergeant First Class Until May 1918 Sergeant First Class After May 1918 Sergeant Until May 1918 Sergeant After May 1918 Corporal Until May 1918 Corporal After May 1918 Cook Farrier Horseshoer No Insignia Saddler Mechanic Private First Class Private

Ordnance Department Ordnance Sergeant Until October 1917 Ordnance Sergeant From October 1917 to May 1918 Ordnance Sergeant After May 1918 Sergeant First Class August 1917 to May 1918 Sergeant First Class After May 1918 Sergeant Until May 1918 Sergeant After May 1918 Corporal Until May 1918 No Insignia Corporal After May 1918 Private First Class Private Second Class

Quartermaster Corps

Quartermaster Sergeant, Senior Grade Quartermaster Sergeant, Quartermaster Corps Until May 1918 Quartermaster Sergeant, Quartermaster Corps After May 1918 Sergeant First Class Until May 1918 Sergeant First Class Until After 1918 Sergeant Until May 1918 No Insignia Sergeant After May 1918 Corporal Until May 1918 Corporal After May 1918 Cook Private First Class Private

Air Service (Created May 24, 1918) Aviator Master Signal Electrician Sergeant First Class Chauffeur First Class Sergeant Chauffeur No Insignia Corporal Cook Horseshoer Assistant Chauffeur Private First Class Private

Gas Service Created on July 5, 1917 then changed to Chemical Warfare Service on June 28, 1918 The organization of the Gas/Chemical Warfare service is based on a table in a report by the director of the service, Major General William Sibert to the Adjutant General of the Army, Dated September 26, 1918. One column of the table does show the service’s organization as of October 30, 1918, despite the date of the report.

The complex enlisted organization starting in July 1918 is confirmed by War Department General Order 62, dated June 28, 1918, that states “The rank, pay, and allowances of the enlisted men of the Chemical Warfare Service, National Army, shall be the same as now authorized for the corresponding grades in the Corps of Engineers.”

Insignia for the service was prescribed by Change No. 3 to Special Regulation 42 on February 19, 1918. Prior to that engineer insignia was probably used.