Women's Reserve of the US Naval Reserve
(WAVES)
III. Uniforms
Insignia
Medals and Ribbons
Service and Dress Uniform
Work Attire
Miscellaneous
Dress Regulations
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Insignia
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Cap Devices
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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
Left Side: Navy Officer's Cap Device
Right Side: Miniature Officer's Cap Device
...... WAVES officers wore the commissioned officer's Navy cap device on their service hat.
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A miniature cap device was worn on the left front of the garrison cap while a miniature pin-on rank was worn on the right front of the garrison cap.
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Chief Petty Officers (CPOs) had a special cap device which consisted of a fouled anchor in gold color metal with the letters USN in silver color metal superimposed.

A miniature version of this cap device was worn on the left front of the garrison cap.

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Chief Petty Officer's
Cap Device
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Enlisted WAVES
Pin-on Cap Insignia
...... All other enlisted WAVES wore a black band with "U.S. NAVY" in golden letters on their service cap.

A felt jacket device (as shown below) could be worn as cap device on the left front of the garrison cap.

In March 1945, a metal pin-on insignia was approved for wear on the garrison cap (as shown in the picture on the left). It resembled the WAVES jacket device, but with a gold color metal fouled anchor and a silver color metal propeller. 

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Jacket Devices
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The jacket device of the Women's Reserve consisted of a 3-bladed propeller with a fouled anchor superimposed. There where two types of devices varying in their color. The device with a white anchor and reserve blue propeller on a black background was worn with the navy blue service jacket. The other type of device had a reserve blue anchor and navy blue propeller on white background and was worn with the white service jacket or gray working uniform. This type existed as round patchand as cut-out version. While the cut-out patch was worn on the white service jacket and the gray working uniform jacket, the round patch was usually used with the white service jacket only.
 

Jacket device for
navy blue service jacket
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Jacket device for white service jacket 
and gray working uniform jacket
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Jacket device for 
white service jacket
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The jacket device was worn in the center of each rounded end of the jacket collar, except that it was worn on the lapel of the working uniform jacket.
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Buttons
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Enlisted personnel wore navy blue plastic buttons on all service jackets. Since 28 December 1944, the wearing of gilt buttons, instead of blue plastic buttons by Chief Petty Officers on blue and white service jackets was approved.

WAVES officers wore the navy blue plastic buttons on the gray working uniform only. Otherwise, they wore gilt buttons on their service uniforms.

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Rank Insignia

Enlisted WAVES Rank Insignia

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The rating of enlisted WAVES was indicated by rating badges worn on the upper left sleeve half-way between shoulder and elbow and midway between front and back creases. The rating badges of WAVES were slightly smaller than those for men.
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Copyright by BLITZKIREGBABY

1st Class
Seaman patch

.v WAVES with the rating of Apprentice (or 3rd Class) Seaman wore a single diagonal white stripe (on blue uniform) or navy blue stripe (on white and gray uniform).
WAVES with the rating of 2nd Class Seaman wore two diagonal white stripes (on blue uniform) or navy blue stripes (on white and gray uniform).
WAVES with the rating of 1st Class Seaman wore three diagonal white stripes (on blue uniform) or navy blue stripes (on white and gray uniform).
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The rating badges of Petty Officers consisted of an eagle, specialty mark and chevrons.

The eagles and specialty marks were embroidered in white on blue backgrounds for blue uniforms. 

On all other uniforms, the eagles and specialty marks were navy blue on a background corresponding to the uniform color.

The chevrons were scarlet for the blue uniforms and black for all other uniforms. 

.. Picture Source: American Women in Uniform by Mary Steel Ross, 1943
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Copyright by BLITZKIREGBABY
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Specialty and Distinguishing Marks

Specialist ratings were worn as part of the rating badge by women enlisted for special service. Specialty Marks were an indication of skill attained in a particular field. While Distinguishing Marks were also an indication of skill, they were never worn as part of the rating badge. It was possible to earn a Distinguishing Mark without having advanced beyond the non-rating badge. Several of the Specialty Marks and Distinguishing Marks were identical in design. 

The table below shows a couple of Specialty Marks 
(some of these were also used as Distinguishing Marks).
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Picture Source: All-Service Identification Guide by Illinois Commercial Men's Association, ca. 1943-44
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WAVES Officer's Rank and Corps Insignia

Sleeve stripes indicated the rank of officer's on jackets. Instead of golden sleeve stripes, WAVES officers wore blue stripes on their jackets (navy blue stripes on white and gray uniforms and reserve blue on blue uniforms). This difference to male officer's uniforms should point out their status as reserve. 
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Ranks from left to right:
Ensign - 1 1/2 inch stripe
Lt. (Junior Grade) - 1 1/2 and 1/4 inch stripe
Lieutenant - 2 1/2 stripe
Lt. Commander - 2 1/2 and 1/4 inch stripe
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Picture Source: American Women in Uniform by Mary Steel Ross, 1943
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Sleeve stripes of W-V(S) officer
in rank of Lt. Junior Grade
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Sleeve Stripe of W-V(S) officer
in rank of Ensign

Above the sleeve stripes, WAVES officers of designated corps wore special staff insignia. They indicated that the wearer has had particular training in a certain field. The corps insignia of male Navy officers were adopted, but embroidered in different colors. Instead of gold and silver, WAVES corps devices could have the colors navy blue, reserve blue and white.
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Male Navy Officer's Corps Devices 
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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY .. Detail showing officer's sleeve stripe
of an Ensign with medical corps insigne
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A gold embroidered star above the sleeve braids indicated Line officers in the Navy who didn't belong to a special corps. Line officers were qualified for command of ships or aircraft in any fighting capacity. 
Since 15 October 1944, WAVE officers who didn't belong to a special corps (classified as W-V(S) ) were authorized to wear such a star above the sleeve braid on their uniform jackets, but it was colored blue and had the lower ray pointed downwards. The wear of this star was required for all W-V(S) officers after 15 November 1944. 
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The following classifications for WAVE officers were in used until September 1944: 
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W-V(S) Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for emergency duties.
W-V(S) (CEC)  Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Civil Engineering Corps of the Navy.
W-V(S) (DC) Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Dental Corps of the Navy. 
W-V(S) (H) Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Hospital Corps of the Navy.
W-V(S) (MC) Commissioned officers of the Women's Reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Medical Corps of the Navy.
W-V(S) (SC) Commissioned officers of the Women's reserve appointed for duties in connection with the Supply Corps of the Navy. 
 The "W " signified "Women", "V" "Volunteer"
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These classifications were abolished in September 1944 and officers were assigned the new
  classification for which best qualified. After September 1944, the new classifications were simply W(A) etc. These are some examples:
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W(A) US Naval Reserve officer designation for Women's Reserve, Aviation Nonflying Duties
W(C) US Naval Reserve officer designation for Women's Reserve, Communications Duties
W(E) US Naval Reserve officer designation for Women's Reserve, Engineering Duties
W(I) US Naval Reserve officer designation for Women's Reserve, Intelligence Duties
W(L)  US Naval Reserve officer designation for Women's Reserve, Legal Duties
W(O) US Naval Reserve officer designation for Women's Reserve, Ordnance Duties
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... Staff officers wore the pin-on ranks on the right side of the collar and the corps device on the left side.

Left: Pin-on rank of Ensign
Right: Medical Corps Device

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All other officers wore pin-on ranks on both sides of the collar on the working dress and on shirts if the jacket was removed. 

A pin-on rank was also worn on the right side of the garrison cap by all officers.

.v Picture Source: A Guide to US Navy Insignia by Thomas Penfield, 1942, p.13-14
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Picture Source: Guide Right by Mary Virginia Harris,1944, p.25
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Service Stripes
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.v One service stripe sewn to the lower left sleeve indicated 4 years of active service. The lower edge of the stripe should not be less than two inches from the bottom edge of sleeve. 

The stripes were scarlet on blue uniforms and navy blue on white and gray uniforms.

Since the WAVES started their service in 1942, there were no service stripes worn by WAVES during wartime.

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continue to:
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Insignia
Medals and Ribbons
Service and Dress Uniform
Work Attire
Miscellaneous
Dress Regulations
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[ I. Development ]..[ II. Facts about the WAVES ]..[ III. Uniforms ]..[ IV. Sources ]
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