American Pursers served with distinction from the earliest days; Samuel Hambleton was a purser officer serving on Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship, the USS Lawrence, during the Battle of Lake Erie, when he volunteered to work a gun and aided in the Americans' eventual victory.

Recent developments have mirrored those in the private sector logistics, with an increasing scientific and quantitative emphasis and reliance on networked computing power.

A modification of the uniform regulations, dated 27 May 1847, provided gold epaulets for the Purser on which was a solid crescent with the Old English letters "P.D."

By General Order of 23 August 1856, Pursers were required to wear the uniform of their relative rank with the exception of the lace on the pantaloons; their corps device on epaulets, shoulder straps and cap remaining the same.

The last significant change to the Supply Corps insignia came in 1919; the leaf retained its shape, but was to be embroidered in gold instead of silver.

Current Navy policy dictates that Supply Officers complete two operational tours and obtain a warfare pin for consideration for Lieutenant Commander (O-4) boards.

Twenty-one Supply Corps Officers have advanced to that rank: William J. Carter, E. G. Morsell, Edwin Dorsey Foster, Charles W. Fox, Murrey L. Royar, A.

A. Antrim, Stephen R. Edson, Robert F. Batchelder, Joseph M. Lyle, Kenneth R. Wheeler, George E. Moore II, Vincent A. Lascara, Eugene A. Grinstead, Edward "Fast Eddie" M. Straw, Keith W. Lippert, Justin D. McCarthy, Alan S. Thompson, Mark Harnitchek, William "Andy" Brown, Michelle C. Skubic and Dion D. English.