The

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

s enlisted

rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * ...

insignia that was used during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

differs from the current system. The

color scheme In color theory, a color scheme is the choice of colors used in various artistic and design contexts. For example, the "Achromatic" use of a white background with black text is an example of a basic and commonly default color scheme in web de ...

used for the insignia's

chevron Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to: Science and technology * Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines * Chevron (anatomy), a bone * '' Eulithis testata'', a moth * Chevron (geology), a fold in rock la ...

was

olive drab Olive is a dark yellowish-green color, like that of unripe or green olives. As a color word in the English language, it appears in late Middle English. Shaded toward gray, it becomes olive drab. Variations Olivine Olivine is the typic ...

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, 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.

Field service rank insignia

Other rank insignia

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

Cavalry

Infantry

Chevron - Regimental Supply Sergeant Infantry 1902-1909.png, Regimental Supply Sergeant Infantry 1902-1903 Chevron - First Sergeant Infantry 1902-1909.png, First Sergeant Infantry 1902-1903

Coast Artillery Corps

Field Artillery

Signal Corps

*Aviator (until creation of the Air Service) *Master Signal Electrician *Sergeant First Class *chauffeur first Class *Sergeant *chauffeur *Corporal *Cook *Horseshoer *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Assistant chauffeur *Private First Class *Private Chevron - Sergeant First Class Signal Corps 1902-1909.png, Sergeant First Class Signal Corps 1902-1909

Corps of Engineers

*Regimental Sergeant Major *Master Engineer Senior Grade *Band Leader *Master Engineer Junior Grade *Supply Sergeant, regimental *Battalion Sergeant Major *Supply Sergeant, Battalion *First Sergeant *Sergeant First Class *Assistant Band Leader *Sergeant Bugler *Color Sergeant *Sergeant *Supply Sergeant *Mess Sergeant *Stable Sergeant *Band Sergeant *Corporal *Corporal Bugler (created on July 9, 1918) *Band Corporal *Cook *Horseshoer *Saddler *Wagoner *Bugler First Class (created on July 9, 1918) *Bugler *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private Chevron - Sergeant First Class Engineers 1902-1909.png, Sergeant First Class Engineers 1902-1909

Medical Department

*Master Hospital Sergeant *Hospital Sergeant *Sergeant First Class *Sergeant *Corporal *Cook *Farrier *Horseshoer *Saddler *Mechanic *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private Chevron - Sergeant First Class Hospital Corps 1902-1909.png, Sergeant First Class United States Army Hospital Corps 1902-1909 Chevron - Sergeant Hospital Corps 1902-1909 2.png, Sergeant Hospital Corps 1902-1909

Ordnance Department

*Ordnance Sergeant *Sergeant *Corporal *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private Second Class Chevron - Sergeant First Class Ordinance Corps 1902-1909.png, Sergeant First Class Ordinance Corps 1902-1909

Quartermaster Corps

Chevron - Quartermaster Sergeant 1902-1909

*Quartermaster Sergeant, Senior Grade *Quartermaster Sergeant, Quartermaster Corps *Sergeant First Class *Sergeant *Corporal **Cook *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private

Air Service (Created May 24, 1918)

*Aviator *Master signal Electrician *Sergeant First Class *Chauffeur First Class *Sergeant *Chauffeur *Corporal *Cook *Horseshoer *Private serving as Lance *Corporal *Assistant chauffeur *Private First Class *Private

Chemical Warfare Service (Created June 28, 1918)

*Master Chemical Sergeant *Sergeant First Class *Sergeant *Corporal *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private

Tank Corps (Created in late 1917)

*Regimental Sergeant Major *Master Engineer Senior Grade *Supply Sergeant, regimental *Battalion Sergeant Major *Supply Sergeant, Battalion *First Sergeant *Sergeant First Class *Sergeant Bugler *Color Sergeant *Sergeant *Supply Sergeant *Mess Sergeant *Corporal *Corporal Bugler (created on July 9, 1918) *Cook *Bugler First Class (created on July 9, 1918) *Bugler *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private

Motor Transport Corps (Created August 15, 1918)

*Quartermaster Sergeant, Senior Grade *Quartermaster Sergeant, Quartermaster Corps *Sergeant First Class *Sergeant *Corporal *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private

U.S. Military Academy Detachment

*First Sergeant *Band sergeant and Assistant leader *Sergeant *Sergeant of Field Music *Corporal *Cook *Bugler First Class (created on July 9, 1918) *Bugler *Private serving as Lance Corporal

Service School Detachments

*Regimental Sergeant Major *Sergeant Major Senior Grade *Master Electrician *Master signal Electrician *Engineer *Quartermaster Sergeant, Quartermaster Corps *Supply Sergeant, regimental *Battalion Sergeant Major *Sergeant Major Junior Grade *First Sergeant *Sergeant First Class *Electrician Sergeant First Class *Master Gunner *Electrician Sergeant Second Class *Sergeant *Supply Sergeant *Stable Sergeant *Fireman *Corporal *Corporal Bugler (created on July 9, 1918) *Cook *Horseshoer *Saddler *Wagoner *Chief Mechanic *Mechanic *Bugler First Class (created on July 9, 1918) *Bugler *Private serving as Lance Corporal *Private First Class *Private Article III, paragraph 9 of the ''Regulations for Army of the United States 1913'', Corrected to April 15, 1917, gives the order of precedence for officers and noncommissioned officers as: *1. Lieutenant General *2. Major General *3. Brigadier General *4. Colonel *5. Lieutenant Colonel *6. Major *7. Captain *8. First Lieutenant *9. Second Lieutenant *10. Aviator, Signal Corps *11. Cadet *12. (a) Sergeant Major, Regimental :* Sergeant Major, Senior Grade, Coast Artillery Corps *12.(b) Quartermaster Sergeant, Senior Grade, Quartermaster Corps :*Master Hospital Sergeant, Medical Department :*Master Engineer Senior Grade, Corps of Engineers :*Master Electrician, Coast Artillery Corps :*Master Signal Electrician :*Band Leader *12.(c) Hospital Sergeant, Medical Department :* Master Engineer Junior Grade, Corps of Engineers :* Engineer, Coast Artillery Corps *13.Ordnance Sergeant :* Quartermaster Sergeant, Quartermaster Corps :* Supply Sergeant Regimental *14. Sergeant Major, Squadron and Battalion :* Sergeant Major Junior Grade, Coast Artillery Corps :*Supply Sergeant, Battalion, Corps of Engineers *15.(a) First Sergeant *15.(b) Sergeant First Class, Medical Department :* Sergeant First Class, Quartermaster Corps :* Sergeant First Class, Corps of Engineers :* Sergeant First Class, Signal Corps :* Electrician Sergeant First Class, Coast Artillery Corps :* Electrician Sergeant, Artillery Detachment, United States Military Academy :* Assistant Engineer, Coast Artillery Corps :* Master Gunner, Coast Artillery Corps :* Master Gunner, Artillery Detachment, United States Military Academy :* Band Sergeant and Assistant Leader, United States Military Academy Band :* Assistant Band Leader :* Sergeant Bugler :* Electrician Sergeant Second Class, Coast Artillery Corps :* Electrician Sergeant Second Class, Artillery Detachment, United States Military Academy :* Radio Sergeant *16.Color Sergeant *17.Sergeant :* Supply Sergeant Company :* Mess Sergeant :* Stable Sergeant :* Fireman, Coast Artillery Corps *18. Corporal

References

External links

Roots Web World War I Army Rank Insignia Identification

Military Historians-ChevronsU.S. Army Institute of Heraldry-History of Enlisted Ranks
* {{DEFAULTSORT:United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia Of World War I United States Army rank insignia United States in World War I