During World War II, the one-star Flag Officer rank in the United States Maritime Service (USMS) was designated as Commodore and was the highest officer grade in the service. The title of Commodore was discontinued after World War II, was revived briefly in the early 1980s, and was finally disestablished in the mid-1980s for the Navy and Coast Guard; it is still used, albeit rarely, in the United States Merchant Marine.
Today, a Captain serves as Commandant of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, with a Rear Admiral (lower half) serving as Deputy Superintendent and a two-star Rear Admiral (upper half) as Superintendent.
The configuration of stars on the shoulder boards of USMS Flag Officers is identical to the way they are arrayed on Navy and Coast Guard shoulder boards, with three stars forming a triangle and four making a diamond.