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Nicely modified/tailored WWII jumper


bellasilva
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Picked this one up today from the local antique warehouse, and while I have a good amount of jumpers, I just thought this one was too nice to not share. It's very well used and worn.

 

Both "cracker jack" caps are named to a Donahue.

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On the inside front of the shirt on the side opposite the breast pocket there is a well made concealed zipper pocket. On the inside back of the shirt behind the neck is another added pocket.

On the inside front of the shirt on the side opposite the breast pocket there is a well made concealed zipper pocket. On the inside back of the shirt behind the neck is another added pocket.

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The set also came with a neckerchief. Here are the two named cracker jack caps. The seller is known to frequent estate sales and I'm assuming this came from one as there were a couple other jumpers and caps all named to Donahue, just couldn't afford to get everything. How common were these added thread designs? I've seen a handful on the forum that were PTO related but had much different designs, as well as in the cuffs. Hope you guys like it

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Thats nice.Looks like they did a anchor in the interior.Have seen this before.

 

I have a well worn jumper with a large "V" done on the interior.Im guessing V for VICTORY.

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The anchor design is a one of the more common liberty stitching designs on the private purchase jumpers from the era. I have one with the same pattern, and the same extra pocket on the neck. Based on the relative popularity of them, I'm thinking the anchor jumpers were available at the stores on the naval bases, since I can't recall seeing many of the anchors on jumpers with real tailor-made tags on them. If anyone has information about that theory, I'd be more than happy to hear about it.

 

I hope you can track down who it belonged to and what ship he was on. Those Fire Controlman rates aren't too common, so nice find! (And I'm still looking for a nice liberty-cuffed set, too ;) The hunt continues!)

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Thanks for the info! Unfortunately nothing but the caps are named, and with a common last name at that. I checked the usual spots where my Navy jumpers are named to no avail. I might have to head back to the shop tomorrow and see if I can dig anything up on his other uniforms

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Beautiful early jumper with the crow on the right sleeve. By the way, those are Dixie Cups, not Cracker Jacks. Thanks for sharing. A great find. Al.

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Beautiful early jumper with the crow on the right sleeve. By the way, those are Dixie Cups, not Cracker Jacks. Thanks for sharing. A great find. Al.

Thanks Al! I've always been rusty on my Navy terminology. My wife joined me on this trip, she served 4 years in the Navy from 2000-2004. I asked her about this uniform - her response was classic "I have no idea, we were issued so many damn uniforms it was hard to keep track".
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Thanks Al! I've always been rusty on my Navy terminology. My wife joined me on this trip, she served 4 years in the Navy from 2000-2004. I asked her about this uniform - her response was classic "I have no idea, we were issued so many damn uniforms it was hard to keep track".

 

You are welcome. You made me laugh out loud with your wife's comment!

 

Al.

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Very nice. The jumper and design were pretty common. They were commercially produced and sold in the off base shops. There were very few sctusl "Tailor Made" enlisted uniforms at that time as the average enlisted guy could not afford them. But ready Mades from nicer fabrics than issue uniforms were within the Sailors price range.

The hats are actually called "White Hats". "Dixi Cup" was a derogatory civilian term that eventually was picked up for common use by Sailors. I understand that now they are being called "Dog Bowls" or "Dog Dishes". Personally, never used any other term than "White Hat", consider "Dixi Cup" and "Cracker Jacks" derogatorycivilian terms. But, that's just me

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the comments. I certainly don't mean "cracker jack" as a derogatory term - simply one I've always used as an easy reference to the cracker jack brand image. I think it sort of simplifies the meaning to a collector who may not collect Navy items. Anyway, I may be going back tomorrow to take a look at another jumper set in the same booth, with the same rating as this which I believe probably belonged to the same sailor, only this shirt is the thicker wool material but is actually turned inside out (the patch as well) yet the stripes on the cuff and the rear "bib" are still exposed and there is a breast pocket with a button flap even though it's turned inside out. I'm stumped on that one

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Enlisted Navy uniforms are folded and stowed inside out. The stripes on the collar will be visible when it is like this. However, sounds like the cuffs have been turned back. The button flap pocket is standard on the inside of all navy blue jumpers

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That's odd, honestly that's the first I've heard of a button flap pocket inside of a Navy jumper top. I've owned probably around 10 jumpers at this point and haven't seen one until I ran into this other set at the antique warehouse, I wonder if it was common practice to remove them?

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Never heard of anyone removing them. It was where oat of us carried our money. My dad had blues tailor made in Hong Long, not sure if they have one. White jumpers did not have them, but blue jumpers, both dress blue and undress blue have had them since1893.

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Now that I think about it a bit, the post WW2 style white jumpers had the same interior pocket as the blue jumpers. I remember always having to tuck them back in after slipping a jumper on

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