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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.
8-14
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