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Rate and Rank Structure of the U.S. Naval and Maritime Services

This table is a comparative listing of the enlisted rates and officer ranks of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Merchant Marine that was in effect at the end of 1945.  A separate page, showing pay and allowances for each rate and rank is also available.

View Pay and Allowances

Enlisted Rate Structure

NAVY MARINE CORPS COAST GUARD MERCHANT MARINE
       
NO INSIGNIA NO INSIGNIA
APPRENTICE PRIVATE APPRENTICE APPRENTICE
SEAMAN GRADE 7 SEAMAN SEAMAN
GRADE 7 GRADE 7 GRADE 7
     
STEWARD'S MATE STEWARD'S MATE STEWARD'S MATE
THIRD CLASS THIRD CLASS THIRD CLASS
GRADE 7 GRADE 7 GRADE 7
       
       
NO INSIGNIA
SEAMAN PRIVATE SEAMAN SEAMEN
SECOND CLASS FIRST CLASS SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 6 GRADE 6 GRADE 6 GRADE 6
     
FIREMAN FIREMAN FIREMAN
SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 6 GRADE 6 GRADE 6
     
HOSPITAL HOSPITAL HOSPITAL
APPRENTICE APPRENTICE APPRENTICE
SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 6 GRADE 6 GRADE 6
     
BUGLER BUGLER STEWARD'S MATE
SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 6 GRADE 6 GRADE 6
     
STEWARD'S MATE STEWARD'S MATE  
SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 6 GRADE 6
       
       
NO INSIGNIA
SEAMAN CORPORAL SEAMAN SEAMAN
FIRST CLASS GRADE 5 FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 5 GRADE 5 GRADE 5
     
FIREMAN FIREMAN FIREMAN
FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 5 GRADE 5 GRADE 5
     
HOSPITAL HOSPITAL HOSPITAL
APPRENTICE APPRENTICE APPRENTICE
FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 5 GRADE 5 GRADE 5
     
BUGLER BUGLER STEWARD'S MATE
FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 5 GRADE 5 GRADE 5
     
STEWARD'S MATE STEWARD'S MATE  
FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 5 GRADE 5
       
       
PETTY OFFICER SERGEANT PETTY OFFICER PETTY OFFICER
THIRD CLASS GRADE 4 THIRD CLASS THIRD CLASS
GRADE 4 GRADE 4 GRADE 4
     
 
STEWARD STEWARD
THIRD CLASS THIRD CLASS
GRADE 4 GRADE 4
   
COOK COOK
THIRD CLASS THIRD CLASS
GRADE 4 GRADE 4
       
       
PETTY OFFICER PLATOON SERGEANT PETTY OFFICER PETTY OFFICER
SECOND CLASS GRADE 3 SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 3 GRADE 3 GRADE 3
       
 
STEWARD STAFF SERGEANT STEWARD
SECOND CLASS GRADE 3 SECOND CLASS
GRADE  3 GRADE  3
   
COOK COOK
SECOND CLASS SECOND CLASS
GRADE 3 GRADE 3
       
       
PETTY OFFICER GUNNERY SERGEANT PETTY OFFICER PETTY OFFICER
FIRST CLASS GRADE 2 FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 2 GRADE 2 GRADE 2
       
 
STEWARD TECHNICAL SERGEANT STEWARD
FIRST CLASS GRADE 2 FIRST CLASS
GRADE 2 GRADE 2
   
COOK COOK
FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS
GRADE 2 GRADE 2
       
       
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER SERGEANT MAJOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER
GRADE 1 GRADE 1 GRADE 1 GRADE 1
       
 
CHIEF  STEWARD FIRST SERGEANT CHIEF STEWARD
GRADE 1 GRADE 1 GRADE 1
     
CHIEF  COOK CHIEF  COOK
GRADE 1 GRADE 1
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
  MASTER TECHNICAL  
SERGEANT
GRADE 1
       

Officer Rank Structure

NAVY MARINE CORPS COAST GUARD MERCHANT MARINE
       
WARRANT WARRANT WARRANT WARRANT
OFFICER OFFICER OFFICER OFFICER
       
       
CHIEF COMMISSIONED CHIEF CHIEF
WARRANT OFFICER WARRANT OFFICER WARRANT OFFICER WARRANT OFFICER
       
       
ENSIGN SECOND ENSIGN ENSIGN
- LIEUTENANT - -
       
       
LIEUTENANT FIRST LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT
JUNIOR GRADE LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE JUNIOR GRADE
       
       
LIEUTENANT CAPTAIN LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT
- - - -
       
       
LIEUTENANT MAJOR LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER - COMMANDER COMMANDER
       
       
COMMANDER LIEUTENANT COMMANDER COMMANDER
- COLONEL - -
       
       
CAPTAIN COLONEL CAPTAIN CAPTAIN
- - - -
       
       
COMMODORE BRIGADIER COMMODORE COMMODORE
- GENERAL - -
       
       
NO CORRESPONDING RANK
REAR MAJOR REAR
ADMIRAL GENERAL ADMIRAL
       
       
NO CORRESPONDING RANK
VICE LIEUTENANT VICE
ADMIRAL GENERAL ADMIRAL
       
       
NO CORRESPONDING RANK
ADMIRAL GENERAL ADMIRAL
- - -
       
       
NO CORRESPONDING RANK NO CORRESPONDING RANK NO CORRESPONDING RANK
FLEET
ADMIRAL