Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-21
RANKS OF ARMY OFFICERS
DISCLOSED BY INSIGNIA
Rule by Which the Average Citizen
May Distinguish "Who's
Who.o

WASHINGTON. May "o.-Now that
all the officers, and enlisted men of the
army are clad alike in field dress of
khaki or olive drab, and because of
the inconspicuousness OF the official in :
sigma. it is difficult for the average
citizen observer to distinguish between
an officer and a private. or. unless up
in military lore, to tell the rank or
the arm OF the service TO which an
officer or a private belongs. The gen
eral similarity Of uniform is design
ed to make the commissioned personnel
less conspicuous to the enemy. On a
close view. however. II Is an easy mat
ter for the initiated TO draw the proper
distinctions
In all branches OF tho service, infan-
try. cavalry and artillery, the same
symbols or insignia OF rank are used
! The corporal. at the bottom OF the
scale of officers, is distinguished from
the private by the chevron. consisting
OF two bars on the right sleeve. In the
case OF the sergeant. next higher in
rank. the chevron is OF three inverted
N-shapcd bars. All enlisted men, in
Guiding these noncommissioned off,
Gers. wear on one side Of their coats
or blouses a bronze button with the
number of their organization, and, in
relief. crossed rifles for the infantry,
crossed sabers for the cavalry and
crossed cannon for the artillery. Coast
and field artillerymen may be distin-
guished by the fact that in case OF
The former in addition to the cannon
there is a shell at point Of the inter
section of the cannon.
The second lieutenant. lowest in rank
Of the commissioned officers. may be
distinguished from the enlisted man
despite tho fact that he wears no in
sigma on his shoulder straps, by the
gold marking on his collar. That sym
Dol. as in the case of the enlisted men,
is OF crossed rifles. sabers or cannon,
according to the branch OF service, and
is worn by all regimental officers. On
the other side OF the collar are the let
ters u. s." in gold. Infantry officers
may be distinguished from the enlisted
men by the fact that the latter wear
canvas leggins, while the officers have
tan leather leggins.
First lieutenants have a silver ba,
on their shoulder straps, while captains
have two bars. OF the field officers. the
major wears gold leaf. the lieuten-
ant-colonel a silver leaf and the colone
silver spread eagle. The brigadier.
general has one silver star and the
major general. the highest rank in ou,
army at present. has two silver stars
| The campaign hats-brcad brimm ed
| felt hats-afford another clue to the
| arm TO which the wearer belongs. The
hats OF all enlisted men are alike bu
the hatcord around the crown reveal.
by its color the branch of the service
| TO which the man belongs 4 blue core
signifies infantry, yellow cord cav.
airy and red cord artillery either
coast or field. The men of the Quarter.
| master Corps have buzz, the Engineer
Corps red and white. the Signal Corps
orange and white and the Hospita
Corps maroon and white hatcords. or.
ficers OF all branches wear gold anc
black hatcords. the insignia OH their
shoulder straps being the only indica
ton of their rank.
The insignia of the Quartermaster
Corps is winged wheel crossed by q
key and sword; of the Engineer Corps
three turrets. and Of the Signal Corps
crossed flags. There are a few other
emblems, but these are the most i'm
portant.