memphis_belle Posted February 22, 2014 Share #1 Posted February 22, 2014 Hello everyone! I started this topic to share my collection of WW2 Army Nurse Corps uniforms with you. I'll add pictures and descriptions gradually. 1) Beige Summer Service Uniform (1st pattern) Army Nurses had the option of purchasing a beige summer service uniform at their own expense since 1941. This uniform consisted of a jacket, skirt, white shirt, black or maroon tie and garrison cap / service cap. Officially designated as the jacket, service, summer, nurse's, beige, this jacket resembled the nurse's blue wool coat except for several modifications like the absence of a belt. The first version of the optional nurse's beige uniform could be worn with matching first-pattern beige service cap. Many Army Nurses placed the nurse's caduceus pin on the cap front, although the first-pattern visor hat did not officially require insignia. The white nurse's waist (officially designated as the waist, cotton, white) could be worn as part of either the blue or beige service uniforms of the ANC. A maroon necktie, in the color associated with the Army Medical Department, was also worn with the summer uniform. USAAF patch worn by Flight Nurses. Named to A. Novotny. Still looking for information about her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amedd-5x Posted February 23, 2014 Share #2 Posted February 23, 2014 Belle Nice uniform! I just started to collect WW II ANC uniforms. I'm having a hard time finding the maroon necktie for this uniform. Do you have the counterpart to this uniform, i.e. the dress? amedd-5x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge8 Posted February 23, 2014 Share #3 Posted February 23, 2014 Name: Albina M Novotny Service Info.: 1ST LT US ARMY WORLD WAR II Birth Date: 26 Jun 1909 Death Date: 14 Feb 2000 Service Start Date: 1 Oct 1941 Interment Date: 18 Feb 2000 Cemetery: Ft. Snelling National Cemetery Cemetery Address: 7601 34th Avenue, South Minneapolis, MN 55450 She was released from service 8 Feb 1946 I had bid on her uniform, and LOST!! Glad you got it. She was born in Lidgerwood, North Dakota and died 14 Feb 2000 in St Louis Park, Minnesota Frank Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotig111 Posted February 24, 2014 Share #4 Posted February 24, 2014 Now that's a sharp uniform. So this was only a private purchase item and not something that was issued? What time frame would this have been worn (pre-war, during, after)? Thank you, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted February 24, 2014 Sarge 8: Thank you, Frank for the info! I'm sorry I outbidded you but I've been looking for a beige uniform for so many years and this one came with the tie and I just couldn't let it go... amedd-5x: This is the only beige uniform that I own at the moment. I'm still looking for the summer off-duty dress and the 2nd pattern service uniform. Here's a marron tie for sale but I have to say it's expensive : http://snyderstreasures.com/pages/usuniforms.htm#women zotig111: It'd have been worn from 1941 until 1943 when a revised beige summer service uniform was introduced. The 2nd pattern was the same as the olive-drab service uniform. And yes, these uniforms were privately tailored, not issued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted February 24, 2014 2) White Hospital Uniform (2nd pattern) The second design for the white hospital uniform was submitted at the end of 1941. The dress came in long-sleeve or short-sleeve varieties. The white uniforms were limited to duty in the continental United States only. The white linen hospital duty cap for nurses had remained unchanged in style and fabric since 1933. The shoulder loops allowed rank placement there. U.S. letter-block and Army Nurse Corps component insignia was pinned on opposite sides of the collar according to army regulations. Army Nurses were authorized a blue cape over their hospital uniform whenever they were engaged in outdoor tasks and needed extra warmth. The hospital duty uniform with cape could be worn with either the white nurse's hospital cap or the blue nurse's garrison cap. World War II recruitment posters featuring an army nurse wearing the blue nurse's cape over her white hospital uniform: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted February 24, 2014 Share #7 Posted February 24, 2014 This is an amazing thread! Thanks so much for posting your items. I can't wait to see more. ...Kat Edit to add: Thanks mods for pinning this thread. I think this is going to be a very informative thread for anyone interested in ANC uniforms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted February 24, 2014 Share #8 Posted February 24, 2014 Some great and not often seen uniforms in this thread.......thanks for showing these all too often overlooked items M Belle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted February 24, 2014 Share #9 Posted February 24, 2014 Very nice collection, thank you for sharing it. We seldom have the opprotunity to appreciate complete ANC uniforms on the forum. RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted February 25, 2014 Share #10 Posted February 25, 2014 I was given permission from Emi to post this 2nd pattern beige US Army nurse officers cap. It is in very nice shape. Part of a husband and wife grouping that I have been the care taker for some time. Maker marked Knox of New York City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted February 25, 2014 Share #11 Posted February 25, 2014 Here is a side view of the cap. It is in very good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted February 25, 2014 3) Individual Identification Tag During World War II, army personnel, including nurses, received M-1940 identification tags, commonly known as "dog tags" designed to identify the person. ID tags would have been worn by all women personnel of the Army at all times. Early tags issued between November 1941 and July 1943 included next-of-kin and the address: Katharine M. Walsh N-743604-T42-43 0 Mrs T. J. Muldary 638 State St Adrian Mich C 4) The Army Nurse Corps Song Book of World War II The ANC Song Book contained patriotic and other songs popular in the 1940s. The book explains that nurse singing groups improved morale and had a positive effect on the spirits of wounded soldiers. There's a number of comic cartoons inside too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted February 25, 2014 6) Garrison Caps Official issue of a dark blue garrison cap with maroon piping for wear with the dark blue service uniform and off-duty dress was authorized in 1941. At first, no insignia was worn on the cap. Later the nurse's caduceus was pinned on the left curtain of the garrison cap. In 1943, the metal rank insignia replaced the nurse's caduceus on the left side. Left-side view of the nurse's blue garrison cap with maroon cord-edge braid of the Army Medical Department. The front overlap conctruction is on the left side of the curtain, in reversed fashion to the same pattern on men's garrison caps: Left-side view of a sample variant nurse's blue garrison cap with smaller front overlap conctruction on the left-side curtain. Different manufacturing techniques produced slight differences of design: Named to Ruth C. Sobeck: Left-side view of the women's officer's wool garrison cap that constituted part of the olive-drab winter service uniform and dress uniforms. The banana-shaped garrison caps for female army personnel were designed for conformity with the fuller feminine hairstyles of the 1940s. Authorized in 1944. Left-side view of the revised-pattern nurse's beige summer garrison cap exhibits the same banana-shape style as the olive-drab cap. The officer's gold-and-black cord edge braid replaced the previous maroon piping: ************ Thanks everyone for your comments! Feel free to post your own ANC-related items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberwolf Posted February 25, 2014 Share #14 Posted February 25, 2014 Those blue nurses caps are gorgeous! I always love seeing nursing related items as I'm in nursing school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted February 26, 2014 7) Blue Off-Duty Dress This is one of my favourites. The dark blue dress was authorized in April 1942, and regulations permitted its official wear as an alternative garment to the service uniform. The dress was permitted during nonworking hours, as it was subsequently utilized as an off-duty dress for nurses attending unofficial social occasions. The option of purchasing a dress was beneficial for nurses' morale as they had been required to wear military uniforms continually after the U.S. declaration of war in December 1941. The army optional nurse's blue off-duty dress could be worn with the blue service cap / garrison cap, beige stockings and black oxford-style shoes. The dress could be accessorized with either gray or black gloves. A distinctive handbag was not designed by the army to go with the blue outdoor uniform. As a result, the ANC allowed nurses to carry a privately purchased handbag of black color. This dress is also named to Ruth C. Sobeck: Ruth C. Sobeck (in the middle) in Venice, summer of 1945. She was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received while serving on the hospital ship that was hit off of Italy. You can read more about her in this thread: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/154546-nurse-of-surgical-team-21-7th-army-very-large-group/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted February 26, 2014 Share #16 Posted February 26, 2014 This is definitely one of my favorite threads on the forum. Thanks so much for taking the time to document and explain all of the uniforms. ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share #17 Posted February 27, 2014 8) Blue Outdoor Uniform During the spring of 1940, the Department of the Army decided to improve the outmoded design and color for the female nurse service uniform. According to opinion research among army nurses, 98% of them preferred a bluish uniform. Production of the new attire began in 1941. The uniform included a dark blue covert wool coat with maroon piped shoulder loops and sleeve braids and a six-gore wool covert skirt in medium blue color. The blue outdoor uniform could be worn with dark blue garrison cap / service cap, white / powder blue waist, black tie, gray / black gloves, beige stockings and black oxford shoes. Following adoption of olive-drab service uniforms, the blue outdoor uniform was reserved for dress occassions only. 9) Blue Wool Overcoat The blue wool overcoat was issued along with the blue service uniform. There was a removable lining inside. The blue overcoat could be worn in conjunction with a blue wool muffler and blue wool gloves, in addition to gray or black leather gloves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted February 27, 2014 Share #18 Posted February 27, 2014 You have a very nice collection of uniforms for the ANC. I don't think I have ever seen so many nice examples. Thanks for sharing with us Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted March 16, 2014 Share #19 Posted March 16, 2014 Terrific images and information! Thank you for sharing your collection and insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman_1941 Posted April 15, 2014 Share #20 Posted April 15, 2014 Nice collection also some nice garrison caps. Regards James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman_1941 Posted April 15, 2014 Share #21 Posted April 15, 2014 If you looking to ID your items try Ancestry.com, one bad thing in Ancestry is that its quite expensive. I find one ID: Ruth C. Sobeck Oct 3 1909-jul 28 2003. She joined U s Army Nurse Hospital in 1942. She served in the field in North Africa, during invasion of Anzio, invasion of southern France, and Germany. She was WIA but i dont know where, she also recive Purple Heart and Bronze Star. She was discharged in 1946. She workd in hospitals till 1975. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Sobeck&GSiman=1&GSst=40&GRid=19120758& Thats awesome history and grat piece of American history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphis_belle Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share #22 Posted April 15, 2014 Well, thank you, Kuba, for your help! I actually managed to find some info on Ruth Sobeck's life and service but I still have a number of named items which I cannot investigate further. As long as http://wwii-enlistment.com/ and http://aad.archives.gov/aad/series-list.jsp?cat=WR26 are very helpful sources while researching enlisted personnel and male officers, they don't include servicewomen. It's sometimes troublesome to find information on someone without access to paid websites. I'm going to post more pictures of my collection soon so stay tuned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INIMICUS Posted June 3, 2014 Share #23 Posted June 3, 2014 wonderful thread - wonderful collection, and wonderful smile you wear whilst in your natty blue uniform! are you by chance a friend of 'blitzbaby'? she put together I'm certain with much effort a quite mammoth website on nearly all the ww2 lady u.s. military uniforms? it's time I think you enthusiasts collaborate to write a book; for sure it will help to unearth and save more nice pieces for your own collections; plus generate more interest in the subject leading to mag article etc. and so forth. meantime thanks loads for you contribs. here - most enjoyable thread! david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shemp Posted December 21, 2014 Share #24 Posted December 21, 2014 Memphis-Belle What a fantastic collection. My daughter is an Army Nurse - Captain. I am certain she will enjoy seeing your posts. Thanks for sharing. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted December 24, 2014 Share #25 Posted December 24, 2014 Just spotted this thread, fantastic collection!!! Funny the one set of tags you have are from a city about 45 minutes north west of me in Adrian Michigan. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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