The long evolution of the NOAA Corps uniform

106 years of the NOAA Corps uniform, shown in photos

May 22, 2023

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The uniform and insignia of the NOAA Corps have a long history, dating back to before there was even a commissioned corps. Over the past two centuries, they have evolved, while retaining their historical roots.

NOAA Corps Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) 134 poses for their class photo. They all wear the NOAA Corps dress whites. — NOAA Corps Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) 134 poses for their class photo. (Image credit: NOAA)

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World War I
The U.S. government had a problem in the Civil War and beginning of World War I. Survey ship staff were in danger of being treated as spies if captured in a war zone because they were not in uniform. The U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Commissioned Corps was formed in 1917 to give them the same protections that a military officer would have during war time.

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1807-1898

Left image: U.S. Coast Survey emblem featuring an eagle perched on a globe with a yellow background and red border, 19th century. Right image: Black and white photos of U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey surveyors (seated) and Army personnel (standing) in front of a tent during the Civil War, 1862. — Left image: U.S. Coast Survey emblem featuring an eagle perched on a globe, 19th century. Right image: U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey surveyors (seated) and Army personnel (standing) during the Civil War, 1862. (Image credit: Public Domain)

The early U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) was identified as a government agency by their symbol – an American eagle on a globe. The symbol was originally placed on charts and publications but later became a uniform insignia. USC&GS staff served alongside uniformed Army and Navy personnel, but as non-uniformed civilians, they could have been considered spies if captured in wartime.

1899

Left image: A black and white photo of Capt. John Ross, seated center, and the officers of USC&GSS Pathfinder, wearing the first USC&GS uniforms. Right image : The US Coast and Geodetic Survey flag, blue with a red triangle on a white disk. — Left image: Capt. John Ross, seated center, and the officers of USC&GSS Pathfinder, wearing the first USC&GS uniforms, c.1899. Right image : The US Coast and Geodetic Survey was authorized a distinguishing flag, blue with a red triangle on a white disk, on January 16, 1899. (Image credit: Public Domain)
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When Navy officers were removed from USC&GS service in 1899, survey personnel began wearing blue uniforms with the triangle in a circle taken from their official flag on their caps and collars. The only version of the uniform at the time was “service dress,” a high-collared blue uniform with elaborate braid, which is more formal than contemporary working uniforms.

1901

In addition to blue and white uniforms, the survey adopted a less formal khaki field uniform in 1901 for work in small boats and rough country ashore. Khaki uniforms are still worn by NOAA Corps officers today, although they look very different from the ones pictured here.

1914

Black and white photo of Captain W.W. Ferguson, commanding officer of the USC&GS Ship Matchless, standing by the ornate binnacle of his ship. — Captain W.W. Ferguson, commanding officer of the USC&GS Ship Matchless, standing by the ornate binnacle of his ship, 1914. (Image credit: Public Domain)
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By 1914, the USC&GS added gold rank stripes to uniform cuffs to indicate a surveyor’s position. However, they were still not a commissioned corps, and these stripes did not match Naval ranking practices.

1917

Black and white photo of H.A. Cotton standing on a ship's deck. His uniform features the USC&GS eagle on globe cap insignia and triangle on disc corps insignia, while the Navy-pattern bars on his collar and stripes on his cuffs indicate his rank as a lieutenant. — H.A. Cotton’s uniform features the USC&GS eagle on globe cap insignia and triangle on disc corps insignia, while the Navy-pattern bars on his collar and stripes on his cuffs indicate his rank as a lieutenant. (Image credit: Public Domain)

The USC&GS set up a commissioned corps during WWI and started to align their insignia and ranks to the Navy & Coast Guard. They used their first insignia, the eagle perched on a globe, on caps & buttons. They also added naval style insignia to collars and cuffs to indicate rank.

1921

Black and white photo of Commander Richard Derickson. His cap features the USC&GS eagle and globe cap device and oak leaf and acorn visor embroidery. — Commander Richard Derickson’s cap features the USC&GS eagle and globe cap device and oak leaf and acorn visor embroidery denoting his senior rank. (Image credit: Public Domain)

During World War I, the USC&GS continued to adopt naval uniforms and insignia. In 1920, shoulder boards were added to white and khaki uniforms to denote service and rank. In warmer locales, the white uniform was worn for regular duty. The white uniform is still in use by the NOAA Corps but is reserved for formal functions.

1926

Black and white photo of Ensigns Raymond M. Stone and Norman Porter on deck of the USC&GS Ship Lydonia, Norfolk, Virginia, February 14, 1942. — Ensigns Raymond M. Stone and Norman Porter on deck of the USC&GS Ship Lydonia, Norfolk, Virginia, February 14, 1942. (Image credit: Public Domain)

In 1926, the Corps introduced double-breasted navy blue uniform coats, worn with a white shirt and black tie. These service dress blues are very similar to what they wear today. Though not exactly the same cut, this uniform would not look out of place among NOAA Corps officers today.

1943

Black and white photo of Lieutenant Marvin Paulson, USC&GS, wearing the gray working uniform while serving aboard USS Surveyor. — Lieutenant Marvin Paulson, USC&GS, wearing the gray working uniform while serving aboard USS Surveyor, 1944. (Image credit: Public Domain)

During WWII, the Corps continued to follow Navy uniform regulations and replaced khaki working uniforms with gray uniforms, intended to provide better camouflage aboard ships. However, the gray uniforms were not popular in the Navy, partially due to tradition and the fact that officers already had the khakis. The Navy phased out the gray uniforms a few years later in favor of the earlier khaki version and the USC&GS followed suit.

1972

Ensigns Karen O'Donnell (left) and Evelyn Fields (second from left), and two other NOAA Corps officers aboard the NOAA Ship Mount Mitchell in 1974. O'Donnell and Fields wear the white pin cord uniforms with blue piping. — Ensigns Karen O'Donnell (left) and Evelyn Fields (second from left), and two other NOAA Corps officers aboard the NOAA Ship Mount Mitchell in 1974. (Image credit: NOAA)
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The service’s uniforms didn’t change much again until women joined the NOAA Corps in 1972. They wore Navy uniforms with NOAA insignia and buttons. However there were no suitable uniforms for them to wear at sea, and they were forced to wear skirts and high heeled shoes (following Navy regulation). Women also didn’t have khakis yet. Instead, their working uniforms were made of blue and white striped “pin cord” fabric with blue piping. At first, women weren’t allowed to wear earrings. When the NOAA Corps decided to let them wear small studs, their women officers were sometimes stopped on Naval bases for being out of uniform. NOAA Corps officials had to explain to the Naval officers that this was acceptable for their women officers.

2008

Photo of NOAA Corps officers in the blue Operational Duty Uniform. Note the “NOAA CORPS” patches worn above their left pockets. — NOAA Corps officers in the blue Operational Duty Uniform. Note the “NOAA CORPS” patches worn above their left pockets. (Image credit: NOAA)
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In 2008, the NOAA Corps changed their Operational Duty Uniform (ODU) to mirror the Coast Guard’s, rather than the Navy’s. This uniform is worn when working aboard ship, and the khakis that until 2008 had been worn aboard ship are now usually seen in the office.

Today

Today, NOAA Corps officers have their blue Coast Guard-inspired ODUs, khakis, dress blues, and dress whites. The uniforms and insignia of the NOAA Corps and its predecessors may have changed with the times, but they remain symbols of the Corps’ honor, respect, and commitment to serving the nation and NOAA.