McCoy's rank

Discussion in 'Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series' started by MarsWeeps, Feb 20, 2017.

  1. MarsWeeps

    MarsWeeps Fleet Captain Premium Member

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    So, what was Dr. McCoy's rank during TOS 3 year run? Was there an episode that mentioned it? Also, since he was the Chief Medical Officer, why didn't his arrowhead insignia have the red Cross (like Nurse Chapel's) instead of the Science insignia like Spock had?
     
  2. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Lieutenant Commander
     
  3. Avro Arrow

    Avro Arrow Vice Admiral Moderator

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    McCoy's department was officially "Life Sciences".
     
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  4. J.T.B.

    J.T.B. Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    "Court Martial" and "The Immunity Syndrome" that I know of.
     
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  5. Poltargyst

    Poltargyst Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    He's a Lt. Commander because he has two rings around his cuff and one of the rings is broken dots. His dots are smaller than Scotty's so Scotty outranks him, but he is a Lt. Cmdr.
     
  6. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Really? The dots are smaller?
     
  7. Poltargyst

    Poltargyst Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I've always thought so.
     
  8. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    You'd think they'd use the same size for both.
     
  9. Poltargyst

    Poltargyst Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Actually as I go back and look at pictures, it looks like some episodes their dots were closer together than other episodes.
     
  10. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    That's a good point, actually...
     
  11. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Fixed in at least some scenes in nuTrek (McCoy with the red cross insignia).
     
  12. Kor

    Kor Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    WNMHGB established that the ship's physician Is also head of the "Life Sciences" Department, which has broader scope and function than just medicine. So it's just fine For McCoy to wear the sciences emblem.

    Kor
     
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  13. J.T.B.

    J.T.B. Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    There was some variation in the spacing of the sleeve braid over the course of the show, both between the stripes vertically (for Kirk and Spock) and horizontally for the "dashes." The desire to position and sew on fewer dashes is understandable, I suppose.
     
  14. CrazyMatt

    CrazyMatt Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Interestingly enough, the only other starship ship's surgeon/senior medical officer we see on the series, Dr. Carter of the USS Exeter, was a full commander.
     
  15. MarsWeeps

    MarsWeeps Fleet Captain Premium Member

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    There was also Dr. M'Benga. Not sure of his rank.
     
  16. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    AFAIK, M'Benga was never actually seen in a regular Starfleet uniform - only a medical jumpsuit. So his rank was never shown onscreen.
     
  17. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The better question is why did Chapel have a red cross instead of the science insignia in her arrowhead. Doctors Piper and M'Benga also had the science insignia in their arrowheads. IIRC, Chapel was the only one in all TOS to have a red cross in hers.
     
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  18. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  19. MarsWeeps

    MarsWeeps Fleet Captain Premium Member

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    Probably because she was just a nurse instead of a doctor. Also, you can see that the red Cross was just a couple of red stripes glued over the top of one of the other insignias.

    IMG_0142.JPG
     
  20. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Several other nurses sport the red cross.