Birth of the "Super Chiefs" (E8 & E9)

The pay grades of E-8 and E-9, Senior Chief and Master Chief, were created effective June 1, 1958, under a 1958 Amendment to the Career Compensation Act of 1949. Eligibility for promotion to E-8, the Senior Chieflevel, was restricted to Chiefs (permanent Appointment) with a minimum offour years in . grade and a total often years of service. For elevation from E- 7 to Master Chief, E-9, a minimum of six years service as a ChiefPetty Officer with a total of 13 years service was required. The E-5 through E-9 levels included all ratings except Teleman and Printer which at the time were being phased out of the naval rating struCture. People holding those ratings were absorbed or converted to Yeoman or Radioman from Teleman and primarily to Lithographer from Printer.

Service-wide examinations for outstanding Chiefs were held on August 5, 1958, with the first promotions becoming effective on November 16, 1958.

A few months later, a second group of Chiefs from the February 1959 examinations were elevated to E-8 and E-9 effective on May 16, 1959. The names of the first two groups of selectees are listed in Bureau of Naval Personnel Notices 1430 of October 17, 1958, and May 20,1959. It is noted that after the May 1959 elevations, promotions to E-9 were through Senior Chief only.

Please note the linked copies of Navy Times Pages are very large for increased detail!

The October 1958 issue of Navy Time listed 1060 names ( page 1 )(page 2 ) that became the first group of Chiefs to be promoted to the new "Super Chiefs" grade. 146 were promoted to Master Chiefs E9 and 914 promoted to Senior Chiefs E8, effective 16 November 1958. National Chief Petty Officers Association (NCPOA) member Rod Stevens (DKCM retired) (MCPORAS@aol.com) was promoted from E7 to E9 in this first group). NCPOA member Dennis A. Dusterhoff (RMCM retired), (ddusterhof@aol.com) was promoted from E7 to E8 in this listing; as well as many others. Therefore, we are seeking to make contact with other Chiefs that were promoted in this first group.

The 8 June 1959 issue of Navy Times listed 1145 names (page 1) (page 2) (page 3) that became the second group of Chiefs to be promoted to the "Super Chiefs" grade; 151 were promoted to Master Chiefs E9 and 994 were promoted to Senior Chiefs E8, effective 16 May 1959. National Chief Petty Officers Association (NCPOA) member AFCM Charles Dees was promoted from E7 to E9 in this second group; also, NCPOA members John L. Alford and Vernon H. Runyan (both SHC's at the time) were promoted to SHCS (E8) in this listing; as well as many others. Therefore, we are seeking to make contact with other Chiefs that were promoted in this second group.

BuPers Notice 1430 dated 5 November 1959 published the next group (third) of Chiefs to be promoted to "Super Chiefs". There were 336 promoted to Master Chief E9 and 2305 were promoted to Senior Chief E8, effective 15 December 1959. NCPOA member John C. Rich AKCS USN Retired was promoted from E7 to E8 in this listing: as well as many others. Therefore, we are seeking to make contact with other Chiefs that were promoted in this third group.

The November 28 1960 issue of Navy Times listed 4051 names (page 1) (page 2) (page 3) (page 4) (page 5) (page 6) that became the fourth group of "Super Chiefs" come December 16,1960; 842 went to E9 and 3209 were promoted to E8. NCPOA member(s) John L. Alford (SHCM retired), Dennis Dusterhoff (RMCM retired) and Vernon Runyan (SHCM retired) were on this listing for promotion to E9 from E8, as well as many others.

Therefore, we are seeking to make contact with other Chiefs that were promoted in this group. We are currently seeking subsequent listings of promotions to E8 and E9 prior to 1970 (and/or after1970) should be submitted to the Goat Locker Webmaster.

Sources for this article has been provided by: CWO-4 Lester B. Tucker, USN (Retired), who enlisted in the Navy in 1939; for the next 27 years he served as Gunner's Mate Third Class, Aviation Ordanceman Third Class, Aviation Chief Ordanceman, and Warrant Gunner (Aviation). Since 1974, he has conducted extensive research on the history of U.S. Navy ratings from the Revolutionary War to the present for a multi- volume series on that topic. Information contained in this article was collected over several years from Navy Regulations, General Orders, NAVEDTRA, BUPERS Manuals and Notices, ALNAV Bulletins and Rod Stevens DKCM USN Retired, Charles Dees AFCM USN Retired, John C. Rich AKCS USN Retire, and other sources; and edited by Vernon Runyan SHCM USN Retired Chief1950@yahoo.com

Some names on the promotion lists may not be totally legible or some names may have been omitted due to photocopying. If you think your name is missing from the list just email the webmaster for inclusion.