Technician third grade
Technician 3rd Grade (Tec 3 or T/3) was a rank of the United States Army from 1942 to 1948.
| Technician 3rd Grade | |
|---|---|
 The Tec 3 insignia of a letter "T" below three chevrons and above an arc of one bar. | |
| Country | United States |
| Service branch | United States Army |
| Abbreviation | Tec 3 or T/3 |
| Rank group | Enlisted |
| Pay grade | 3rd Grade |
| Formation | January 8, 1942 |
| Abolished | August 1, 1948 |
| Next higher rank | Technical Sergeant |
| Next lower rank | Technician 4th Grade |
| Equivalent ranks | |
History
The rank of Technician 3rd Grade was added by War Department on January 8, 1942,[1] per Army Regulation 600-35. An update issued on September 4, 1942, added a letter "T" to the rank insignia.
Those who held the rank were often addressed as Staff Sergeant, as they shared the same pay grade, but technicians did not have the authority to give commands as a staff sergeant would. Initially they shared the same insignia but on September 4, 1942, the three technician ranks were distinguished by a block "T" imprinted below the standard chevrons. Unofficial insignia using a technical specialty symbol instead of the T were used in some units.
The technician ranks were removed from the U.S. Army rank system in 1948, though the concept was brought back with the specialist ranks in 1955.[2]
References
- "Plan to Simplify Army Pay Grades". The News. Paterson, New Jersey. United Press. January 9, 1942. p. 31.
- Elder, Daniel K. "The Short History of the Specialist Rank" (PDF). Ncohistory.com.
Further reading
- History of U.S. Army Enlisted ranks The Institute of Heraldry
- Rank, Enlisted, U.S. Army Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia