UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA OF THE U. S. LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE AND U. S. COAST
AND GEODETIC SURVEY
The United States Lighthouse Service is administered under the
Department of Commerce and consists of three divisions; first, the
officers and crews of the lighthouse tenders; second, the officers and
crews of the lightships; and third, the keepers of the lighthouses and
depots on shore.
The lighthouse tenders are steamers which plant and maintain all of the
buoys which mark the channels and courses for ships of various sizes in
the navigable waters of the United States, including the bays, harbors,
lakes and navigable rivers. The lighthouse tenders also carry supplies
to the lightships and many of the shore lighthouses.
Lightships are vessels carrying powerful lights anchored in places
where it is necessary to have lights to aid in the navigation of
seagoing craft but where it would be impossible or impracticable to
build lighthouses.
The Depots of the Lighthouse Service are shore establishments where
buoys, lights and lightships may be overhauled and repaired and where
supplies may be kept in stock.
UNIFORMS OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN OF LIGHTHOUSE TENDERS
The officers are provided with a blue uniform for cold and temperate
weather and a white uniform for hot weather.
The blue uniform consists of a single-breasted sack coat of navy blue
cloth extending to about ten inches below the waist, with a standing
collar, buttoning down the front by buttons concealed under a fly, the
collar, front and bottom edges being trimmed with black mohair braid
one and one-quarter inches wide; plain trousers of dark blue cloth;
and a cap of navy blue cloth with a sloping visor of patent leather, a
band of black mohair braid one and one-half inches wide, a chin strap
of one-half inch gold braid secured above the visor by means of a small
gilt button at each end of the visor. The insignia of the Lighthouse
Service, a lighthouse, are embroidered in silver on the front of the
cap, surrounded by a wreath embroidered in gold.
The rank of the officer is indicated by stripes of black mohair braid
around the sleeves, the number and width of the stripes for the
different grades being as follows:
_Captain._—Four stripes, the two outer ones one-half
inch and the two inner ones one-quarter inch wide.
_Chief Engineer._—Three stripes, the two outer ones
one-half inch and the inner one one-quarter inch wide.
_Master of Tender._—Four stripes one-quarter of an
inch wide.
_First Officer and Engineer of Tender._—Three stripes
one-quarter of an inch wide.
_First Officer and First Assistant Engineer of Tender._—Two
stripes one-quarter inch wide.
_Third Officer and Second Assistant Engineer of Tender._—One
stripe one-quarter inch wide.
Insignia indicating the department to which an officer belongs are
worn on each side of the collar, a gold anchor for deck officers
(corresponding to Line officers in the Navy) and a gold three-bladed
propeller for Engineer Officers.
The white uniform is similar in style and design to the blue uniform,
the braid being white and the insignia on the coat collar of gilt metal.
_The Overcoat for Officers_ is double-breasted, made of dark blue
cloth, extending to three inches below the knee, with two rows of black
flat buttons down the front, six in each row and a wide rolling collar.
It bears no stripes or insignia.
Quartermasters and machinists wear a blue uniform consisting of a
double-breasted sack coat of dark blue cloth, with five gilt buttons on
each side, turn-down collar and lapels, two side pockets with flaps;
plain dark blue cloth trousers; and a cap of the same pattern as that
worn by officers, but having a black patent leather chin strap, and the
letters “U. S. L. H. S.” embroidered in gold around the base of the
silver lighthouse insignia instead of the gold wreath on the front of
the officers’ cap.
The insignia indicating the rank, worn on each sleeve midway between
the shoulder seam and the elbow, consist of a ship’s steering wheel
embroidered in white for quartermaster and a three-bladed propeller
embroidered in red for machinist.
[Illustration: U. S. Lighthouse Service. Officers’ collar insignia and
sleeve braiding
Collar insignia (Gold embroidery)
1. Deck Officers 2. Engineer Officers
Sleeve braiding (Black mohair braid)
3. Captain 4. Chief Engineer 5. Master of Tender
6. First Officer, Engineer, 7. Second Officer, First
8. Third Officer Second
Master, Lightship Asst. Engineer, Asst. Engineer, First Mate,
Second Lightship Mate, Lightship]
[Illustration: Insignia for Lighthouse Keepers and Watchmen
Light Stations and Depots Keepers of lighthouses K for keeper
1 for first assistant keeper 2 for second assistant keeper
3 for third assistant keeper 4 for fourth assistant keeper]
[Illustration: Watchmen at general depot
Shield Hat ornament
U. S. Lighthouse Service]
For hot weather a uniform of white duck is provided, the design and the
insignia being the same as for the blue uniform except that the sleeve
stripes are of white braid.
Seamen of the crew wear blue and white uniforms similar to the working
uniforms for the enlisted men of the United States Navy, and the
firemen wear a blue dungaree uniform of the same pattern.
Stewards, cooks and mess attendants wear a cap similar to the officers’
cap but without ornaments or braid; a plain single-breasted coat with
standing collar and plain trousers. The coats for steward have gilt
buttons, the cooks and mess attendants plain buttons.
UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA FOR OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN OF LIGHTSHIPS
The officers wear a uniform of navy blue cloth for winter and of navy
blue serge or flannel for summer, consisting of a double-breasted sack
coat with turn-down collar and lapels, with five gilt buttons on each
side; a single-breasted waistcoat with a rolling collar and five small
gilt buttons; plain trousers; and a cap the same as described for
officers of lighthouse tenders.
Insignia are worn on the lapels of the coat, a gold anchor for deck
officers and a gold three-bladed propeller for engineer officers.
Stripes of black mohair braid are worn on each sleeve, as follows:
_Master._—Three stripes one-quarter inch wide.
_First Mate._—Two stripes one-quarter inch wide.
_Second Mate._—One stripe one-quarter inch wide.
_Engineer._—Two stripes one-quarter inch wide.
_Assistant Engineer._—One stripe one-quarter inch wide.
The overcoat is the same as that for officers of Lighthouse Tenders.
The enlisted men of the lightships wear the same uniforms as those
described for the enlisted men of the lighthouse tenders.
UNIFORM AND INSIGNIA OF LIGHTHOUSE AND DEPOT KEEPERS
Keepers of lighthouses and depots wear uniforms similar to those for
Masters of lightships, except that no braid is worn on the sleeves
and the ratings are shown by the letter “K” or numbers on the collar,
while Watchmen wear the letter “W” and a Police shield, as shown in the
illustrations.
The regulation buttons for the Lighthouse service are gilt and have a
design consisting of a lighthouse surrounded by a circle of rope.
UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA OF THE U. S. COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY
Whenever in his judgment a national emergency requires it the President
may transfer the ships and personnel of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic
Survey from the Department of Commerce to the War Department or Navy
Department. When so transferred the commissioned officers take relative
rank as follows:
Grade 1. Hydrographic and Geodetic Engineers with and after Colonels in
the Army and Captains in the Navy.
Grade 2. Hydrographic and Geodetic Engineers with and after Lieutenant
Colonels in the Army and Commanders in the Navy.
Grade 3. Hydrographic and Geodetic Engineers with and after Majors in
the Army and Lieutenant Commanders in the Navy.
Grade 4. Hydrographic and Geodetic Engineers with and after Captains in
the Army and Lieutenants in the Navy.
Grade 5. Junior Hydrographic and Geodetic Engineers with and after
First Lieutenants in the Army and Lieutenants Junior Grade in the Navy.
Grade 6. Aides with and after Second Lieutenants in the Army and
Ensigns in the Navy.
[Illustration: CAP INSIGNIA
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
GRADE 1 GRADE 2-SILVER GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6
GRADE 3-GOLD
OTHER OFFICERS
GOLD LACE STRIPES WITH COLORED DECK
VELVET PIPING. OFFICERS
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS SLEEVE STRIPES
GRADE 1 GRADE 2 GRADE 3 GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6
U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey
Officers’ insignia on caps, shoulder straps and coat sleeves]
[Illustration:
U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey
Officers’ collar insignia, showing branch of the service]
Chief Engineers, surgeons, watch officers, mates and deck officers have
relative rank with and after commissioned officers of the same rates of
pay and when transferred they are given commissions in the Army Reserve
or Naval Reserve Force according to their qualifications.
All officers are required to have blue service dress, white service
dress and field uniforms and an overcoat.
_The blue service dress uniform_ consists of a coat, trousers and
cap of dark blue cloth, black shoes and white gloves, the style and
trimming being practically the same as for officers of the U. S.
Navy. Rank is indicated by stripes of gold lace around the sleeves,
the branch of the service by insignia embroidered on the collar and
the service insignia is embroidered on the front of the cap, as
illustrated. Commissioned officers wear a gold triangle on a circular
silver base on each sleeve above the rank stripes and the branch of
other officers is shown by stripes of colored velvet between the rank
stripes, the distinctive colors being light blue for Chief Engineers,
dark maroon for Surgeons and dark brown for Mates and Watch Officers.
_The white service uniform_ consists of a single-breasted coat of white
duck or drill, with a stand and fall collar, five gilt service buttons
down the front, two breast pockets and two lower pockets with flap and
gilt button and a strap on each shoulder from the shoulder seam to
the base of the collar. Rank is shown by bright metal insignia on the
shoulder straps as illustrated.
_The field uniform_ is identical with the white uniform except that
the color is khaki and the buttons and collar ornaments are of bronzed
metal.
_The overcoat_ is of the same pattern as that worn by officers of the
U. S. Navy, rank and branch being shown by gold stripes and color
stripes as on the sleeves of the blue service coat.
_The sword and belt_ are of the U. S. Navy pattern with the letters
U.S.C. & G.S. on the blade.
[Illustration: SEAL OF THE U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE]