This is a list of every rank used by the
United States Army, with dates showing each rank's beginning and end.
Ranks used to the end of the
Revolutionary War are shown as ending on June 2, 1784. This is the date that the
Continental Army was ordered to be demobilized;[1] actual demobilization took until June 20.
Enlisted Men of Ordnance: May 14, 1812[143] - July 5, 1862[144]
Ensign: July 18, 1775[145] - June 2, 1784, June 3, 1784 - March 3, 1799,[146] March 16, 1802[147] - March 3, 1815[148]
F
Farrier: March 14, 1777[10] - June 2, 1784, March 3, 1792[12] - March 16, 1802,[149] April 12, 1808[150] - March 3, 1815,[53] March 23, 1910 [151]- July 1, 1920[152]
Regimental Supply Sergeant: June 3, 1916 [300]- July 1, 1920[303]
Riding Master: March 14, 1777 [304]- June 2, 1784, April 12, 1808 [290]- March 3, 1815[273]
S
Saddler: March 14, 1777[304] - June 2, 1784, March 5, 1792[12] - March 16, 1802,[94] April 12, 1808[290] - March 3, 1815,[53] July 29, 1861[105] - July 1, 1920 [305]
Saddler Sergeant: July 29, 1861[105] - March 2, 1899[134]
^
abHeitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 242.
^39 Stat. 166, Principal Musicians became Assistant Band Leaders
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, The Assistant Band Leader at West Point became a Master Sergeant, and all others Staff Sergeants.
^AEF General Order 14, July 15, 1917. Rank created under executive authority granted on May 18, 1917 40 Stat 76.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920 End of World War I ranks. Proposed legislation in 1918 to make Assistant Chauffeur a regular rank in the army did not pass
^39 Stat. 166, Chief Musicians became Band Leaders
^
abHeitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 365.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 102.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 109.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 129.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 138.
^55 Stat. 651. The Mine Planter Service positions of Master and Chief Engineer were classified as Chief Warrant Officers. Chief Warrant Officers became Chief Warrant Officers 2, 3, 4 and eventually 5.
^16 Stat 315 rank not included in law. The 1874 Army Register’s table of organization states that Company Quartermaster Sergeants were eliminated by not being included in an act of March 15, 1872, but the law is dated in May.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Cooks became Specialists Fourth Class
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 246. Earliest appointment of a Cornet in book.
^1 Stat. 750, Cornets converted to Second Lieutenants.
^2 Stat 482, Dragoon troops to contain both Second Lieutenants and Cornets.
^3 Stat. 224, Cornets abolished along with the Dragoon Regiments.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 328. John Pierce promoted to Paymaster General.
^27 Stat. 276, Assistant Medical Purveyors and Surgeons equivalent to Lieutenant Colonels became Deputy Surgeons General
^35 Stat. 67, Assistant Surgeons General became Lieutenant Colonels
^44 Stat. 328, Field Clerks became Warrant Officers
^Continental Congress 1787 33:603, Fifers became Musicians
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Firemen became Specialists First Class
^1 Stat. 749 “First” used to differentiate from Second Lieutenants
^5 Stat. 258 is the first mention of First Sergeants in law. The position, if not the rank, may have existed since the 1770s. They were mentioned in the 1832 Uniform Regulations.
^41 Stat. 283, Rank had been first created for George Washington in 1799 (1 Stat. 752) but he never took the office.
^Official Army Register,January 1, 1924, p. 772, Pershing retired on this date. He remained a General of the Armies on the Retired List until his death on July 15, 1948. George Washington was posthumously promoted to General of the Armies on July 4, 1976 (90 Stat. 2078)
^Continental Congress 1776 5:645 The Judge Advocate was made a Lieutenant Colonel.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 258. New Judge Advocate appointed, no evidence he held other rank.
^Continental Congress 1780 22:314, the Judge Advocate resigned, his replacements appear to have been taken from regiments.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Regimental Sergeants Major, Sergeants Major Senior Grade, Quartermaster Sergeants Senior Grade, Master Hospital Sergeants, Master Engineers Senior Grade, Master Electricians, Master Signal Electricians, Engineers, Regimental Supply Sergeants, a quarter of Ordnance Sergeants, half of the Master Gunners, Band Sergeants in the West Point Band and The Assistant Leader of the West Point Band became Master Sergeants.
^FRANCIS B. HEITMAN.,HISTORICAL REGISTER AND DICTIONARY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, Vol. 1, Washington: GPO, 1903, p. 648, Discharge date of the last Medical Inspector.
^FRANCIS B. HEITMAN.,HISTORICAL REGISTER AND DICTIONARY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, Vol. 1, Washington: GPO, 1903, p. 713, Discharge date of the Medical Inspector General Madison Mills.
^2 Stat. 85. Law allowed unneeded officers to be discharged. The Physician General left the army on June 15, 1800.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 104. Resignation of last Physician General of Hospitals William Brown
^Mages, Robert M., Sergeants Major of the Army. Center for Military History, 1995, p. 80 states that Commander Sergeant Major and Staff Sergeant Major were Created at the same time. Sergeants Major not the senior enlisted advisor of a unit became Staff Sergeants Major, those who were Command Sergeants Major.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920,Chauffeurs, Chauffeurs First Class, Musicians First Class not at West Point, Saddlers, Assistant Stewards, Mechanics and Wagoners became Specialists Fifth Class.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Musicians First Class in the West Point Band became Specialists First Class.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists First Class became Technicians Grade 4.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Chief Mechanics, Horseshoers, Cooks, Musicians Second Class not in the West Point band, Musicians Third Class in the West Point became Specialists Fourth Class.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists Fourth Class became Technicians Grade 5.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists Second Class became Technicians Grade 4.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Buglers and Buglers First Class became Specialists Sixth Class.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Stewards, Firemen, Musicians First Class that were not in the West Point Band and Musicians Second Class that were in the West Point Band became Specialists Third Class.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists Third Class became Technicians Grade 4 or 5.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Squadron Sergeants Major became Staff Sergeants.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Stable Sergeants became Sergeants.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Squadron Sergeants Major, Battalion Sergeants Major, Battalion Supply Sergeants, Sergeants Major Junior Grade, Sergeants First Class, half of Master Gunners, Assistant Band Leaders not at West Point, Sergeant Buglers, Electrician Sergeants, Radio Sergeants, Color Sergeants and Sergeants in the West Point Band became Staff Sergeants.
^Department of the Army Circular No. 202, July 7, 1948, Staff Sergeants became Sergeants.
^Mages, Robert M., Sergeants Major of the Army. Center for Military History, 1995, p. 80 states that Commander Sergeant Major and Staff Sergeant Major were Created at the same time. Sergeants Major not the senior enlisted advisor of a unit became Staff Sergeants Major.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Stewards became Specialists Third Class
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Supply Sergeants became Sergeants.
^2 Stat. 482, Teachers of Music became Principal Musicians
^9 Stat. 304, law creating Teamsters was repealed.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Hospital Sergeants, Master Engineers Junior Grade, three quarters of Ordnance Sergeants, Electrician Sergeants First Class, Assistant Engineers and Quartermaster Sergeant and Electrician Sergeants from the Artillery School and West Point became Technical Sergeants.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists First, Second and some Third Class became Technicians Grade 4.
^Department of the Army Circular No. 202, July 7, 1948, Technicians Grade 3 became Sergeants.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. some Specialists Third Class and Specialists Fourth Class became Technicians Grade 5.
^Department of the Army Circular No. 202, July 7, 1948, Technicians Grade 4 became Corporals.
^14 Stat. 335. The law added a Veterinary Surgeon to each regiment but they were civilians. The Veterinary Surgeons authorized by the 1863 law continued on the Table’s of Organization until 1871 or 1872. It is possible that appointments of Veterinary Surgeons after 1866 were as civilians and the non civilian Veterinary Surgeons disappeared by attrition.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Wagoners became Specialists Fifth Class.
^40 Stat. 881. Masters, Chief Engineers, First Mates, Second Mates and Assistant Engineers in the Mine Planter Service were classified as Warrant Officers.
^55 Stat. 651. Warrant Officers were splint into Chief Warrant Officers and Warrant Officers Junior Grade. Mine planter Masters and Chief Engineers became Chief Warrant Officers and the others Warrant Officers Junior Grade.
^55 Stat. 651. Warrant Officers were splint into Chief Warrant Officers and Warrant Officers Junior Grade. Mine planter First Mates, Second Mates, Assistant Engineers and the new position of Second Assistant Engineer were Classified as Warrant Officers Junior Grade.
This is a list of every rank used by the
United States Army, with dates showing each rank's beginning and end.
Ranks used to the end of the
Revolutionary War are shown as ending on June 2, 1784. This is the date that the
Continental Army was ordered to be demobilized;[1] actual demobilization took until June 20.
Enlisted Men of Ordnance: May 14, 1812[143] - July 5, 1862[144]
Ensign: July 18, 1775[145] - June 2, 1784, June 3, 1784 - March 3, 1799,[146] March 16, 1802[147] - March 3, 1815[148]
F
Farrier: March 14, 1777[10] - June 2, 1784, March 3, 1792[12] - March 16, 1802,[149] April 12, 1808[150] - March 3, 1815,[53] March 23, 1910 [151]- July 1, 1920[152]
Regimental Supply Sergeant: June 3, 1916 [300]- July 1, 1920[303]
Riding Master: March 14, 1777 [304]- June 2, 1784, April 12, 1808 [290]- March 3, 1815[273]
S
Saddler: March 14, 1777[304] - June 2, 1784, March 5, 1792[12] - March 16, 1802,[94] April 12, 1808[290] - March 3, 1815,[53] July 29, 1861[105] - July 1, 1920 [305]
Saddler Sergeant: July 29, 1861[105] - March 2, 1899[134]
^
abHeitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 242.
^39 Stat. 166, Principal Musicians became Assistant Band Leaders
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, The Assistant Band Leader at West Point became a Master Sergeant, and all others Staff Sergeants.
^AEF General Order 14, July 15, 1917. Rank created under executive authority granted on May 18, 1917 40 Stat 76.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920 End of World War I ranks. Proposed legislation in 1918 to make Assistant Chauffeur a regular rank in the army did not pass
^39 Stat. 166, Chief Musicians became Band Leaders
^
abHeitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 365.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 102.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 109.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 129.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 138.
^55 Stat. 651. The Mine Planter Service positions of Master and Chief Engineer were classified as Chief Warrant Officers. Chief Warrant Officers became Chief Warrant Officers 2, 3, 4 and eventually 5.
^16 Stat 315 rank not included in law. The 1874 Army Register’s table of organization states that Company Quartermaster Sergeants were eliminated by not being included in an act of March 15, 1872, but the law is dated in May.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Cooks became Specialists Fourth Class
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 246. Earliest appointment of a Cornet in book.
^1 Stat. 750, Cornets converted to Second Lieutenants.
^2 Stat 482, Dragoon troops to contain both Second Lieutenants and Cornets.
^3 Stat. 224, Cornets abolished along with the Dragoon Regiments.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 328. John Pierce promoted to Paymaster General.
^27 Stat. 276, Assistant Medical Purveyors and Surgeons equivalent to Lieutenant Colonels became Deputy Surgeons General
^35 Stat. 67, Assistant Surgeons General became Lieutenant Colonels
^44 Stat. 328, Field Clerks became Warrant Officers
^Continental Congress 1787 33:603, Fifers became Musicians
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Firemen became Specialists First Class
^1 Stat. 749 “First” used to differentiate from Second Lieutenants
^5 Stat. 258 is the first mention of First Sergeants in law. The position, if not the rank, may have existed since the 1770s. They were mentioned in the 1832 Uniform Regulations.
^41 Stat. 283, Rank had been first created for George Washington in 1799 (1 Stat. 752) but he never took the office.
^Official Army Register,January 1, 1924, p. 772, Pershing retired on this date. He remained a General of the Armies on the Retired List until his death on July 15, 1948. George Washington was posthumously promoted to General of the Armies on July 4, 1976 (90 Stat. 2078)
^Continental Congress 1776 5:645 The Judge Advocate was made a Lieutenant Colonel.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 258. New Judge Advocate appointed, no evidence he held other rank.
^Continental Congress 1780 22:314, the Judge Advocate resigned, his replacements appear to have been taken from regiments.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Regimental Sergeants Major, Sergeants Major Senior Grade, Quartermaster Sergeants Senior Grade, Master Hospital Sergeants, Master Engineers Senior Grade, Master Electricians, Master Signal Electricians, Engineers, Regimental Supply Sergeants, a quarter of Ordnance Sergeants, half of the Master Gunners, Band Sergeants in the West Point Band and The Assistant Leader of the West Point Band became Master Sergeants.
^FRANCIS B. HEITMAN.,HISTORICAL REGISTER AND DICTIONARY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, Vol. 1, Washington: GPO, 1903, p. 648, Discharge date of the last Medical Inspector.
^FRANCIS B. HEITMAN.,HISTORICAL REGISTER AND DICTIONARY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, Vol. 1, Washington: GPO, 1903, p. 713, Discharge date of the Medical Inspector General Madison Mills.
^2 Stat. 85. Law allowed unneeded officers to be discharged. The Physician General left the army on June 15, 1800.
^Heitman, Francis B, Historical Register of the Continental Army. Washington, Lowdermplk & CO., 1893, Page 104. Resignation of last Physician General of Hospitals William Brown
^Mages, Robert M., Sergeants Major of the Army. Center for Military History, 1995, p. 80 states that Commander Sergeant Major and Staff Sergeant Major were Created at the same time. Sergeants Major not the senior enlisted advisor of a unit became Staff Sergeants Major, those who were Command Sergeants Major.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920,Chauffeurs, Chauffeurs First Class, Musicians First Class not at West Point, Saddlers, Assistant Stewards, Mechanics and Wagoners became Specialists Fifth Class.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Musicians First Class in the West Point Band became Specialists First Class.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists First Class became Technicians Grade 4.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Chief Mechanics, Horseshoers, Cooks, Musicians Second Class not in the West Point band, Musicians Third Class in the West Point became Specialists Fourth Class.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists Fourth Class became Technicians Grade 5.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists Second Class became Technicians Grade 4.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Buglers and Buglers First Class became Specialists Sixth Class.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Stewards, Firemen, Musicians First Class that were not in the West Point Band and Musicians Second Class that were in the West Point Band became Specialists Third Class.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists Third Class became Technicians Grade 4 or 5.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Squadron Sergeants Major became Staff Sergeants.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Stable Sergeants became Sergeants.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Squadron Sergeants Major, Battalion Sergeants Major, Battalion Supply Sergeants, Sergeants Major Junior Grade, Sergeants First Class, half of Master Gunners, Assistant Band Leaders not at West Point, Sergeant Buglers, Electrician Sergeants, Radio Sergeants, Color Sergeants and Sergeants in the West Point Band became Staff Sergeants.
^Department of the Army Circular No. 202, July 7, 1948, Staff Sergeants became Sergeants.
^Mages, Robert M., Sergeants Major of the Army. Center for Military History, 1995, p. 80 states that Commander Sergeant Major and Staff Sergeant Major were Created at the same time. Sergeants Major not the senior enlisted advisor of a unit became Staff Sergeants Major.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Stewards became Specialists Third Class
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Supply Sergeants became Sergeants.
^2 Stat. 482, Teachers of Music became Principal Musicians
^9 Stat. 304, law creating Teamsters was repealed.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Hospital Sergeants, Master Engineers Junior Grade, three quarters of Ordnance Sergeants, Electrician Sergeants First Class, Assistant Engineers and Quartermaster Sergeant and Electrician Sergeants from the Artillery School and West Point became Technical Sergeants.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. Specialists First, Second and some Third Class became Technicians Grade 4.
^Department of the Army Circular No. 202, July 7, 1948, Technicians Grade 3 became Sergeants.
^Army Circular No. 204, June 24, 1942. some Specialists Third Class and Specialists Fourth Class became Technicians Grade 5.
^Department of the Army Circular No. 202, July 7, 1948, Technicians Grade 4 became Corporals.
^14 Stat. 335. The law added a Veterinary Surgeon to each regiment but they were civilians. The Veterinary Surgeons authorized by the 1863 law continued on the Table’s of Organization until 1871 or 1872. It is possible that appointments of Veterinary Surgeons after 1866 were as civilians and the non civilian Veterinary Surgeons disappeared by attrition.
^General Order 36, June 19, 1920, Wagoners became Specialists Fifth Class.
^40 Stat. 881. Masters, Chief Engineers, First Mates, Second Mates and Assistant Engineers in the Mine Planter Service were classified as Warrant Officers.
^55 Stat. 651. Warrant Officers were splint into Chief Warrant Officers and Warrant Officers Junior Grade. Mine planter Masters and Chief Engineers became Chief Warrant Officers and the others Warrant Officers Junior Grade.
^55 Stat. 651. Warrant Officers were splint into Chief Warrant Officers and Warrant Officers Junior Grade. Mine planter First Mates, Second Mates, Assistant Engineers and the new position of Second Assistant Engineer were Classified as Warrant Officers Junior Grade.