History of the Chief Petty Officer Khaki Uniform in the U.S. Navy

Early U.S. Navy Uniform History

The first uniform instruction for the U.S. Navy was issued by the Secretary of War on 24 August 1791. It established a distinguishing dress for the officers who would command ships of the Federal Navy. The instruction did not prescribe a uniform for enlisted men, although some degree of uniformity existed in practice. The customary dress of a seaman consisted of a short jacket, shirt, vest, long trousers, and a black low-crowned hat (Navy Uniform History, 2010).

Origins of the Fouled Anchor and Naval Insignia

The fouled anchor as a naval insignia traces its origins to the seal of Lord Howard of Effingham, who served as Lord Admiral of England at the time of the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. During that period, the personal seal of a grand officer of state was accepted as the seal of his office. When that office became part of the current Board of Admiralty, the seal was retained on buttons, official seals, and cap badges. The U.S. Navy's adoption of this symbol and many other customs can be directly credited to the influence of British naval tradition, and the fouled anchor is among them (Navy Uniform History, 2010).

Introduction and Evolution of Khaki in the Navy

The khaki uniform was first put to use in 1845 in India, where British soldiers saturated white uniforms in mud, coffee, and curry powder in order to blend in with the landscape. Khakis first appeared in the U.S. Navy in 1912, when they were worn by naval aviators, and were approved for submarine crews in 1931. In 1941, the Navy approved khakis for on-post wear by senior officers, and soon after Pearl Harbor, chiefs and officers were authorized to wear khakis ashore on liberty (Navy Uniform History, 2010).

In 1913, high laced shoes of tan leather first appeared in Uniform Regulations and were authorized for wear by aviators with khakis. The color was changed to russet brown in 1922. Uniforms limited to the aviation community were abolished in the 1920s and then reinstated in the 1930s. The official color of aviators' shoes has alternated between brown and black ever since (Navy Uniform History, 2010).

Rating Badges, Rank Insignia, and Sleeve Markings

Officer stars were first approved on line officers' uniforms in January 1864. All regulations since 1873 have specified that one ray of the star would point downward toward the gold stripe on the sleeve. The reason for this requirement is not recorded. CPO stars were introduced with the creation of the Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) and Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) ratings. The logic for pointing one ray downward is similarly unrecorded, though indications suggest it followed the line officers' standard. Stripes and stars appeared on jumper uniforms in January 1876, when Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce proposed a collar bearing stars and stripes as an alternative to the plain collar used on seamen's frocks. Three stripes on the collar were proposed for all grades, with stripes on the cuffs indicating specific grade (Navy Uniform History, 2010).

In 1841, insignia known as distinguishing marks were first approved as part of the official uniform. An eagle and anchor emblem — the precursor of the rating badge — was the first such mark. Rating badges were formally established in 1886, and approximately fifteen specialty marks were created to cover the various ratings. In April 1893, petty officers were reclassified and the rank of chief petty officer was established. Until 1949, rating badges were worn on either the right or left sleeve depending on whether the wearer was assigned to the starboard or port watch. Since February 1948, all distinguishing marks have been worn on the left sleeve between the shoulder and elbow (Navy Uniform History, 2010).