Green’s Dictionary of Slang

sergeant; esp. as a familiar term of address.

1867		W.L. Goss Soldier’s Story 98: You look hungry too, Sarg. [Ibid.] 210: It was the right kind of talk, Sarge.
1913		Sat. Eve. Post 5 Feb. in DN IV:ii 120: ‘Sergeant Tanner?’ asked the bartender incredulously. ‘The sarge,’ replied Kennedy with some satisfaction.
1919		in Columbia Press Yank Talk 4: The buck that won’t lend a few francs to a poor ‘busted’ sarg.
1921		Dos Passos Three Soldiers 47: ‘All right, Sarge,’ said Fuselli with alacrity.
1932		(con. WWI) L. Mann Flesh in Armour 58: ‘What’s the business, serg.?’.
1932		E.S. Gardner ‘Bird in the Hand’ in Goulart (1967) 273: It sure sounds nice the way you tell it, Sarge.
1936		W.A. Gape Half a Million Tramps 152: Oh, all right, ‘sarj’,’ said my friend.
1938		L. Ortzen Down Donkey Row 24: I always paid the sarge regular last year [...] all the bobbies knew I was good for a few deiners.
1939		J. Cary Mister Johnson (1952) 188: I wasn’t afraid of Sargy Gollup.
1943		W. Guthrie Bound for Glory (1969) 421: The sarg looked down at one string of draft cards.
1945		(con. 1944) R. Westerby Mad in Pursuit 260: ’E didn’t really like Mum’n’ Ede, Sarge.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 7: Trust us, Serg.
1953		L. Uris Battle Cry (1964) 217: A good sarge has to look after his boys.
1954		(con. 1940s) T.A.G. Hungerford Sowers of the Wind 118: ‘Always the kidder, eh, sargie?’ he said mockingly.
1959		W. Hall Long and the Short and the Tall Act I: Can we have a drag, Sarge?
1966		(con. 1948–52) L. Thomas Virgin Soldiers 65: ‘Yes, go on, Sarge,’ they all chorused foolishly like children.
1969		J. Crumley One to Count Cadence (1987) 182: Your old sarge may have something to say about that.
1976		P. Theroux Family Arsenal 272: Did you say something, sarge?
1981		A. Weller Day of the Dog 146: I’ll ring up and tell them the kid’s been found, Sarge.
1996		S. Bell If... 17 Oct. in If Files (1997) 106: Mornin’ Sarge!
1997		N. Barlay Curvy Lovebox 98: Sarg ain’t really up to listenin’ to no more fool questions.
2000		N. Barlay Crumple Zone 11: Oh please . . . Come on Sarg.
2000		F. Kellerman Stalker (2001) 13: So it’d be Sarge who’d call the shots.