The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1915-11-04
MARKING A SAILOR.
Naya! Arm Insignia Worn by
Uncle Sans Enlisted Men.
TELLS THEIR RANK AND WORK.

u TIC oIuSJaSNeeS nc E'oua y! tneSo
Class Symbols, and Only the Novices
Are Without Them-Marines Have
Their Own Special Insignia.
Uncle Sam seems to be wise old
boy. He has found the secret of avert
ing labor difficulties and raising the
dignity Of labor aboard ship by giving
signed to special duties arm insignia
to distinguish their callings and ranks.
Mechanics, clerks, carpenters and
deck men are given just as much at
tention when it comes to insignia as
are the admirals, captains, lieutenants,
ensigns and other commissioned men.
And if the truth were only known the
jackies take even more pride in dis
playing the marks that have been con-
ferred upon them.
Uncle Sam has Il peculiar method Of
marking his men, but he has never
taken into consideration that the pub
lie would like to be- taken into the Sc
cret. The consequence is that the men
who have been honored with the dis
tinguishing marks-and it is only the
novices or newcomers who have not a
mark Of some kind-must suffer and be
prepared always while on shore leave
to answer the questions Of the curious.
The insignia, however, are simple
enough when understood. A symbol of
some sort is used to distinguish the
mans following. For instance, a chief
yeoman has two crossed keys on his
coat sleeves, signifying that he has the
keys to the stores and is a clerk on
board the ship. An eagle appears over
every mark and there are qualifying
stripes under the symbol to show
whether the man is first class, second
class or third class. If he is of the lat
ter rank he has only one stripe. If
he is a chief petty officer he wears con-
under the eagle and the stripes. 9th
erwise he simply wears the eagle and
the stripes. This is true with all men.
In some instances, however, the
stripes under the symbol typify the
mans distinctive Office. For instance,
machinist Of the first class wears
three stripes. A water tender has the
same mark under a propeller. A man
with two stripes is either an oiler or a
machinists mate.
A man with two crossed quilts is a
pay clerk. A turret with a gun signi-
fies that the wearer is a turret cap
TAIN A globe means the man is an
electrician. A carpenter has two hatch
cts. A crescent is worn by commits.
sary or a commissary's steward. A
quartermaster in the navy wears a
wheel, while the man with the same
distinction in the marine corps has
crossed quilts for his insignia. =
Many Of the naval men also wear a
ingle stripe across the shoulder. Those
who wear red belong to the engineers
corps. If a man with a red stripe has
one white stripe on his cuff he is coal
passer; if two, he is q second class
fireman and if three, third class fire
man.
The deck force wear white stripe
across the shoulder If a man has two
stripes on his cuff he is an ordinary
seaman; if three, seaman, and sin
gle stripe means he is an apprentice or
landsman.
All the petty officers wear blue rat
ing on the white clothes and red on the
blue. A man who has won three sue
cessive rating medals for good conduct
is permitted to wear gold. Those who
are in the special or the engineers
branch wear their rating on the left
the right. Enlistment stripes are also
worn, one for each four years. Chief
petty officers, besides having the con.
Meeting lines over their insignia, also
wear brass buttons on their coats.
The marine insignia are slightly diff
ferent. In the first place the mark
ings are in gold and therefore much
brighter and are more noticeable. This
is true only with the dress uniform
| With the khaki clothes the men wear
field chevrons with narrow marks. A
marine corporal has two stripes and q
sergeant three stripes. A first sergeant
| has a diamond under his stripes, and a
sergeant major has additional stripes
| under the diamond. A gunnery ser
| geant has leaf and an acorn under
his stripes; a quartermaster sergeant
has quills; a drummer has cross sticks
and a trumpeter crossed bugles. Off
| GERS in the marine corps have their in
sigma on both arms. - Philadelphia
North American.