Who wants to join me in wishing the Warrant Corps/Cohort a Happy 97th Birthday?

the official birthday of the Army Warrant Officer Corps in July 9th 1918, when a act of Congress established the Army Mine Planter Service as part of the Coastal Artillery Corps. A total of 40 Warrant Officers served as Masters, Mates, Chief Engineers and Assistant Engineers on each mine planting vessel. Although only one rank was authorized by Congress, in effect, three grades were created because of varying of pay grades for Masters, 1st Mates and 2nd Mates, and corresponding levels of marine engineer personnel. This is also when the official color of the Army Warrant Officer came to be brown. It emanated from the brown strands from burlap bags the Mine Planter Service personnel wore as their insignia of rank.