Regulator marking mystery

[8dust]

Indeed.
I have a much higher res. copy of the photo and his uniform shows the name "P. Topside."

I made this up a while back for my wall of diving photo stuff.



Sorry if the post is starting to stray a bit, but it's 4 years old, and this isn't too far off the subject. Good eye on the name, Sitka.

[jiguad]

The man in the middle right side with the hard hat is P. Topside, indeed! About the ranks, what I see is a colonel rank on his wright collar and on his left collar I see a Major rank, what is totally impossible. Moreover both these ranks are USAF???
I could send you this photo if you want, the definition is pretty god! I was sure it was from LIFE website, but my memory sounds bad. I will correct the legend, thanks!

[jiguad]

Oops, I've haven't seen your answer below 8dust, sorry!

[luis]

The man in the middle right side with the hard hat is P. Topside, indeed! About the ranks, what I see is a colonel rank on his wright collar and on his left collar I see a Major rank, what is totally impossible. Moreover both these ranks are USAF???
I could send you this photo if you want, the definition is pretty god! I was sure it was from LIFE website, but my memory sounds bad. I will correct the legend, thanks!

Captain George F. Bond (Papa Topside) was in the US Navy medical staff core (not USAF).
Therefore his rank insignia would be an eagle on his right collar (the eagle is always silver).

On his left collar he would have worn a gold oak-leaf with an acorn that represents the medical staff core. From the distance it would look like an 04 rank (Lt Commander in the Navy, Major for all the other branches).

Note: In the US all the military branches use basically the same insignias, but not the same titles. A Colonel in all the other branches is a Captain in the Navy (06).

A Captain in all the other branches is a Lieutenant in the Navy.

It is kind of confusing, but IMO, I think that is by design.
(just kidding)

[captain]

http://www.defense.gov/about/insignias/

[jiguad]

I didn't know this O4 rank with an acorn inside. And I've totally forget that the O6 existed in the Navy, my mistake... Thanks! But to see both these ranks in a same shirt stay confused for me. Does that mean that the oak leaf with the corn became a staff insignia in this case and not an O4 anymore?

[jiguad]

http://www.defense.gov/about/insignias/

Thanks Captain! My charts came from the same source.

[luis]

I didn't know this O4 rank with an acorn inside. And I've totally forget that the O6 existed in the Navy, my mistake... Thanks! But to see both these ranks in a same shirt stay confused for me. Does that mean that the oak leaf with the corn became a staff insignia in this case and not an O4 anymore?

George F. Bond rank was a Captain (US Navy) in that picture and that is shown on his right collar with the eagle.

On his left collar the insignia does not represent a rank, it is not a rank insignia. It is a specialty insignia that tells that he is a part of the medical corps.

Take a look at this link:
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ranks/offi ... staff.html

At the top of the web site it explains how the specialty insignia's are worn.

You can see what the medical corps insignia looks like. You can also see what the insignia for the Civil Engineer, Supply, Chaplain look like.

The Medical Corps insignia's have an oak leaf, therefore from the distance they may look similar to a Lieutenant Commander insignia (US Navy), but when you at them closer you can tell that they are not the same insignia.

The medical corps insignia's (and all the other specialty insignia's) are the same no matter what the rank of that person is at that time.

[captain]

There is distinction although some what blurred between Naval staff and line officers. Generally staff officers have specific functions such as doctor, chaplin, Judge Advocate General Corp (lawyer) and are not qualified to assume command of a ship, base or other tactical or strategic operational unit but in some situation they can. Their collar emblems are one for rank and one for their specialty.
Line officers are those qualified to assume command of a ship, base or other tactical or strategic operational unit and their collar emblems only indicate rank.

[21]

[quote="captain"]
There is distinction although some what blurred between Naval staff and line officers. Generally staff officers have specific functions such as doctor, chaplin, Judge Advocate General Corp (lawyer) and are not qualified to assume command of a ship, base or other tactical or strategic operational unit but in some situation they can. Their collar emblems are one for rank and one for their specialty.
Line officers are those qualified to assume command of a ship, base or other tactical or strategic operational unit and their collar emblems only indicate rank.[/quote]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That is very interesting information.
I never did (and probably never will)comprehend the US Navy insignia, but now have a better understanding.

Several months ago I was at a civic meeting and during the break we sat around the table discussing our military service. One fellow, who had joined our group stated he was in USAF during Korean war and described where he was stationed and what squadron he was in. I said son of a gun! I was stationed there and in that squadron. He looked at me and my name tag and replied "I just realized that you were Captain Miller my commanding officer"- small world!

We are now close friends and socialize often...
SDM

[captain]

It gets even more confusing when you go into unrestricted line officers and restricted line officers. Joe Strickland may be able to provide more insight as he is a Navy Captain. Things may have changed a bit since I was in.

[jiguad]

Thanks everybody for all these precious additions! I didn't know all these service branches showed in your link, Luis. Now, I'm more learned about the subject!

21, I really like your story! Sometimes world is very small especially when you move all over the world!