Rear admiral is a
naval commissioned officer rank that is usually two-star rank ranking below
Vice Admiral. It originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons and can trace its origins to the
Royal Navy. Each Naval Squadron would be assigned an
admiral as its head, who would command from the centre vessel and direct the activities of the squadron. The admiral would in turn be assisted by a vice, or
vice admiral, who commanded the lead ships which would bear the brunt of a naval assault.
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