Ensign (Maritime History Series) Traditional Cache

ENSIGN

THE NAME GIVEN THE NAVY’S JUNIOR-MOST OFFICER DATES TO MEDEVIAL TIMES. LORDS HONORED THEIR SQUIRES BY ALLOWING THEM TO CARRY THE ENSIGN (BANNER) INTO BATTLE. LATER THESE SQUIRES BECAME KNOWN BY THE NAME OF THE BANNER ITSELF. IN THE U.S. ARMY THE LOWEST RANKING OFFICER WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED “ENSIGN” BECAUSE HE, LIKE THE SQUIRE OF OLD, WOULD ONE DAY LEAD TROOPS INTO BATTLE AND WAS TRAINING TO THAT END. IT IS STILL THE LOWEST COMMISSIONED RANK IN THE BRITISH ARMY TODAY. WHEN THE U.S. NAVY WAS ESTABLISHED, THE AMERICANS CARRIED ON THE TRADITION AND ADAPTED THE RANK OF ENSIGN AS THE TITLE FOR ITS JUNIOR COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.