Museum of the Noncommissioned Officer 

AS T HIST 

OF THE NC0 

U.S. Army Sergeants Majcrr Academy 
U.S. Army Museum of the 

Noncommissioned Officer 

A Short History of the NC0 

NC0 Museum Staff Article 

Written By 

L. R. Arms 

Editor 

Patricia Rhodes 

U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy 

Fort Bliss, Texas 

91-5247 
i 
Preface 

The following is a short history of the U.S. Army 

Noncommissioned Officer. This work is produced in hope 

that it will prove useful to the wide variety of NCOs in 

the field and to visitors of the U.S. Army Museum of 

the Noncommissioned Officer, who seek additional information on NC0 history. 

The history is presented in a chronological manner 

and is based upon a variety of works listed at the end 

of the paper. Sources are noted throughout the paper in 

the folloing manner: (“van Steuben). It should be pointed 

out that two unpublished works in the museum’s reference files were of great help; these works are the two 

Fisher Manuscripts noted in the Sources Consulted. 

Several. oral histories and other works drawn from the 

museum’s archives were used to give depth and provide 

the primary resources to the pamphlet. 

‘b-.1 L. R. ARMS 

Director 

NC0 Museum 

ii 
Contents 

Introduction , . . . . . . . . . . . . 

American Revolution . . . . 

War of 1812 . . . . . . . I.. . . . . 

Expansion Westward . . . 

1820’S & 1830’s . . . . . . . . . 

Mexican-American War . 

1850’s . . ‘ . . . . . . 1 I.. L . . . . , 

Civil War . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . 

Indian Wars.. , . . . . . ‘.. . 

1880’s & 1890’s . . . . . . . . . 

Spanish-American War. . 

Modernization. . . . . . . . . . 1. 

World War I.. . . . . . . . . . . . 

Between World Wars . . . . 

World War 11.. . . . . . . . . . . . 

Post-World War II . . . . . . . 

Modern Era . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Sources Consulted I.. . . . 

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111 
Introduction 

The history of the United States Army and of the 

noncommissioned officer began in 1775, with the birth 

of the Continental Army. The American noncommissioned 

officer did not copy the British. He, like the American 

Army itself, blended traditions of the French, British, 

and Prussian armies into a uniquely American institution. As the years progressed, the American political 

system, disdain for the aristocracy, social attitudes, aad 

the vast westward expanses further removed the U.S. 

Army noncommissioned officer from his European c~unterparts and created a truly American noncommissioned 

offia?r. 

American RevoluGon 

In the early days of the American Revolution., little 

&andardiz.&ion of NC43 duties or r.esponsib$lities existed. 

In 1778, derring ‘the long, hard winter at Valley Forge, 

Ias~ector General Friedrich van Steuben standardized 

PEb duties and responsibilities in ‘his Regulations for 

the Order and Di.scipline of the Trosps of the United 

S&&es .(priated in 3.779). arngng &her thing.5 tE;iS work 

(eommtml~ called the $1~ Book3 set down the duties and 
quartermaster’s absence. He also supervised the proper 

loading and transport of the regiment’s baggage when 

on march. (*van Steuben) 

The First Sergeant enforced discipline and encouraged duty among troops, maintained the duty roster, 

made morning report to the company commander, and 

kept the company descriptive book. This document listed 

the name, age, height, place of birth, and prior occupation of every enlisted man in the unit. (*van Steuben) 

Sergeants and Corporals were expected to instruct recruits in all matters of military training, including the 

order of their behavior in regard to neatness and sanitation. Outbreaks of disturbances were to be punished. Listings of sick were to be forwarded to the First Sergeant. 

In battle, NCOs were to close the gaps occasioned 

by casualties and encourage men to silence and to fire 

rapidly and true. (*van Steuben} 

The development of a strong NC0 Corps helped sustain the Continental Army through severe hardships to 

final victory. Van Steuben called the NC0 the “backbone” of the Army. and his regulations established the 

centerpiece for NC0 duties and responsibilities from 1778 

to the present. 

During the early stages of the American Revolution, 

the typical Continental Army NC0 wore an epaulet to 

signify his rank. Corporals wore green, and sergeants 

wore red epaulets. After 17’79, sergeants wore two epaulets, while corporals retained a single epaulet. (*Emmerson) 

From the American Revolution to World War II, the 

noncommissioned officer received his promotion from the 

regimental commander. Entire careers were often spent 

within one regiment. If a man was transferred from one 

regiment to the next he did not take his rank with him. 

No noncommissioned officer could be transferred in 

grade from one regiment to another without the permission of the General in Chief of the Army; this was rarely 

2 
done. Without permanent promotions of individuals, 

stripes stayed with the regiment. 

Three NCOs received special recognition for acts of 

heroism during the American Revolution. These men, 

Sergeant Elijah Churchill, Sergeant William Brown, and 

Sergeant Daniel Bissell, were awarded the Badge of Military Merit, a purple heart with a floral border and the 

word “merit” inscribed across the center. This award 

was the precursor of the Medal of Honor introduced 

during the Civil War. (*Robles) 

Sergeant William Brown’s act of heroism occurred 

during the assault of Redoubt #lO at Yorktown. He led 

the advance party whose mission was so hazardous it 

was called the “forlorn hope.” Charging with fixed 

bayonets, they ignored musket fire and grenades, leaped 

the barriers surrounding the redoubt, and in the ensuing 

struggle captured the position. (“Megehee) 

The American victory at Yorktown secured independence for the nation. Independence meant the new nation would provide for its own defense. The nation was 

poor, and the cost of maintaining an army was a heavy 

burden. Many Americans, like Thomas Jefferson, opposed 

the maintenance of a peacetime Army on the grounds 

that it could be used against the people. The American 

government folowed a policy which reduced the number 

of troops in the Army to the bare minimum during times 

of peace, relying upon militia or volunteer troops to 

prevent uprisings and quell Indian disturbances. 

During times of war the Army was enlarged, with 

the professional soldiers forming the basis for expansion. This policy endured to some extent until world 

commitments and the stationing of troops overseas in 

the 20th century required the nation to maintain a strong 

professional force. 

The system of relying heavily on untrained militia 

units, raised on the spur of the moment, was severely 

tested during the Indian troubles on the Northwest Frontier in the 1790’s. In 1790 and 1791 two militia units 

3 
were defeated by Indians in the Northwest (present-day 

Ohio and Indiana). The Army was enlarged from 800 to 

1,500 men to quell the uprising. These troops, known as 

the “Legion,” were trained, drilled, and formed into a 

well-disciplined group. Pn 1794 they marched against the 

Indians and defeated them in the Battle of Fallen Timbers. (*Matloff) The action showed the importance of 

training, drill, and diseiphne during pitched battles. 

War of1812 

When the United States declared war on Britain on 

18 June 1812, the total Army numbered 11,744 men. The 

real basis for defense of America lay in the militias of 

the states, totaling 694,000 men. (*Ferrell) Control of the 

militias centered in the states, and many would not fight 

outside the United States or even outside local boundaries. 

In addition, the United States could not supply a 

large field Army. The largest number of fighting troops 

in the active militia and the Regular Army was 35,800 

men in 1814. (*Ferrell) 

To reduce the cost of maintaining an Army, units 

were often called to fight on short notice and sent home 

after the action. This met with mixed results as troops 

were often not trained. Some units raised in this manner 

fought gallantly, but others ran in panic at the first shot. 

In 1813, the governor of Kentucky was called upon 

to raise 2,000 men for the invasion of Canada. Disregarding the limits placed on their numbers, the Kentuckians raised about 3,000 men and headed for the 

Northwest (present-day Michigan) to unite with ‘2,500 

Army Regulars. 

A large portion of the Kentucky volunteers-1,200- 

formed a mounted regiment. These troops dressed in 

leather hunting frocks and trousers and wore bright 

handkerchiefs. Each man carried a tomahawk, scalping 

knife, and long rifle. Though mounted, they were armed 

4 
with long rifles, instead ,of carbi.nes or sabers, and wqre 

:taught to charge straight into ‘hostile fire. (*&Iahon) 

On the s.hore of Lake l$rie they united their forces 

with the Regulars and ,a ha,ndful of men from -Pennsyl- 

,vania. They then .marched forward to meet ,900 British 

Regulars and a coalitiqn of Indians, totaling 2,OQO allied 

against them. 

The Indian and British forces slowly retreated in 

front .of the larger force until they reached a strong defensive position With the river Thames, two swamps, 

and -woods used to as&t in the defense, th-e Indians 

and British ~Regulars waited ,for the .h,astily-formed invasion force, believing t,heir .more exper,ienced forces 

would .ca,rry the day. (“Sugden) 

The American forces reached the site and without ,hesitation the mounted Kentucky regiment charged &aight 

at the British Regulars. The shock of the Kentuckians 

charging pell-me11 crushed the British lines. Within 

‘minutes the mounted Kentucky regiment had ridden 

through the British lines and dismounted. They opened 

fire upon the rear of the British lines as the American 

Regulars and other ‘Kentuckians opened fire to the front. 

The British panicked and fled, leaving the Indians to 

fend for themselves. 

Turning upon the Indians who were hidden in the 

woods and s.wamps, the Americans pressed forward. The 

Indians resisted for a short while, but having seen their 

allies ,totally cleared from the field, they too began to 

,flee. I*Mahon) 

The troops from Kentucky, having accomplished 

what had been asked of them, returned home shortly 

after the Battle of the .Thames. They had served a little 

over three months and fought only on,e major battle, but 

they had proven that the citizen-soldier can be a vital 

part of any war effort. 

When the War of 1812 ended, greater emphasis was 

placed on American la,nds west of the M,ississippi River. 

5 
The purchase of the Louisiana River system in 1803 had 

added a vast unexplored region to the United States. Prior 

to 1812 five expeditions for exploration of this land were 

launched. All expeditions were accompanied by enlisted 

men and NCOs. 

Expansion Westward 

The expedition of Captain Meriweather Lewis and 

Second Lieutenant William Clark is a good example of 

the typical Army expedition during this period. The expedition was composed of two officers, four NCOs, 23 

privates, nine French or Indian interpreters, and Lewis’ 

slave York. The expedition collected information on plant 

and animal life, topography, social customs among the 

Indians, and climate conditions. They encountered 50 

different tribes, to many of whom they provided peace 

medals, trinkets, and goods in return for friendly relations. (*Jackson County) Several men of this expedition 

became traders and trappers in the years that followed 

and were instrumental in opening the fur trade on the 

Missouri. (*Time-Life Books} 

The fur trade proved to be a highly lucrative business and the Indians’ main source of acquiring guns, 

powder, tinware, steel traps, blankets, and other goods. 

The government sought to prevent Indian troubles by 

promoting government-sponsored trade. Friendly tribes 

sought the establishment of fur factories (small frontier 

forts) in their areas, often requiring this of the government in treaties or peace negotiations. To assist in controlling the fur trade and assure that friendly relations 

with Indian tribes were maintained, a small number of 

troops were stationed at each fur factory. These troops 

ensured that traders had proper licenses and confiscated 

all liquor brought into Indian areas. (*Jackson County) 

The small, isolated fur factories changed the environment of Army life, requiring NCOs to take greater care 

and responsibility in the daily lives of their troops. NCOs 
ensured their men’s cleanliness by inspections and closely monitored their activities with five roll calls per day. 

Punishments for infractions were often harsh, with 

floggings and even the cutting off of ears being among 

the sentences. (*Talbot) 

A typical fur factory, Fort Osage, had six two-story 

blockhouses, enlisted quarters, a four-floored factory, a 

well, and a two-story commanding officer’s house. The 

factory and two of the blockhouses constituted the outer 

fort and were protected from one side only. The other 

buildings were enclosed in the inner fort, which had gates 

that could be closed in case of attack. (*Jackson County) 

Fur Factory 

Indian 

Camp 

q 

Blockhouse 

q 

Blockhouse 

Blockhouse 

Enlisted 

Quarters 

Blockhouse Blockhause 

Trade at the fur factory was operated by a government appointed civilian known as the factor. In addition to protecting the factor and his goods, soldiers were 

used by the factor to load and unload goods, build or 

repair the factory, and on occasion to beat and pack 

furs for shipment. 

The factor and the soldier worked closely together. 

In 1820 the Army paymaster, paddling up the Missouri 

River, overturned his canoe. Pay for the soldiers at Fort 

7 
&age, already lang overdue, was lost. The factor at I?ort 

Osage used the factory’s cash profits to pay the soldiers 

,of the fort, receiving a government voucher in return. 

The factory syste~m was abandoned in 1822. Soldiers 

continued to control the river traffic, ensuring that no liquor passed upstream, but trade reverted to private traders 

and trappers. (*Soldier and Trader on the Missouri) 

1820's &DC 1830's 

In 1821 the first reference to ~noncommissioned officer 

chevrons was made by the War Department. A General 

Order directed that sergeants major and quartermaster 

sergeants wear a worsted chevron on each arm above 

the elbow; sergeants and senior musicians, one on each 

arm below the elbow; and corporals, one on the right 

arm above the elbow. This practice was officially discontinued in 1829. (*Emmerson) 

The first school for instruction was opened at Fort 

Monroe in 1824. This school instructed entire units, instead of individuals, in the use of artillery. Though suspended from time to time, it would be the precursor for 

modern technical training. 

In 1825 the first attempt was made to establish a 

systematic method for noncommissioned officer selection. 

The appointment of regimental and company noneommissioned officers remained the prerogative of the regimental 

commander. Regimental commanders were expected to 

accept the company commander’s recommendations for 

company NCOs unless there were overriding considerations. (*Fisher) 

The Abstract of Infantry Tactics, published in 1829, 

provided instructions for training noncommissioned offieers. The purpose of this instruction was to ensure that 

all NCQs possessed ‘“an accurate ,knowledge of the exercise and use of their firelocks, of the manual exercise of 

the soldier, and of the firings and marchings.” 
Field officers and the adjutant were required to assemble noncommissioned officers frequently for both 

practical and theoretical instruction, Furthermore, field 

officers were to ensure that company officers provided 

proper instruction to their noncommissioned officers. 

The sergeant major assisted in instructing sergeants 

and corporals of the regiment. Newly-promoted corporals 

and sergeants of the company received instruction from 

the first sergeant. 

In 1832 Congress added to the ranks of noncommissioned officers, creating the Ordnance Sergeant. This 

was a specialized position, with the duties centering on 

receiving and preserving the ordnance, arms, ammunition, and other military stores of the post to which he 

was assigned. (*Fisher) 

Daily rations during the 1830’s included beef (1% 

poundsj or pork (% pounds); flour or bread (18 ounces); 

whiskey, rum, or other liquor (% pint); vinegar (4 quarts 

per 100 men}; soap (4 pounds per 100 men); salt (two 

quarts per 100 men); and candles (1% pounds per 100 

men). The liquor ration was eliminated in 1832 and replaced with four pounds of coffee and eight pounds of 

sugar per 100 men. 

The lack of vegetables in the daily ration often proved 

disastrous at frontier posts. During the winter months, 

scurvy struck posts and the only relief was to trade local 

Indians whiskey for vegetables. This trade, though illegal, 

saved mare than one post from the ravages of scurvy. 

When coffee replaced whiskey, the Army had little to 

trade to attain the needed vegetables, as Indians would 

rarely trade vegetables for coffee. (For prevention of 

scurvy, beans were introduced into the daily ration in 

the 1840’s.) (*Gamble) 

Post gardens provided another source of nutrition outside the daily rations. In an effort to lower the cost of 

sustaining an Army, gardens were used to grow vegetables. Enlisted men planted, hoed, and watered the gardens 

as fatigue duty. At other posts, in addition to gardens, 

9 
herds of cattle were maintained. Many commanders and 

enlisted men disapproved of such duty, regarding it as 

unmilitary. (*Gamble) 

Considered by many to be more military and assisting in supplementing the daily ration, hunting proved 

popular on the frontier. One commander went so far as 

to declare that the Army would save a great deal of 

money and train its troops if soldiers were organized into 

hunting parties, instead of spending endless hours on 

fatigue duty. 

Leisure time for soldiers during this period was spent 

in a variety of pursuits. Card games, horse races, and 

billiards were common at frontier posts, though these 

activities were sometimes frowned upon. In contrast, reading, letter writing, and prayer groups received support 

throughout the Army. Post libraries were established at 

the moderate or larger size posts. Libraries contained 

books of fiction and nonfiction, journals, and newspapers. 

Enlisted men and officers were given either separate 

rooms or reading times. Drama groups were common, 

with both male and female characters played by the soldiers. The main dining room or other suitable location 

became the stage on which “Don Quixote,” ‘“Monsieur 

Touson, ” “The Village Lawyer,” or other plays were 

performed. (*Gamble) 

Theatrical performances were also provided at posts 

when showboats arrived. Most frontier Army posts during this period were located on a major waterway such 

as the Mississippi or Missouri River. Steamboats traveled 

these waterways transporting passengers, goods, and the 

mail. At times they were accompanied by theatrical groups. 

When the showboats arrived, everyone at the post would 

be treated to live theatrical performances. (*Gamble) 

In the 1830’s a policy of removing all Indians from 

east of the Mississippi River to new homes in the west 

began. This policy required additional frontier forts to 

be established and led to several bitter struggles with 

the Eastern tribes, the most fierce of which were known 

10 
as the Seminole Indian Wars. It also required the Army 

to assume a role as maintainers of peace between Eastern and Western tribes on the western frontier. (“Utley) 

In addition to the garrison troops needed to maintain 

peace among the Indians, the opening of the Santa Fe 

trade trail in the 1820’s created the need for mounted 

troops in the Army. In 1832, Congress created a battalion of mounted rangers. These were militia units, not 

part of the Regular Army, and proved expensive to maintain. Accordingly, in 1833 Congress created two dragoon 

regiments. 

Daily life for dragoons while in garrison consisted 

of reveille at daybreak, stable call 15 minutes later, 

breakfast, guard mounting, and mounted drill. After 

mounted drill there was carbine drill on foot till 11:OO 

and then an hour of saber exercise. This was followed 

by dinner from 1200 to 1:OO. A 30-minute mounted drill 

before sunset and an hour-long stable call remained before supper. After supper the men cleaned their accoutrements and were then free for leisure pursuits. Taps 

was sounded at 9:OO. (*Lowe) 

Dragoons were considered elite troops. They were required to be native-born American citizens during a period when many soldiers were of foreign birth. To show 

that they were the elite forces, Dragoons reintroduced 

the chevron for use by NCOs in 1833. These chevrons 

were worn point down. 

Immigration had a dramatic impact on the Army 

from 1840 onward. Many units were composed of large 

numbers of Irish and German immigrants. U.S. Grant 

estimated that over half the Army during this period 

consisted of men born in foreign countries. (*Grant) 

Many of these immigrants sought escape from the ethnic 

or religious persecution which was common in the United 

States during this period. Newspapers in the Northeast 

were filled with want ads stating “Irish need not apply.” 

Immigrants who previously had been teachers, merchants, 

or even lawyers enlisted in the Army as a means of escaping persecution and incorporating into American society. 

11 

91-5247 
In 1840 an effort was made to give the NC0 Corps 

greater prestige by adopting a distinctive sword. The 

model 1840 NC0 sword remains the sword of the NC0 

Corps and is still used in special ceremonial occasions. 

Mexican-American War 

The annexation of Texas in 1845, and American desires for California, led to war with Mexico in 1846. The 

war, unpopular in some areas of the United States, was 

the first to require large numbers of troops outside the 

country’s borders. 

During the Mexican-American War, the United States 

raised 115,000 troops; 73,000 of these were volunteers. 

Volunteers were promised 160 acres of land upon completion of their enlistment. They were raised by local areas 

of particular states and elected their officers and NCOs 

by popular vote. This often led to a lack of discipline 

among the troops, but their spirit more than compensated 

for their lack of discipline. The volunteers, like the Regular Army, hardened in battle and by war’s end proved 

an effective force. (*Smith & Judah) 

One volunteer unit, the First Regiment Missouri 

Mounted Volunteers, achieved considerable acclaim. 

Composed of eight companies from different Missouri 

counties, the regiment totaled 856 men. They were farmers, businessmen, teachers, lawyers, and other elements 

of Missouri society. 

The volunteers marched with the Army of the West, 

leaving Fort Leavenworth on 26 June 1846. Marching 

in detachments to ensure that enough forage and water 

would be found, they maintained a pace of 35 miles per 

day. In August they captured Santa Fe without a fight. 

They then turned southward, as the main Army marched 

west and engaged the Navajo. In November a treaty was 

signed with the Navajo, and the Missourians headed for 

El Paso. 

12 
On Christmas Day, as 450 Missourians rested just 

north of El Paso, a 1,200-man Mexican force charged 

the camp. The Missourians held fast and the Mexican 

forces retreated a short distance. Sixty Missourians gained 

their mounts and charged wildly, forcing the Mexican 

Army before them. Two days later the Missourians entered 

El Paso, where they spent the next two months. 

The Missourians next headed for Chihuahua. Nearing the city they were met by a force four times their 

own. The Mexican soldiers waited in a narrow pass near 

the Sacramento River. The Missourians opened with a 

burst of artillery, and when the Mexican force fell back, 

the Missourians charged. By sunset the battle concluded 

with one Missourian dead and enemy losses totaling 300 

dead, 500 wounded, and 40 prisoners. 

After several more months and many miles of marching, the Missourians reached Matamoros; here they boarded 

ships and returned home via the Gulf of Mexico and the 

Mississippi River. They had covered 3,000 miles without 

ever being paid and seldom supplied. They had defeated 

two Mexican armies and the Navajo. They were farmers, 

teachers, and businessmen who served to expand their 

nation westward. (*Volunteer) 

The Mexican-American War ended with the addition 

of vast territories by the United States. In the years that 

followed, a major portion of the Army’s responsibilities 

centered around protecting the Oregon and California 

emigrant trails. The large area covered by these trails, 

and the small size of the Army, required operations to 

be carried out in small detachments. NC& often led the 

small detachments sent out from frontier forts to discourage Indian attacks on settlers or other troubles. 

1850's 

In October 1849, a young Massachusetts farm boy 

named Percival Lowe joined the U.S. Army’s Dragoons. 

Having read Fremont’s Narrative of 1843-1844 and other 

13 
Army adventures, he felt that five years of life in the 

west could round out his education. Lowe was intelligent, 

well-educated, and strong, which made him an ideal soldier for the years ahead. 

A few days after enlisting he was sent to Carlisle 

Barracks, Pennsylvania, a school for mounted recruits. 

Lowe received training, drilling on foot and horseback, 

and practice with the saber. He also met “Big Mit,” a 

tough Irishman with a crude disposition. 

Several weeks after enlisting, Lowe sat eating chicken 

at a table in the mess hall. Big Mit, a six-feet two-inch 

giant weighing 225 pounds, decided he would finish off 

all the chicken on the table. He looked at Lowe, who sat 

silent, and sneered an insult. Lowe sprang to his feet, 

drew his saber, and beat Big Mit with it. 

Luckily for Lowe and Big Mit, the saber was dull, 

and after a few days in the hospital, Big Mit began a 

long healing process. No action was taken against Lowe 

when he explained what had happened. 

During the winter of 1849, Lowe and 75 men, including Big Mit, were sent to join B Troop, Second Dragoon 

Regiment, at Fort Leavenworth. Their trip was to have 

been by steamboat; however, the river was frozen solid 

above Portland, Missouri. 

The men left the steamboat, hired a couple of wagons 

for their baggage, and began to walk. Big Mit, still not 

completely recovered from his beating, rode in one of the 

wagons. The journey was long, and the men had little 

money. The rougher crowd, like Big Mit, took to stealing 

others’ heavy coats and selling them for money to buy 

whiskey. The men endured due to the assistance of Corporal Wood, who paid for their rations out of his own 

pocket, keeping vouchers to be reimbursed. 

They arrived at Fort Leavenworth on Christmas 

Day and received bread, boiled pork, and coffee for their 

supper-a poor supper, but at least they were warm. 

At Leavenworth, Lowe drilled on foot, horseback, 

and with the saber, awaiting spring to go to the field. 

14 
To supplement Army rations, he purchased vegetables 

from Missouri farmers. 

Big Mit and his friends supplemented their daily rations by crossing the river to Whiskey Point or Rialt.0, 

where the wildlife and liquor flowed. Though this was 

against regulations, few cared, even if it meant spending 

some time in the guardhouse. 

Sundays were inspection days. The men, their barracks, and gear would be inspected by their Troop Commander. One Saturday evening, Big Mit decided to trade 

his gear for Lowe’s. When Lowe ret.urned from supper he 

noticed the gear on his bunk was not the clean, sharplooking equipment he had left. Looking around, Lowe 

found his rightful gear on Big Mit’s bunk. He took his 

gear, leaving the soiled gear in its place. 

When Big Nit returned from supper to find his old 

dirty gear laying on his bunk, he was furious. Grabbing 

a carbine, Big Mit charged towards Lowe. Lowe drew 

his saber and again beat Big Mit with all his might,. 

Two officers of the guard separated the men. Big Mit 

was taken to the hospital for a month’s stay. Lowe 

meanwhile explained his actions and was sent back to 

his unit (*Lowe} 

The two episodes with Big Mit had little effect on 

Lowe’s career. His education, intelligence, and courage 

were more important. 

During the next few months Lowe proved himself 

as a soldier. He learned quickly how to keep his horse 

in sound condition while campaigning. He also learned 

the ways of the Plains and the various Indian tribes 

that lived upon it.. More than anything, however, he 

learned about the individual soldiers in his unit and 

how to lead them. He was promoted to corporal, then 

sergeant, and in June of 1851, a litt.le over t.wo years 

after he had enlisted, Lowe was made first sergeant of 

his company. 

Two years after he made first. sergeant in 1853, Lowe 

was sent to a Kansa Indian village to demand the return 

15 
Percival Lowe, B Company, 2d Dragoons, 1852. 

16 
of five horses stolen from the Army the previous spring. 

He went alone, except for an interpreter. He entered the 

Kansa camp with the interpreter and went to the house 

of the chief. Without a lot of introduction, Lowe told the 

chief that he had come to demand the return of the 

horses the Karma had stolen from the Army. If this 

was not done, the Army would come to the camp and 

take the horses by force. The chief denied any knowledge of the stolen horses. Lowe stated that he knew 

that the Kansa had stolen the horses, and that if they 

were not returned to his camp by the time he reached 

it, the chief would be sorry. He then shook the chief’s 

hand and left. 

Reporting back to his commander without the horses, 

Lowe was told to assemble 20 men, return to the camp, 

and take the horses. Leaving their sabers in camp because of the noise created by the scabbards, the men 

took their revolvers and plenty of ammunition and headed 

for the Kansa camp. 

First Sergeant Lowe and his men rode quietly into 

the Kansa camp and captured the chief as he ran out of 

his house. The village sprang to the alarm, with women, 

men, and children yelling. Several young men rushed out 

with guns and bows and arrows as if to give battle. The 

chief calmed them and went off peacefully with Lowe 

and his men. 

By the time they reached their camp, three of the 

horses had been returned and promises had been received 

for the return of the others. ‘This accomplished, the commander lectured the chief and then allowed him to return 

to his village. 

Back in camp First Sergeant Lowe resumed his duties. Muster rolls were to be kept, the company library 

organized, and fatigue details set to work. Discipline, a 

major problem on the frontier, had to be maintained. 

Lowe viewed whiskey as the major source of discipline problems for enlisted men. He talked with other 

noncommissioned officers about this and cautioned each 

17 
to give personal attention to his men to assure they were 

not drinking to excess. Sometimes drunk soldiers would 

be brought to Lowe, who would lock them in a store room 

until they sobered up. Offenders received extra duty as 

punishment. 

Lowe and the noncommissioned officers of the company established the “company court-martial” (not recognized by Army regulations). This allowed the noncommissioned offieers to enforce discipline for the breaking 

of minor regulations without lengthy proceedings. In the 

days before the summary court martial, it proved effective to discipline a man by the company court-martial 

and avoided ruining his career by bringing him before 

three officers of the regiment. 

A problem as major as drunkenness was desertion. 

It was not uncommon for a man to desert to head west 

in search of gold or merely because he was tired of the 

military. 

One deserter crossed the Missouri River from Fort 

Leavenworth to the town of Weston. He became a recruiter of deserters, encouraging men to desert in order 

to rob them, and then with friends turn them in for a 

reward. 

Upon discovering this man’s shanty, Lowe informed 

the company commander and a party was sent out to 

arrest the man. A lieutenant, Sergeant Peel, and a group 

of men rode to the shanty. They found another man and 

six women sitting at a table eating dinner. Sergeant Peel 

felt certain that the wanted man was hiding under his 

wife’s big hoop skirt and told her so. He further stated 

that if he had to go under her skirts to capture the man 

he would. The lieutenant; not nearly as brave, told the 

sergeant to search no further. The lieutenant, Sergeant 

Peel, and the men left. A month later the man gave himself up and admitted he had been hidden under his wife’s 

skirt when Sergeant Peel had searched his house. (*Lowe) 

During this period the soldier’s life consisted primarily 

of garrison duty or campaigning in the west. Campaigns 

18 
were meant to prevent or quell Indian uprisings, protect 

settlers or traders, and to generally extend governmental 

control over far-flung areas. They often last,ed for months 

and covered hundreds of miles. 

In 1833, a young man who went by the name “Utah” 

joined a group of recruits at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. He had joined the Army for a five-year enlistment 

to participate in the Mormon War. After training at Carlisle Barracks, Utah was sent to Fort Leavenworth to 

join the Dragoons. 

Utah’s unit began their march from Fort Leavenworth 

to Salt Lake City at a rate of 12 miles per day. Discipline 

was lax, desertion and drunkenness common. The lax 

discipline was combined with severe punishment far those 

who were caught. A stout bugler would flog the offending individual, drawing blood with every blow. Punishment for desertion ranged from 25 to 50 blows. 

On the march, units followed rivers or streams when 

possible. This usually provided them with water for drinking and some wood far cooking. The cedar or cottonwood 

from t,hese riverbeds was mixed up with buffalo chips 

(dried buffalo dung) to create a fire. 

On many days, the total rations consisted of three 

hardtack biscuits and a piece of salt pork a day. At other 

times, rations were supplemented by wild game or fruit 

which the men encountered upon their journey. 

There was time for hunting and other amusements 

during the day because the horses had to graze. Men 

played cards, wrote letters, hunted, or sought other pursuits. 

During the march, the men often encountered emigrants and Indians. With bath, they traded and exchanged 

information With the Indian tribes, the Army tried to 

establish friendly relations. At a camp of the Sioux, Utah 

and other soldiers traded old uniforms and feathers for 

buffalo robes. 

At night the Dragoons established a camp. Fifteen 

men, with their saddles, valises, blankets, rifles, sabers, 

19 
and accoutrements were stuffed inside a single tent. The 

tents, Utah stated, were not big enough to hold a good 

size double bed, and there was little comfort. 

By the time Utah’s unit arrived in Salt Lake City, 

the Mormon War had ended. The unit stayed in the area 

for some time, quartered in adobe buildings QT tents. Finally the unit was sent out to help quell trouble with 

the Utes. Utah’s diaries stop suddenly; it is not known 

if he met his death at the hands of the Utes ar simply 

lost interest in keeping a journal. 

The chevron went through a series of changes during 

the 184%1860 period. In 1847 the chevron was worn in 

the inverted “V.” A few years later, in the 1850’s, it was 

turned point down in the “V.” Epaulets were worn with 

the dress uniform, but not with the undress. The changes 

ended by the Civil War, settling in the “V” or point 

down. It remained in the “V”’ shape until the regulations 

of 1902. (“Emmerson) 

During the 1859’s major changes were made in U.S. 

Army weaponry. In ordnance, the percussion cap and 

rifled weapons were developed and refined. Weapons like 

the Sharps carbine and the Joslyn added greatly to firepower and accuracy. 

Civil War 

The Civil War marked a radical change in American 

warfare; it brought the total war to America. This war 

required a large number of draftees and the launching 

of massive campaigns. It would end in the trench warfare outside Petersburg, Virginia. 

During the Civil War, noncommissioned officers led 

the lines of skirmishers which preceded and followed each 

major unit. Noncommissioned officers also carried the flags 

and regimental colors of their units. This deadly task was 

crucial to maintain regimental alignment and in order for 

commanders to define the locations of their units on the 

field. 

20 
As the war progressed, organizational and tactical 

changes led the Army to employ more open battle formations. These changes further enhanced the combat leadership role of the noncommissioned officer. (*Fisher) 

The battle for Fredricksburg in 1862 proved one of the 

most costly in the war. The days were cold. Rain, mixed 

with snow, turned roads to mud. Prior to the battle, each 

soldier received rations for four days, Rations consisted 

of hardtack, meat, eoffee, and 60 rounds of ammunition. 

On 13 December 1862, Corporal William Heatley and 

Private Alfred BeIlard looked across the Rappahannock 

River from Stafford Beights. They could see Union 

troops attempting to storm Marye’s Hill in wave after 

wave only to be met with a wall of lead from Confederate troops. 

Skirmishing continued until four o’clock on 14 December. At that point, a truce in the fighting was called 

to clear the dead from the field and allow the troops to 

rest. 

Men began playing cards and singing. Some traded 

tobacco with Confederate soldiers. Early on the morning 

of the 15th, a fight was arranged between a Confederate 

soldier and a Union soldier from the Sixth Wisconsin. As 

the troops watched, the two men fought to a draw. 

Union troops withdrew across the Rappahannock River north of Fredricksburg and established winter quarters. The quarters were made with pine log walls, four 

feet high, and a chimney on one side. Four buttoned shelter tents provided the top. Inside, bunks were made from 

pine sticks covered with spruce leaves. On Christmas 

the troops received a ration of dried apples and whiskey. 

(*Winter Campaign) 

New forms of technology would start to shape the 

Army during the Civil War: railroads, telegraph communications, steamships, balloons, and other innovations. 

(*Matloff) These innovations would impact on noneommissioned officer rank structure and pay. 

21 
Corporal Henry Jagger, 1860. 

22 
Corporal with nine button f~+froch coat, 2862. 

23 
Pay for U.S. troops during the CiviI War varied according to branch and rank, with more technical fields 

receiving greater pay. As early as 1861, Army regulations 

stated the payscale as follows: 

Cavalry 

Sergeant Major .................................. $21.00 

Quartermaster Sergeant ........................ 21.00 

Chief Bugler ..................................... 21.00 

First Sergeant ................................... 20.00 

Sergeant. ......................................... 17.00 

Carporal. ......................................... 14.00 

Bugler ............................................ 13.00 

Farrier and Blacksmith ......................... 13.00 

Private ........................................... 13.00 

Artillery and Infantry 

Sergeant Major .................................. $21.00 

Quartermaster Sergeant ........................ 17.00 

First Sergeant ................................... 20.00 

Sergeant .......................................... 17.00 

Corporal. ......................................... 13.00 

Artifieer, Artillery ............................... 15.00 

Private.. ......................................... 13.00 

Principal Musician .............................. 21.00 

Musician ......................................... 12.00 

Ordnance 

Master Armorer ................................ 

Master Carriage-Maker ........................ 

Master Blacksmith ............................. 

Artificer ......................................... 

Laborer .......................................... 

Sappers, Miners, and Pontoniers 

Sergeant ......................................... 

Corporal. ........................................ 

Private First Class ............................. 

Private Second Class .......................... 

Musician ........................................ 

Hospital Stewards 

First Class ...................................... 

Second Class ................................... 

24 

$34.00 

34.00 

34.00 

17.00 

13.00 

$24.00 

20.00 

17.00 

13.00 

12.00 

$22.00 

20.00 
The Civil War witnessed a continuation of the practice of incorporating different racial and ethnic groups 

into the Army by units. Blacks, Irishmen, Indians, and 

others formed racial or ethnic units. One Irish ethnic 

unit was composed of troops from New York City and 

known as the Irish Brigade. This unit distinguished itself 

at Fredricksburg: making six charges upon Confederate 

positions, it was reduced from 1,200 to 280 men. (*Wiley) 

After the Civil War, ethnic units were largely discontinued. Troops were either discharged or incorporated into other units of the Army. Racial segregation, however, 

remained, with some units which were composed entirely 

of Black soldiers. These troops were among the most active 

on the frontier during the Indian Wars period. (*Berry) 

In the post-Civil War era, the Artillery School at Fort 

Monroe reopened to train both officers and noncommissioned officers. In 1870 the Signal Corps established a 

school for training officers and noncommissioned officers. 

Because both the Artillery and the Signal Corps required 

men to have advanced technical knowledge in order to 

operate compkx equipment and instruments, these schools 

were the first ones established. Efforts to provide advanced 

education for noneommissioned offieers in other less technical fields, however, failed to attract supporters. It was 

felt experience and not the classroom was needed to 

make a good sergeant in the infantry and other fields. 

Indian Wars 

The Indian Wars of the 187O’s-1890’s saw the Army 

involved in a long series of engagements. These wars often consisted of numerous scattered skirmishes over wide 

areas, without any substantial battle being fought to determine the war’s end. This type of war led to the further 

enhancement of the NCO’s role as small unit leader. Often fighting in small detachments, troops relied heavily 

on the knowledge and abilities of NC0s. (*Fisher) 

One of the many outstanding soldiers of this period 

was Sergeant Charles L,. Thomas of the 11th Ohio Cavalry. Late in the summer of 1865, the right column of 

25 
the Powder River Expedition, containing 1,400 men, was 

lost. Unable to regain their lines and wandering hopelessly, the column began to despair. 

Rescue missions were sent out; Sergeant Thomas, with 

two Pawnee scouts, was among them. After 24 hours, 

Thomas and the scouts were attacked by Sioux warriors 

and a running battle ensued. Near sundown, Thomas 

sighted the lost column. Spurring his horse, he cut a 

path through the Sioux, reaching the column. 

He then rallied the men in the camp into a fighting 

formation and forced the Sioux to give way. Thomas 

pushed the troops onward for I.50 miles to a supply camp. 

This prevented the destruction of the column, which would 

have been a major disaster for the Army. (*Thomas) 

During the Indian Wars period, enlisted men lived 

in spartan barracks, with corporals and privates in one 

large room. Sergeants were separated from their men, in 

small cubicles of their own adjacent to the men’s sleeping quarters, (*Fisher) This gave enlisted men a sense 

of comradeship, but allowed little privacy. 

Black soldiers of this period were often referred to as 

Buffalo Soldiers. The units they served in were the 9th 

and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry. These 

troops provided 20 years of continuous frontier service. 

They campaigned in the Southern Plains, in West Texas, 

in the Apache lands, and against the Sioux. (*Chappell) 

One Black soldier, Sergeant George Jordan, won the 

Medal of Honor for actions during the campaign against 

the Apache leader Victoria. Sergeant Jordan led a 25-man 

unit to Tularosa, New Mexico, to stave off a coming attack. Standing firm against 200-300 Apaches, Sergeant 

Jordan and his men prevented the town’s destruction. 

(*ChapelI) 

The soldier of this period spent mueh of his time engaged in manual labor. Soldiers in the west were called 

upon to build or repair housing and fortifications, repair roads and bridges, serve as blacksmiths or bakers, 

perform guard duty, and other tasks. It was a hard life, 

26 

pay was pear, and desertion was common. NCOs were 

fully tested in their abilities ta maintain effective fighting units. 

During the 1870’s the Army discouraged enlisted men 

from marrying. Regulations limited the number of married 

enlisted men in the Army and required special permission 

to be obtained if a man in the Army wished to marry. 

Those men who did marry without permission couId be 

charged with insubordination. They could not live in post 

housing or receive other entitlements. Still, nature proved 

stranger than Army desires or regulations. Marriages 

occurred and posts were transformed into communities. 

(*StalIard) 

NCO wives had a hard life, often working as laundresses or maids. Their meals consisted of beans, bacon, 

beef, and hardtack, with eggs, sugar, or other staples 

being too high-priced for their budgets. Many lived in 

dugouts, sod huts, or adobe buildings. The luckier wives 

lived in wooden structures or stone buildings. (*St&lard) 

1880's & 1890"s 

One of the more colorful NCOs of this period was 

Sergeant John T. O’Keefe of the Signal Corps. Stationed 

on top of Pikes Peak to observe and record the weather, 

O’Keefe led a lonely, dulI life. In order to free himself 

far drinking binges, he often prepared the weather reports 

days in advance. 

In addition to the fabricated weather reports, O’Keefe 

fabricated several very unusual stories. The eruption of 

Pikes Peak, O”Keefe reported, buried the town of Colorado 

Springs under a mountain of ash. 

After the Pikes Peak volcano became dormant, O’Keefe 

reported an even stranger occurrence. He, his wife, and 

his child were attacked by ferocious rats. The wild varmits ate his child. His wife escaped the same fate when 

he wrapped her in zinc roofing. He placed stove pipes 

on his legs and battled the critters for hours. He was 

nearly spent when his wife Iassoed him with a wire connected to a battery, which electrocuted the rats as they 

attempted to bite him. 
Shortly after this last report O’Keefe was transferred. 

Never again did Pikes Peak erupt or wild mountain rats 

attack men in herds. 

In contrast to the light-hearted O’Keefe, the noncommissioned officers of the Greely Expedition recorded the 

weather in one of the harshest climates in the world. In 

1881 the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent an expedition to 

establish a meteorological station as far north as possible. The expedition consisted of three officers, eight noncommissioned officers, twelve enlisted men, two Eskimos, 

and one civilian photographer. 

Venturing forth from southern Greenland, the expedition established a basecamp, Fort Conger, in the Hall 

Basin, by August. Using several dog sleds, a steam-driven 

launch, and two barks, they discovered new lands north 

of Greenland and established a record by reaching the 

farthest latitude north, at 83 degrees, 24 minutes North. 

For three years the men continued to operate the meteorological station and explore the far north. By 1884 

the men began to question if they would ever see home 

again. The expedition began to move south, using the 

steam-driven launch and two barks. Reaching Cape Sabin, 

they built a stone cabin and again waited; only 50 days 

of supplies remained. As the supplies dwindled, the men 

fell ill with scurvy. Drained by lack of nourishment and 

bitter cold, they began to slowly die. The cabin collapsed, 

and they were forced to take shelter in a tent. 

In June 1884 sailors of the Thetis, a sealing ship, 

spotted the remnants of the expedition’s camp. Ripping 

open the tent, which had collapsed, they found six survivors: Lt. Adolphus Greely, Sergeant David Brainhard, 

Sergeant J.R. Frederick, Hospital Steward Henry Biederbick, 

and two privates. (*Fisher} The men were unable La stand, 

their bodies resembling skeletons-eyes sunken deep in 

the sockets, jaws hanging freely, and joints swollen. 

The expedition provided the scientific -community 

with valuable information, discovered new lands, and 

established the record for latitude. To the men of the 

Expedition, however, it provided a cold, harsh, bitter 

memory. 

29 
In 1885 the first retirement system was established 

for enlisted men. The system allowed a man to retire 

after 30 years of service with three-quarters of his active 

duty pay and allowances. (*Fisher) 

Barracks life in the 1890’s was simple, with card 

games, dime novels, and other amusements filling idle 

time. Foot lockers contained personal possessions, along 

with military clothing and equipment. 

Soldiers during this period maintained handbooks. 

The handbook contained a variety of information, including sections entitled: “Extracts from Army Regulations 

of 1895, ” “Examination of Enlisted Men for Promotion,” 

“Take Care of Your Health, ” “Extracts from Articles of 

War,” and others. In the back, there were three sections 

for the soldier to fill in: “‘Clothing Account,” “Military 

Service,” and “‘Last Will and Testament.” 

These handbooks were meant to be carried for a number of years and provided the soldier with an accurate 

record of the important events in his Army life. 

William B. Cox, a typical soldier in I-I Company, 18th 

Infantry Regiment, recorded his dates of discharge and 

clothing received, but failed to write anything in his last 

will and testament. His clothing records for 1898 are as 

follows: 

2 Blouses #5 

1 Forage Cap 

2 Cap Devices 

1 CL Chevrons 

1 Coat Canvas 

6 Collars 

1 Float 

1 Leggings 

1 DB Shirt 

2 M Shirts 

1 Shoes 

6 Stockings 

1 C Trousers 

2 Trousers U 

$48.36 Yearly Clothing Allowance 

7.02 

.5T 

.22 

00 

1.04 

.24 

-84 

55 

1.94 

.58 

1.89 

.36 

.94 

3.14 

19.33 Total Carried Forward 

30 
31 
32 
Spanish-American War 

When the United States declared war on Spain in 

April 1898, the U.S. Army consisted of approximately 

26,000 men. Lacking the troops to conduct a war overseas, the War Department asked for volunteers. National 

Guard units, already formed, were allowed to volunteer 

and serve as units. In all, the United States raised 275,600 

men to fight against Spain. 

Using the Regular Army as the nucleus, the United 

States created a fighting force. Major problems for deployment of this force consisted of preparing and transporting this Army ta various theaters of war. The troops 

needed to be equipped, trained, and supplied before engaging the enemy. The pace of preparation was extremely 

slow and months passed before any action could be taken. 

Some volunteer units never reached the front in time to 

see actian. 

In May 1898, the Fourth Illinois, a National Guard 

unit, assembled at Springfiefd to begin preparations for 

the fight” The unit was transported to Savannah, Georgia, 

for training. They drilled daily, wrote numerous letters, 

played baseball, studied Spanish, and stood guard. 

As the Fourth I1bnois prepared in Savannah, other 

troops captured Santiago and forced the surrender of the 

main Spar&h force in Cuba. 

The primary enemy for American troops in the occupation of Cuba was disease. Even before troops reached 

Cuba, diseases became commonplace. On 8 August, the 

first man of the Fourth Illinois, still in Savannah, died 

of typhoid. This disease, and malaria, would prove fatal 

to many before they could be transported to Cuba. 

In early January 1899 the unit boarded the No&&z 

for Cuba. Most of the time an ship was spent sleeping, 

writing, or on guard duty. When the ship entered Havana 

Harbor, the band started playing patriotic songs and excitement filled the air. 

The next day, amid heat and dust, the unit disembarked. Havana bad narrow streets, grated windaws, 

33 
h&tenant and Sergeant Major, Ist Maine Infantry, 1899. 

34 
flower- and vine-covered villas, and pretty women. The 

men looked around their new surroundings in amazement. 

They marched to a hill near the ocean and established camp. Other American volunteer units surrounded 

them. Hastily, they set up their tents and lay down to 

sleep. In the middle of the night, they awoke to a hard 

rain. Water rushed in beneath the tent floor, making 

sleep impossible. The lesson was quickly learned, and 

the next day the tents were properly erected to prevent 

further flooding. 

Camp life consisted of daily drill, inspection, guard 

duty, work parties, and writing. Often different units, or 

Cubans and Americans, would play baseball. Less frequently, passes were given to allow the soldiers to visit 

Havana. 

The unit spent some time in the field marching from 

one place to another. Along the way they were greeted 

warmly by the Cubans. The march was light, from 5 to 

18 miles per day. There was time to visit sugar mills 

and other places of interest. 

Finally, in April 1899, the unit was sent back to the 

United States and then released from active duty. They 

received a hero’s welcome and were treated to a banquet 

and a reception. (*Morgan) 

In the years that followed the Spanish-American 

War, the United States would be required to defend her 

newly-won empire. The Philippine Insurrection, Boxer 

Rebellion, and other problems required the United States 

to station over one-third of the U.S. Army overseas. 

(“Matloff) The movement of the Army overseas and garrisoning of troops in these foreign lands required additional manpower and modernization of the Army. 

Edward Whitehead, a member of the 46th Volunteer 

Infantry, fought in the Philippine Insurrection from 1899 

to 1901. On the march, he carried a shelter tent, poncho, 

30 rounds of ammunition, and a Krag-Jorgenson rifle. 

At first, they wore cork helmets, but these were found 

35 
unsuitable for tropical conditions, and they quickly 

adopted the campaign hat. Their uniforms were blue 

shirts and khaki trousers. On their arms they wore 

bands holding 20 rounds of ammunition. Around their 

waists were web belts with additional ammunition. 

(*Whitehead) 

Modernization 

The increase of technology which accompanied modernization greatly affected the NCO Corps during the last 

half of the 19th Century. The number of NC0 ranks grew 

rapidly; each new advent of technology created another 

paygrade. The Army was forced to compete with industry for technical workers. In 1908 Congress approved a 

pay bill which rewarded those in technical fields in order to maintain their services. Combat soldiers were not 

so fortunate. (*Fisher) A Master Electrician in the Coast 

Artillery made $75-84 per month, while an Infantry Battalion Sergeant Major lived on $25-34 per month, The 

Infantry Battalion Sergeant Major made about the same 

as or less than a Sergeant of the Signal Corps ($34-43 

per month). (*Emmerson) 

The duties -of the noncommissioned officer were clearly 

defined during this period. The five or six pages of instructions provided by, von Steuben’s Regulations for the 

Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States 

in 1778 grew to 417 pages when the Noncommissioned 

Officers Manual was written in 1909. The duties of the 

First Sergeant and Sergeant Major were covered in chapters of 15 and 54 pages respectively. These chapters included forms that should be filled aut and maintained, 

a description’ of duties, what should and should not be 

done, customs of service, and things of special in’terest. 

(*Moss) 

The Noncommissioned Officers ,Manual includes a 

P&page chapter on discipline. It stresses the role of 

punishment in achieving discipline. This role, the work 

36 
37 
38 
states, is to prevent the commission of offenses and to reform the offender. (*Moss) Repeatedly in this section and 

others, it is stressed that treatment of lower grade personnel should be uniform, just, and in no way humiliating. 

(*Moss) 

In 1902 the chevron was turned to what we would 

today call point up. It was also greatly reduced in size. 

Though many stories exist as to why the chevron’s direction was changed, the most realistic is that it looked 

better. Clothing had become more form-fitting; indeed, 

the IQ-inch chevron of the 1880’s would have wrapped 

completely around the sleeve of a 1902 uniform. 

In 1916 problems in Mexico became problems in the 

United States when Mexican revolutionaries attacked 

Columbus, New Mexico. A punitive expedition was sent 

to Mexico to punish the rebels. Though it failed to capture the rebels, it 

in World War 1. 

did prepare America& troops for action 

World War I 

World War I required the first massive training of 

men the United States had seen, NC& trained four million men, one million of whom would be sent overseas. 

A typical training day started at six, with breakfast at 

seven o’clock. Training assembly began at eight, and 

the work day ended at four. Corporals were the primary 

trainers during this period, with lessons emphasizing 

weapons and daytime maneuvers. Twelve hours of training were devoted to proper use of the gas mask, with a 

trip to the gas chamber included. (“Brock & Case) 

After viewing the differences in American and foreign NC0 prestige, General Pershing suggested that 

special schools for sergeants and separate NCO messes 

should be established. The performance of noncommissioned officers in the American Expeditionary Force 

seemed to validate these changes. (*Fisher) 

The First World War proved a brutal struggle, with 

technology coming to the forefront. Gas warfare was 

39 
introduced, the machine gun ended mounted charges, 

and airpower came of age. Victories were measured in 

yards gained per thousands of men lost. Though American forces saw limited action in comparison to IBritish 

and French forces, it was the United States that tipped 

the balance of power in favor of the Allies, 

The trenches were a complex system, interwoven 

and protected with layers of wire. The trenches not only 

protected the front line soldiers, but also connected the 

front and rear areas. They averaged seven to eight feet 

in depth, with firing steps to permit the soldiers to just 

barely look over the top. (*Case} 

Not all the time was spent in the front line trench, 

Work was done in details to watch for enemy activity. 

The details were relieved every four hours by a new detail. Old houses or pup, tents in the rear provided places 

to sleep. (*Case) 

Near St. Etienne, a young corporal named Harold 

Turner, of Company F, 142nd Infantry, engaged enemy 

troops. Corporal Turner assisted in organizing a platoon 

of’scouts, runners, and signal corpsmen. Serving as second in command, he led the troops forward under heavy 

fire. 

Encountering a machine gun emplacement with four 

machine guns, Turner rushed forward with fixed bayonet. After a desperate struggle, he succeeded in capturing the position of four machine guns and 50 German 

soldiers, thus allowing the advance to continue. 

Between World Wars 

After World War I Congress reorganized the NC0 

ranks. Five NC0 ranks were established: master sergeant, technical sergeant, staff sergeant, sergeant, and 

corporal. First sergeant became a position comparable 

in rank to the technical sergeant. There. were 231 vocatio,nal skills that could add’ $3 to $35 to the soldier’s 

monthly pay. (*Emmerson) 

40 
As the Army was drastically reduced during this 

period, enlisted men were often demoted, rather than 

promoted. The records of Alexander Loungeway, through 

32 years of service, provide a good example of the typical enlisted man’s career during this period. Joining the 

Army in 1908, Loungeway rose through the ranks and 

was promoted to first lieutenant during World War 1. 

After the war he was reverted to a first sergeant, then 

he became a sergeant, then a corporal, and finally a 

private first class. Be was promoted to corporal a year 

before he retired. (*Loungeway) All of his character references read “excelfent.” 

These reductions resulted from two things. The first 

was that promotions were given by the regiment and 

couId not be taken to a new regiment. If a man was 

transferred, or his unit disbanded, he went to the next 

unit as a private. It wasn’t until 1940 that enlisted men 

could be transferred from unit to unit and retain their 

stripes. 

Secondly, in 1922 the Army scheduled 1,690 noncommissioned officers for reductions. This .was done to reduce the total force and save money. Lt caused severe 

hardships for many noncommissioned officers, especially 

those with families. (“Fisher) 

Post-World War I budget reductions and then the 

Great Depression led to irregularities in pay: often the 

soldier received only half his pay, or half ‘his pay in 

money and half in consumer goods or food. (*Case) 

During the late 1930’s technicians were created in 

grades 3, 4, and 5 (SSGi, SGT, and CPL), with chevrons 

marked with a “T.‘” This led to an increase in promotions among technical personnel. In 1948 the technician 

ranks were discontinued; they would be replaeed’by specialists in 1955. (*Emmerson) 

The typical first sergeant of this period carried his 

administration files in his pocket-a black book. The book 

contained the names of everyone in the company and 

all kinds of information on them (AWOLs, work habits, 

41 
Corporal Jim Taomey, Machine Gun Troop, 3rd Cavalry, 

Fort Myer, Virginia, 1941. 

42 
promotions, and so forth}. The book was passed on from 

first sergeant to first sergeant, staying with the company. It provided the company with a historical document. (*Wooldridge) 

The first sergeant accompanied men on runs, the drill 

field, training, or the firing range. He was always at 

the forefront of everything the company did. (“Wooldridge) 

World War II 

With the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, 

the United States found itself at war. Japanese advances 

in the Pacific were so swift that American supply lines 

were quickly cut. 

In the Philippines, hunger soon became the major 

problem for U.S. troops. On 6 January 1942, soldiers on 

Bataan had their food allotment cut in half. Fresh meat 

was nearly discontinued, and rice, fish, tomatoes, and 

canned meat became staple items. 

As hunger became more widespread, it damaged morale and was seen as a problem almost as serious as 

enemy action, Rations were cut in February to 1,000 calories per day instead of the 4,000 or more needed by 

combat troops. 

As the hunger grew, men became obsessed by food. 

They ate horses, iguanas, monkeys, crows, and carabao 

(water buffalo). Men had dreams that centered on fresh 

bread, plum butter, blackberry jelly, and pork and beans. 

In April the Japanese intensified their attack, and the 

situation became hopeless. Literally starving, the American forces were becoming too weak to continue their valiant resistance. Night blindness, edema, dysentery, scurvy, 

and diarrhea-all caused by extreme malnutrition-further 

weakened them. 

Oln 9 April 1942, U.S. forces bowed to the inevitable 

and surrendered American forces on Bataan to the Japanese. During the last week before the surrender, many 

units were completely without food for as much as 72 

hours. (*RG 407; Rhodes) 

43 
While American troops fought in the Philippines, 

other units were being formed in the United States. The 

Army used NCOs on active duty prior to America’s entry 

in the war as trainers for troops earmarked for duty 

overseas, in the expandable army concept. 

Mobilization greatly inereased the numbers of Army 

noncommissioned officers. Mobilization, combined with 

other factors, created a staggering growth in the percentage of noncommissioned officers to total forces. The 

proportion of noncommissioned officers in the Army increased from 20 percent of the enlisted ranks in 1941 to 

nearly 50 percent in 1945. This resulted in the lessening 

of prestige for many noncommissioned officer ranks. 

Coupled with this growth in numbers, there was a 

change from an &-man infantry squad to the X-man 

squad, with the sergeant replacing the corporal as its 

leader. Thus, the rank of corporal came to mean very 

little, even though he was in theory and by tradition a 

combat leader. (*Fisher) 

Basic training in World War II centered on hands-on 

experience instead of the classroom. AH training was 

conducted by NCOs. After basic training, a soldier was 

sent to his unit where training continued. The major 

problem was that the rapid expansion of the Army led 

to a decrease in experienced men in the noncommissioned 

officer ranks If a man showed potential, he was promoted, with privates becoming corporals, and corporals, 

sergeants. (*Van Autreve) 

World War II witnessed a number of heroic deeds 

by noncommissioned officers. Such were the actions of 

Staff Sergeant Charles W. Shea at Monte Damiano, Italy. 

On 12 May 1944, Company F, 2d Battalion, 350th Infantry, $$th Division, encountered heavy machine gun fire 

as they advanced. Staff Sergeant Shea recognized that 

the advance of his unit depended upon taking the three 

machine gun positions, and advanced alone. He hurled 

a grenade into the first of these, capturing four enemy 

soldiers; moved to the second and forced the two-man 

crew to surrender. He then moved to the third. Coming 

44 
under fire, he rushed that position and killed its three 

defenders. With this, Shea’s unit continued to advance. 

Later in the war, Sergeant Harrison Summers showed 

the same type of raw courage, durin,g the assault at 

Utah Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Sergeant Summers, 

of the 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment, IOlst Airborne 

Division, led an assault .against .G,erman coastal fortifieations. Sergeant Summers, with 12 men, moved against 

enemy positions. Ermounteripg heavy fire, the 12 fell 

back, Ieaving Summers to advance alone. He ran to the 

first enemy position, kicked the .door open, .and with a 

rain of bullets killed all &he enemy soldiers inside. He 

then moved down a row of stone buildings, clearing the 

enemy as he went. (*Fisher) 

Fighting in the Pacific and Europe required large 

numbers of men. Millions of men enlisted and millions 

more were drafted. Still the Army suffered from manpower shortages. In I.942 the Army formally added women to its ranks. By 1945 over 90,000 women would Ix 

enlisted in the Army. 

Women served in administrative, technical, motor 

vehicle, food, supply, communications, mechanical, and 

electrical positions ,during the war. After the war women 

continued to serve in a nariety of roles in the Army. 

(“Treadwell) 

Women in the Army, World W,ar II 

:Numbes of W0me.n 

1942.. . . . . *. . . . . . . ~. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * ~. . . .11,222 

194%. , . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . .55,946 

1944. x.. . . . . . . . . I. I,. . , . . . . . . . . . . < I.. < $4,586 

1945. . . . . . . . . . ,. r , . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . _ . . . , . ,93,542 

Enlisted Grade Level 

Percerrtzge by Rank 

Women Men 

.MSG/lSG ,0.6 1.5 

Tech Sgt 0,6 

Staff Sgt/Tec 3 

Sgt/Tec 4 1% 

2 

1411 

Cpl/Tec 5 19:s 21.0 

Pvt 1st Class 25.4 28.1 

Srivate 38.5 24.3 

45 
Tech-5 Pearlie Hurgreaues, 1942, 

General Eisenhower’s driver in North Africa 

46 
Women in the Army, World War II (continued) 

Women’s Occupations 

Percentage as of September 1944 

Administrative/Office . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . 45 

Technical/Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Motor Vehicle.. . . . . I.. . . . . . . . . ~. . . . . . . 9 

Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.. , 9 

Supply.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Communications . . . I,. . . . . . . , . . . . , . . . . . . 5 

Mechanical/Trade . . . . . . . I. I . 4 

Radio/Electrical . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

In 1945 Congress passed legislation entitling enlisted 

men with at least 20, and not more than 29, years of 

service, to be placed on the retired list. They thereupon 

drew F/2 percent of their average pay for the six months 

preceding retirement, multiplied by the number of years 

of active service. These men remained in the reserve 

until completion of 30 years of service. (*Fisher) 

Post-World War II 

In the post-World War II era, there were two programs which affected NCOs: a Career Guidance Plan 

and professional schools for NCOs. The technical ratings were dropped and emphasis was placed on servicewide standards for NCO selection and training. (*Fisher) 

As a result of the continued growth of technology, 

a new emphasis on education began in the post-World 

War II era. This emphasis encouraged the young soldier 

to become better educated in order to advance. 

On 17 December 1949 the first class enrolled in the 

2d Constabulary Brigade’s NC0 school, located at Munich, 

Germany. Two years later, the U.S. Seventh Army took 

over the 2d Constabulary funct,ions and the school became the Seventh Army Noncommissioned Officers Academy. Eight years later AR 350-90 established Army-wide 

standards for NC0 academies. Emphasis on NC0 education increased to the point that by I.959 over 180,000 

47 
soldiers would attend NC0 academies located in the eontinental United States. (*Fisher) 

In addition to NCU academies, the Army encouraged 

enlisted men to advance their education by other means. 

,By 1952 the Army had developed the Army Education 

Program to allow soldiers to attain credits for academic 

education. This program provided a number of ways for 

the enlisted man to attain a high school or college diploma. 

In 1950 an unprepared United States found it needed 

to commit large numbers of troops in a nation a half a 

world away. The attack of North Korea on America’s 

ally, South Korea, stressed American responsibilities 

overseas. It was clear fr,om this point forward that 

American .commitments in Asia, Europe, and the Pacific 

would require a strong and combat-ready professional 

Army,, 

During Korea the noncommissioned .officer emerged 

more prominently as a battle leader than he had in 

World War II. The deeply eroded hills, ridges, narrow 

valleys, and deep gorges forced many units to advance 

as squads. (*Fisher) 

Korea was the first war the United States entered 

with an integrated Army. Black soldiers and white soldiers fought side-by-side on the battlefield against a 

common foe. 

Near Surang-ni, Sergeant Ola L. Mize led the defense 

of “Outpost Harry.” Learning of a wounded soldier in 

a.n outlying listening post, during an artillery barrage, 

Mize moved to rescue the soldier. Returning to the main 

position with the soldier, Mize .rallied the troops into an 

effective defense as the enemy attacked in force. Knocked 

down three times with grenade or artillery ,blasts, Mize 

continued to lead his men. 

With the enemy assault temporarily halted, Mize and 

several men moved from bunker to bunker clea-ring the 

enemy. Upon noticing a friendly machine gun position 

being overrun, he fought his way to their aid, killing ten 

48 
enemy soldiers and dispersing the rest. Securing a radio, he directed artillery fire upon the enemy’s approach 

routes. At dawn, Mize formed the survivors into a unit 

and successfully led a counterattack which cleared the 

enemy from the outpost. 

In 1958 two grades were added to the NC0 ranks. 

It was stated that these grades, E-8 and E-9, would “provide for a better delineation of responsibilities in the enlisted structure.” It was also hoped that additional grades 

would help in obtaining and retaining good NCOs. At 

this point the NC0 ranks were corporal, sergeant, staff 

sergeant, sergeant first class, master sergeant, and aergeant major. (*Fisher) 

Modern Era 

In 1965 the first American ground troops were committed to Vietnam. The American policy of containment 

of Communism would be severely challenged in Vietnam. 

The Vietnamese Communists fought a long, drawn-out 

war, meant to wear down American forces. There were 

no clear battlelines and often it was hard to tell foe 

from friend. In 1973 a formal cease-fire signed by American and North Vietnamese delegations ended American 

troop commitments to the area. 

Vietnam proved to be a junior leaders’ war, with decentralized control. Much of the burden of combat leadership fell on the NCO. Needing large numbers of NCOs 

for combat, the Army created the Noncommissioned Officers Candidate Course. Three branches were established 

at Fort Benning, Fort Knox, and Fort Sill. After a laweek course, the graduate was promoted to E-5; the top 

5 percent to E-6. An additional 10 weeks of practice followed, and then the NC0 was sent to Vietnam for combat. This program was received with mixed feehngs from 

senior NCOs, many of whom felt it undermined the prestige of the NC0 Corps. Few of these senior NCOs, however could say they actually knew an unqualified NC0 

from the NC0 Candidate Course. (*Fisher) 

49 
There were many outstanding acts of heroism during 

the Vietnam War; one of the most outstanding was that 

of Sergeant First Class Eugene Ashley. During the initial stages of the defense of Camp Lang Vei, Ashley 

supported the camp with high explosives and illumination mortar rounds. Upon losing communication with the 

camp, he directed air strikes and artillery support. 

He then organized a small assault force composed of 

local friendly forces. Five times,’ Ashley and his newlyformed unit attacked enemy positions, clearing the 

enemy and proceeding through boobytrapped bunkers. 

Wounded by machine gun fire, Ashley continued on, finally directing air strikes on his own position to clear 

the enemy. As the enemy retreated, he lapsed into unconsciousness. While being transported down the hill, an enemy artillery shell fatally wounded him. (*Recollections) 

In 1966 Army Chief of Staff Harold K. Johnson chose 

Sergeant Major William 0. Wooldridge as the first ‘Sergeant Major of the Army. The SMA was to be an advisor 

and consultant to the Chief of Staff on enlisted matters. 

He would identify problems affecting enlisted personnel 

and recommend appropriate solutions. (*Wooldridge) 

During the following year, General Johnson decided 

to establish the position of Command Sergeant Major. 

This position served as the commander’s enlisted assistant to commanders at and above the battalion level. 

(“Wooldridge) 

In the last half of FY 1971, the Army implemented 

the Noncommissioned Officer Education System. This 

progressive system is designed to educate NCOs on subjects and skills needed by them to enhance their performance and abilities. At first NCOES consisted of 

three levels of training: Basic Noncommissioned Officer 

Course (to provide basic leadership skills and a knowledge of military subjects needed at the squad and team 

level), Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course (to 

provide the student with advanced technical and leadership skills), and the Sergeants Major Academy (which 

50 
prepared senior NCOs to perform duties as sergeants major at the division and higher headquarters). (*USASMA 

AHR 72-73) 

The Noncommissioned Officer Education System grew 

in the 70’s and 80’s and today includes the Primary 

Leadership Development Course (which emphasizes how 

to lead and train and the duties, responsibilities, and 

authorities of NCOs), in addition to the above-mentioned 

courses. 

All NCOES courses have common cores written by 

the US. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, 

Texas. The Academy also operates three senior NC0 

courses outside NCOES, which are designed to train 

NCOs for particular positions. These courses are the 

First Sergeant Course (a sister course is operated in 

Europe), the Operations and Intelligence Course, and the 

Personnel and Logistics Course. (*USASMA AHR 86) 

The emphasis on NC0 education was stressed in 1986 

with the issuance of MILPO Message Number 86-65. This 

message established the Primary Leadership Development 

Course as a mandatory prerequisite for promotion to 

staff sergeant. This was the first time an NCOES course 

actually became mandatory for promotion. (*USASMA 

AHR 86) 

In 1987 the Army’s emphasis on NC0 education was 

again clearly exampled by the completion of a new Sergeants Major Academy building. This 17.5 million dollar, 125,000 square foot structure allowed the Academy 

to expand course loads and number of courses. 

As the Noncommissioned Officer Education System 

continues to grow, the NC0 of today combines history 

and tradition with skill and ability to prepare for combat. He retains the duties and responsibilities given to 

him by von Steuben in 1778, and these have been built 

upon to produce the soldier of today. 
Sources Consulted 

“History of the NCO,” Fisher Manuscript, Dr. Ernest 

Fisher, unpublished, CMH, long version, NC0 Museum. 

“History of the NCO,” Fisher Manuscript, Dr. Ernest 

Fisher, unpublished, CMH, short version, NC0 Museum. 

Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops 

of Uw United States, Friedrieh von Steuben, 1782, Hartford. 

Soldiers of the American Revolution, CMH. 

“First Decorated,” Mark Megehee, NC0 Museum. 

The Book of the Continental Soldier, Harold L. Peterson. 

American Soldiers of the Revolution, Alan Kemp. 

Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Ameri-can 

Revolution, George C. Neuman and Frank J. Kravic. 

A Pictorial History of the United States Army, Gene 

Gurney. 

Abstract of Infantry Tactics, 1830, U.S. Governmen% 

The Sword of the Republic, Francis Purcha. 

American Mititary History, CMH. 

The Beginnings of the Army, Charles Jacobs. 

ITistory of the United States Army, William Gaenoe. 

Americun DipEsmaey, Robert H. Ferrell. 

The War of 11312, John K, Mahon. 

Teeumseh’s Last Stand, John Sugden. 

The Trailblazers, Time-Life Books. 

Fort huge, Jackson Gannty Parks Department. 

34~ Life on the Plains, David Meriwether. 

Life of an &Z&ted &ddier of the Western Frontier, 181% 

2845, Stanley Graham. 

.Cheurons, LTC William K. Emmerson. 

52 

The Noncommissioned Officer’s Manual, 1910, War 

Department. 

The Great FVCU 1914-1918, John Terraine. 

World War I Through My Sigh&, Horatio Rogers. 

Kaiser Bill, an autobiography of John Oeachner, Irwin 

Koehler. 

Edgar Brock Oral History Interview, NCO Museum. 

Marcus Case Oral History Interview, NC0 Museum. 

Record Group 407, National Archives, Washington, D.C. 

“The Philippine Archives,” Patricia M. Rhodes, NC0 

Museum. 

The Good War, Studs Terkel. 

SMA William Bainbridge Oral History Interview, NC0 

Museum. 

SMA William 0. Woaldridge Oral History Interview, NCO 

Museum. 

SMA Leon Van Autreve Oral History Interview, NC0 

Museum. 

CSM Theodore Dobol Oral History Interview, NC0 

Museum. 

TFEe Vietnam War, Ray Bonds. 

“RecolleCtions of NC0 History,” L.R. Arms, NC0 Museum. 

History of the US Army Sergeants Major Academy, 

1 July 1972-73 December 1974, USASMA. 

US Army Sergeants Major Academy Annual Historical 

Review, I January-31 December 1986, L.R. Arms. 

US Army Sergeants Major Academy Annual Historical 

Review, I January-31 December 1987, L.R. Arms. 

Reproduced at AWP-Ft-Lvn, KS 

!j+O200-3CMN-20 November f 989 

54 

91-5247-CGSC-5000-1 Nov 91