Harbor Boat Service & A.T.S. Army Transport Service Uniforms (1898-1944)

[hhbooker2]

In 1898 the Army of the United States fighting in Cuba needed their own ships to provide them supplies and transportation, they created the Harbor Boat Service and the Army Transport Service which in 1944 were merged into the Transportation Corps. The H.B.S. Gunner's Mate for 1899 of three red chevrons and crossed cannon are shown below, they wore this on a modified Navy enlisted uniform. A.T.S. Oiler (1919-1920) had red chevrons with an arc below with a 3-blade screw centered between chevrons and arc. A.T.S. Fireman (1919-1920) wore same with three cherons and no arc below. By the way, these are very hard to find rates. Sarge Booker ([email protected]) Lieutenant Colonel William K. Enerson described these rates in "CHEVRONS."

[hhbooker2]

Boatwain's Mate Army Transportation Service (1930-1946), the chevrons with crossed anchors below. Gunner's Mate A.T.S. (1930-1946), three chevrons with crossed cannons below. Wheelman A.T.S. (1930-1946), three chevrons with ship's steering wheel below.

[hhbooker2]

Oiler A.T.S. (1930-1946) three chevron with ship's screw below. Fireman A.T.S. and Oiler H.B.S. (1930-1946) two chevrons with ship's screw below. Coal Passer A.T.S. and Oiler H.B.S. (1930-1946) one chevron over a ship's screw.

[hhbooker2]

Boatswain's Mate (1930-1946) A.T.S., two chevrons with crossed anchors below. Carpenter's Mate (1930-1946) A.T.S., three chevrons with crossed axes below.

[topdcnut]

Any one know the use of these bullion marks, I think they may be late war and embroidered on wool. They are just like several marks I posted earlier.

 

T/Y John

[wolventm]

Any one know the use of these bullion marks, I think they may be late war and embroidered on wool. They are just like several marks I posted earlier.

 

T/Y John

 

These are Army Transport Lapel Insignia, worn on the lapels of the blue sack coat. They also come in a metal pin on version. I would place these at mid rather than late WWII, as there is a subsequent insgnia (both embroidered on blue wool and metal pin on) with the letters "T.C." which was worn about the time the hat insignia changed to the Navy style officer insignia with the transportation corps insignia on the US shield portion. The change to letters "T.C." reflects the move of this organization (ATS) to the Transportation Corps (founded in 1942) from its previous position in the Quartermaster Corps.

[topdcnut]

Thank you,

 

I know the Navy wore some of this Bullion as the real stuff supposedly became scarce , but you just do not see much of this kind.

 

John

[hhbooker2]

Thank you,

 

I know the Navy wore some of this Bullion as the real stuff supposedly became scarce , but you just do not see much of this kind.

 

John

 

JOHN: Here are some pictures of the headgear and uniforms of the Harbor Boat Service you just never see, these are from their uniform regulations. First shows caps for Chief and Assistant Engineers and Mates (left), and caps for Masters (right). H.B.S. denim cap for crew, firemen, and oilers.

[hhbooker2]

Here is a winter flat cap worn by enlisted members of the Harbor Boat Service as well as the badge worn on the CPO's caps. Also a jumper worn by enlisted members of the H.B.S., called flanney shirts here. As na side note, during World War Two the soldiers assigned to army tugs and other maritime duties wore the same uniforms as enlistedmen in the U.S. Navy except the tally on the flat cap did not read: "U.S.NAVY." instead it read: "U.S.ARMY." Believe it or not? Rudy Basurto wore these in WW2 when working as a seamon under the Army of the U.S.!

[hhbooker2]

HBS and ATS coats for officers and overcoats for enlisted shown below.

[hhbooker2]

Harbor Boat Service jumpers for oilers. H.B.S. ship's tally "General Meigs."

[wolventm]

Gentlemen, all your comments and the pictures are VERY interesting to me. I have been collecting what I call these "paranaval" organizations for about 25 years, and my collection is still pretty small (probably only 40 to 50 ATS and HBS items. ) I had been searching for the HBS insignia with the QM wheel on the anchor for about 20 years till I found one on E bay a couple months ago.

 

I am familiar with the type of metalic thread used for the ATS insignias instead of real bullion, I received a number of these from "panama Dave" back when he was serving in the Panamanian intervention, and can verify that this material is 100% authentic to the period, not later repro.

 

Does anyone have anymore HBS stuff to show? I would like to see some other cap badges to compare with. My next big quest is a hat tally that says "U.S. ARMY".

[hhbooker2]

Gentlemen, all your comments and the pictures are VERY interesting to me. I have been collecting what I call these "paranaval" organizations for about 25 years, and my collection is still pretty small (probably only 40 to 50 ATS and HBS items. ) I had been searching for the HBS insignia with the QM wheel on the anchor for about 20 years till I found one on E bay a couple months ago.

 

I am familiar with the type of metalic thread used for the ATS insignias instead of real bullion, I received a number of these from "panama Dave" back when he was serving in the Panamanian intervention, and can verify that this material is 100% authentic to the period, not later repro.

 

Does anyone have anymore HBS stuff to show? I would like to see some other cap badges to compare with. My next big quest is a hat tally that says "U.S. ARMY".

 

WOLFENTM: Rudy Basurto ([email protected]) I believe showed me a photograph of himself wearing the cap with "U.S.Army" of the tally. He published several books amd you only need contact him as he has more information than anyone melse I kinow concerning HBS, ATS, etc. BADFES & INSIGNIA WORN AT THE TRANSPORTATION CORPS SCHOOL ON LAKE PONCHUTRAIN, LOUISIANA: (1) C.P.O. cap badge (2) Officer's cap badge (3) Snall cap badge for officers worn on overseas cap (4) Officer's collar devices: Engine Dept., Transportations Officer (Purser), Deck Dept., Steward Dept., T.C. worn on other collar, and Transportation Dept., also in place of the cross-quills (5) Ran collar device (6) T.C. device worn on the sleeve of the Navy type jumper like the Coast Guard shield also worn on jumper collar to cover stars. (7) Cap tallys worn on Navy type winter flat cap. Th issued one was the T.C. (8) Worn by some officers above the gold rank sleeve stripes (9) Shoulder boards (rank marks) Chief and Assistant Transportation Officers. (10) Rank insignia worn on the Navy type.

[hhbooker2]

Below are the rates worn by member of the Army Transportation Corps' School, they are: (11) Chief Petty Officer (12) Petty Officer 1st Class (13) Chief Petty Officer cap badge (14) Petty Officer 2nd Class (15) Petty Officer 3rd Class. They are the same as United States Navy rates except the specialty mark is that of the Transportation Corp in the Army of the United States.

[hhbooker2]

Army Transportations Corps cap badges in 1898 looked like the one in the top centre picture taken of an actual badge, the other embroidered badges were worn somewhere between 1898 and the 1940s as were the cap badges in WW2 of crossed batons for Master-At-Arms, Watchman, Store Keeper, and Yeoman spelled out in the wreaths.

[hhbooker2]

Unauthorized cap badges of Chief Petty Officers in the Army Transportation Service.

[hhbooker2]

Authorized C.P.O. cap badges of the A.T.S., everything drawn by myself years ago in pen and ink. No one ever stepped forward to claim the original artwork when I no longer needed it! Sarge Booker

[hhbooker2]

Here are more authorized cap badges of the A.T.S.'s CPOs.

[topdcnut]

Any one know the use of these bullion marks, I think they may be late war and embroidered on wool. They are just like several marks I posted earlier.

 

T/Y John

I wonder if these bullion marks I posted earlier are ATS also.

[navyman]

Hi,

Got this today.

Jason

 

[KurtA]

Hi,

Got this today.

Jason

 

Jason-

Great find! Those are really scarce!

Kurt

[navyman]

Jason-

Great find! Those are really scarce!

Kurt

 

Thanks Kurt,

Just got this, I believe it is WW2 transportation Corps- Water Division officer. This has the red enamel shield. Correct me if I'm wrong, and does anybody know what the meaning of the red shield is. I have one that is on a visor hat but it doesn't have the red shield.

Jason

 

[wolventm]

That's a great find Jason. I have heard this rate described before but never actually seen a picture of one. What is paricularly interesting to me is the way the eagle faces. It appears this was worn as a right arm rate.

[Salvage Sailor]

Serving the Army At Sea

Transportation Corps

Army Transportation Service

 

 

Engineer - Harbor Boat Service

Chief Engineer

Assistant Engineer

 

Steward's Crew

Messman

Scullion

Dishwasher

Waiter

Bellboy

Deck & Room Stewards

 

Deck Officer - Harbor Boat Service

Master

Mate

Pilot

 

Steward

Chief Steward

2nd Steward

3rd Steward

 

Steward's Department Petty Officer

Storekeeper

Yeoman

Porter

Barber

Watchman

Steward (HBS)

Bath Steward

Linenman

Cooks

Bakers

Butchers

Pantryman

 

Engine Petty Officer

Deck Engineer

Water Tender

Refrigeration Engineer

Electrician

Boilermaker

Machinist

Plumber

 

Oiler

 

Seaman

Able Bodied Seaman

Ordinary Seaman

Wiper

Deckhand - Harbor Boat Service

Fireman - Harbor Boat Service

 

Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer

Staff Engineer

1st Assistant Engineer

2nd Assistant Engineer

Jr. 3rd Assistant Engineer

 

Wheelman

 

Seaman with Rating

Boatswains Mate

Carpenters Mate

Bosun (HBS)

Oiler (HBS)

Fireman

Coalpasser

 

Deck Officer

Master

Chief Officer

1st Officer

2nd Officer

3rd Officer

Jr. 3rd Officer

 

Deck Petty Officer

Boatswain

Carpenter

Winch Driver

Master at Arms

Storekeeper

Yeoman

 

Ship's Transportation Agent

 

Ship's Transportation Clerk

Senior Clerk

Junior Clerk

 

[Slobo]

1943-dated publication on the ATS, including uniform illustrations:

https://ianewatts.org/ats-serving-the-army-at-sea-1943