The gold cap screws that secure the chinstrap of the Combination Caps worn by Merchant Marine Officers, from Mates to Masters/Captains to Admirals, almost perfectly complement the gold ornamentation found on each to varying degrees. Officers in Departments such as Steward or Purser wear a Combination Cap with the gold chinstrap and the U.S. Merchant Marine Officer’s Cap Device—a silver spread eagle perched on a Navy shield charged with a gold anchor and enshrouded in gold laurel wreaths. The caps worn by Masters / Captains feature lustrous gold bullion on the black visor, while the Admiral’s cap has twice as much bullion and is quite eye-catching.
Formed through the same piece of legislation, the history of the Merchant Marine and Maritime Service are inextricably linked, and today the Maritime Service runs the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and also has its Officers working in our nation’s other maritime schools. The relationship is evident from the insignia on this cap screw: it uses the same vertical, fouled anchor as found on the USMS cap screws.