Uniforms of the 'Blue Water' Navy 1960's-1980's Cold War - Vietnam Era

[RustyCanteen]

Since we often hear about the 'brown water' Navy during the Vietnam war, I thought it was only fitting to start a thread where everyone can discuss the uniforms of the 'blue water' Navy during the same time period (cold war).

 

 

During the Vietnam war, the 7th fleet (and assets) deployed to the South China Sea for countless escort and bombardment missions. From Yankee Station to the Mekong delta, the Navy was there too. The Navy of course operated the PCF's of the coastal patrol squadrons, and the PBR, Tangos, and a myriad of other craft along the coastal and riverine deltas of South Vietnam. The brown water guys started off wearing the same uniforms before transitioning to more mission appropriate clothing.

 

 

Elsewhere around the globe, the Navy patrolled the world's oceans as well as conducted humanitarian and cold war missions and exercises. Two US submarines were lost during this period while submerged. Two surveillance vessels were attacked, and a number of 'close encounters' occurred. Although many people think of the cold war as an actionless pushover, it was still dangerous. Accidents took the lives of many officers and sailors, such as the tragedy of the Newport News in 1972, and the sinking of the USS Frank E. Evans in 1969. Simply put, the men and women who served the Navy are often unsung, but they were willing to fight had the cold war turned hot (thankfully it did not).

 

 

As long as it is US Navy worn during 1960-1989, it is welcome. Feel free to post your dungarees, blues, whites, and other uniforms. Please share and tell us a little about the item too.

 

 

RC

 

 

 

NOTE: Where possible, I will try to refer to the items by their official nomenclature as found on the tags. You wouldn't believe the different names that show up for the same items via manuals/papers/articles of the period. As an example of the potential for confusion, the earlier and later blue working jackets were both known as 'Utility' jackets; but of a vastly different design!! So there is/will be some conflicting nomenclature depending on the source.

[RustyCanteen]

Essentially the working uniform was designed in the late 1950s and consisted of a blue sateen ball cap, blue sateen jacket, chambray shirt and dungaree trousers. The sateen jacket replaced the denim jacket of which various patterns (to include the jumpers) had been worn for half a century. Since we are discussing the working jacket and hat I will omit the chambray and dungarees from this in order to save us some time and our eyes. The Cap, Utility, Cotton Sateen was actually not officially authorized for wear without the Jacket, Utility (not to be confused with the later utility jackets) until 1962 when wear was extended to those wearing only dungarees sans jacket.

 

The push for a new uniform (both working and dress) was well underway in the mid 1960s, but budgetary concerns kept it shelved it until the early 1970s. For those wanting a 'blue water' Vietnam era Navy display you want the above uniforms. The new utility uniform was placed in production in 1971 but issue and wear out dates meant that the older uniform was still widely worn in the fleet.

 

These photos are old and I found it very difficult to preserve the actual dark colors of the items when under intense lighting required for photography due to the sheen of the sateen material which washed out the color in photos. So you will have to excuse the lack of quality in the images:

 

 

 

Jacket with cap across neck opening. The brass zipper on the jacket was hidden by a flap which was buttoned down to seal the coat.

 

 

 

The Cap, Utility, Cotton Sateen. Notice the complex multi-piece construction used. Often these hats ended up folded to fit in the dungaree pockets during service, which left the brim with large, deep creases.

 

 

 

Most of the Cap, Utility, Cotton Sateen that I see are mid-late production; they have the nomenclature and contract data stamped inside the headband. Some of the earlier production caps have the data on a cheesecloth tag in the headband:

[RustyCanteen]

The dungarees were worn through the period, until about 1972-74. The wearout dates and the issuance do not always combine to form a neat start and end date, so overlapping dates are often more the rule than the exception. At this time the Navy was trying to transition to the new utility uniforms which replaced the dungarees for a few years before they were redesigned and reintroduced. Most of the new utility uniforms started issue to the new recruits, with other commands getting them as they became available.

 

During this time you will often see both the older dungaree and the newer utility uniforms being worn concurrently side by side.

(Still from an official USN film released in 1974.)

 

This display consists of the dungaree working uniform, with jacket; standard issue for all enlisted male personnel. This uniform is probably the most iconic representation of the enlisted men of the USN during the 1960s.

 

Note that the top button on the chambray shirt was left unbuttoned. The regs were clear that the top button was to be left open.

 

[RustyCanteen]

1971-1979 The 'new' Utility uniform.

 

The move away from the old working uniform included a replacement for not only the jacket and cap, but also the venerable chambray shirt and dungaree trousers. The new uniform consisted of a utility jacket, utility cap, utility jumper (long and short sleeve) and utility trousers. The trousers, cap, and jacket were changed to a very dark navy blue (3446), essentially black from a distance. The utility jumpers were a light blue which gave an usual contrast when wearing the full uniform with the jacket unzipped and open. The rates were changed to 3446 to match the color of the new jacket. Both the old and new working uniform shared and overlap of manufacture and wear initially. Eventually the manufacture of the old uniform ceased (approximately 1972) and issue of the new uniform was underway to new recruits. Probably anyone who completed boot camp prior to 1972 had the original issue of the old working uniform. The Jacket, Utility, Dark Blue had done away with the button and flap and added two breast pockets with zipper closure. The material also changed from cotton sateen to a cotton/poly mix. The new Cap, Utility, Cotton/Poly Poplin was also produced in shade 3446.

 

 

 

 

The short sleeve version of Jumpers, Utility, Light Blue which replaced the old chambray shirt. (There was also a long-sleeve version I will add later):

 

Label for Jumpers, Utility, Light Blue:

 

 

 

Wearing of a rate was authorized on the Utility Jumpers, but the rate was really rank sans the specialty mark. The authorized rate for the Utility Jumpers was the same used on the Utility Jackets. Many unofficial 'foreign' made rates were worn though, that did include the specialty mark:

 

 

 

And the officially authorized rate used on both the Utility Jumpers and Utility Jackets during this period:

 

 

Two examples of the officially prescribed rate worn on Jumpers Utility:

(Still from an official USN film released in 1974.)

 

(Still from an official USN film released in 1974.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trousers, Utility, Dark Blue which replaced the old denim dungaree trousers:

 

 

Label for Trousers, Utility, Dark Blue:

 

 

 

The designs for both the jacket and cap were long lived compared to the utility jumper and the utility trousers. Due do safety issues with the jumpers they were phased out and replaced with a utility shirt (fully buttoned rather than a pull-over) in 1975. But by then the push to return to the chambray and dungarees was underway (essentially coming full circle) and in 1978 the Jacket, Utility, Dark Blue and Cap, Utility, Cotton/Poly Poplin was changed to shade 3556 (lighter than 3446) so that it would better match the reintroduced dungarees. Despite the change it appears some companies continued to use labels bearing 'Dark Blue' as part of the nomenclature as late as the early 1980s.

 

 

 

Jacket, Utility: Comparison of shades 3446 (Left) and 3556 (right):

 

 

 

Label of an early Jacket, Utility, Dark Blue:

 

 

 

Cap, Utility, Cotton/Poly Poplin: Comparison of shades 3446 (Left) and 3556 (right). Caps of this design remained popular with civilian law enforcement agencies in the late 20th century (saying that makes me feel old):

[RustyCanteen]

The 'new' Utility uniform, consisting of Jumpers Utility, Jacket Utility Dark Blue, and Utility Trousers Dark Blue:

 

 

And without the Jacket Utility:

 

 

Unlike the chambray shirts, the Jumpers Utility were meant to be worn outside of the trousers, instead of tucked in. This seems like a really bad idea, particularly since many duties required being around moving machinery. The jumpers were the subject of major safety issues (not least the untucked design). Due to the pullover design, you could not strip the shirt in an emergency. In 1975 a new shirt replaced the pullover design to address these concerns.

 

 

I will continue updating this, but I can't seem to find my notes..

[sigsaye]

Wow, the memories. I enlisted in January 1973. I was issued both the old style dungarees and he "New Utilities". I got the older jacket (with the button flap over the zipper. I never met any one who liked these Utilities. Most people I knew only wore them for dirty work, such as painting or cleaning bilges. Many new recruits tossed them as soon as they got to their first ship, replacing them with the commercially available "Sea Farer" dungarees.

 

When originally issued, there were no regulations about stenciling your name on the outside over the pocket. Just on the inside. Once we got to ships, most just did it. Some were in black, some in white. I think I had both.

 

These uniforms were of very low quality. The pockets habitually fell off. Yes, the stitching came out and you lost pockets. The first runs of trousers had silver zippers. These were simply crap. After a few washing a the teeth would start to come out. About the time they turned the jumper into a shirt, they replaced the zipper with a brass one that was sturdier. No one liked the caps with the stiffened front. If you washed them, the fabric would shrink and they got a wrinkle in them like you had been hit with a 2x4. The new jackets with the zip breast pockets was the only thing to come out of that nightmare that was liked, regardless of color

 

Wear in dates: constantly slipped. Dungarees never went away. They were always authorized. People just stopped buying the Utilities, so the Navy decided to dump it and go back to dungarees. The thing to remember is that for personal clothing, nothing is "ISSUED" after recruit training. It is ALL OUT OF POCKET. So every time they came up with these uniform changes, you had to go buy it. Yes, the Nzvy would cut a onetime check for 2 sets. Really? In '75 when they modified the jumper into a shirt, I did like that. It was a better quality fabric that breathed and was sturdier. I would wear those shirts with blue denim dungaree trousers. I also wore steel toed Motorcycle boots ?.

 

I never wore any "Forign made" rates. I preferred rates that did have my crossed flags, and would wear the same rating badges as went on the blues. I wore these on the working jacket. I think I might have put some rates on the utilities I had after I made PO3 but not sure. if I did they would have been the plain ones. We mixed and matched colors. When the Navy would change the color of dome part of this uniform, we basically took no notice. You saw dark jackets with light colored caps and rates, or the other way around. No one ever said we couldn't or shouldn't. These were working uniforms, so we're not that important. Plus, again, since we had to buy this stuff, we were not going to toss a $60 dollar jacket just because the shade of blue changed.

 

As I said, when the mans entity wear date for these utilities hit (and the Navy pushed it further and further), people ignored it. More people wore Sea Farers than the issue utilities and they just fell out of use. To me they were dumpy looking. I always felt stupid in them. They did not look Navy to us, which at the time was very important. It was interesting that in 1980 when the Navy returned to the traditional dungarees, the guys flocked to the exchanges and the system could not keep up with demand. But they couldn't give the utilities away.

 

I do think a big negative with these utilities was that they were part of the whole uniform change that put Enlisted Sailors into that gadfly suit and tie CPO uniform. That was pretty much universally hated, so these utilities seemed doomed from the beginning.

 

Of course, these are my recollections. I'm sure there were those that loved these uniforms and have much different views and experiences.

[CROC]

Hi,

 

Thanks for this interesting subject, I enclose you the january 1970 All Hands article about this jumper

 

 

Best Croc

[Salvage Sailor]

Wow, the memories. I enlisted in January 1973. I was issued both the old style dungarees and he "New Utilities". I got the older jacket (with the button flap over the zipper. I never met any one who liked these Utilities. Most people I knew only wore them for dirty work, such as painting or cleaning bilges. Many new recruits tossed them as soon as they got to their first ship, replacing them with the commercially available "Sea Farer" dungarees.

 

When originally issued, there were no regulations about stenciling your name on the outside over the pocket. Just on the inside. Once we got to ships, most just did it. Some were in black, some in white. I think I had both.

 

These uniforms were of very low quality. The pockets habitually fell off. Yes, the stitching came out and you lost pockets. The first runs of trousers had silver zippers. These were simply crap. After a few washing a the teeth would start to come out. About the time they turned the jumper into a shirt, they replaced the zipper with a brass one that was sturdier. No one liked the caps with the stiffened front. If you washed them, the fabric would shrink and they got a wrinkle in them like you had been hit with a 2x4. The new jackets with the zip breast pockets was the only thing to come out of that nightmare that was liked, regardless of color

 

Wear in dates: constantly slipped. Dungarees never went away. They were always authorized. People just stopped buying the Utilities, so the Navy decided to dump it and go back to dungarees. The thing to remember is that for personal clothing, nothing is "ISSUED" after recruit training. It is ALL OUT OF POCKET. So every time they came up with these uniform changes, you had to go buy it. Yes, the Nzvy would cut a onetime check for 2 sets. Really? In '75 when they modified the jumper into a shirt, I did like that. It was a better quality fabric that breathed and was sturdier. I would wear those shirts with blue denim dungaree trousers. I also wore steel toed Motorcycle boots .

 

I never wore any "Forign made" rates. I preferred rates that did have my crossed flags, and would wear the same rating badges as went on the blues. I wore these on the working jacket. I think I might have put some rates on the utilities I had after I made PO3 but not sure. if I did they would have been the plain ones. We mixed and matched colors. When the Navy would change the color of dome part of this uniform, we basically took no notice. You saw dark jackets with light colored caps and rates, or the other way around. No one ever said we couldn't or shouldn't. These were working uniforms, so we're not that important. Plus, again, since we had to buy this stuff, we were not going to toss a $60 dollar jacket just because the shade of blue changed.

 

As I said, when the mans entity wear date for these utilities hit (and the Navy pushed it further and further), people ignored it. More people wore Sea Farers than the issue utilities and they just fell out of use. To me they were dumpy looking. I always felt stupid in them. They did not look Navy to us, which at the time was very important. It was interesting that in 1980 when the Navy returned to the traditional dungarees, the guys flocked to the exchanges and the system could not keep up with demand. But they couldn't give the utilities away.

 

I do think a big negative with these utilities was that they were part of the whole uniform change that put Enlisted Sailors into that gadfly suit and tie CPO uniform. That was pretty much universally hated, so these utilities seemed doomed from the beginning.

 

Of course, these are my recollections. I'm sure there were those that loved these uniforms and have much different views and experiences.

 

Ditto on what Steve said......especially the "Doorman" uniform which I'm sure RC will get to eventually. (The summer whites version made us look like ice cream vendors)

[sigsaye]

Hi,

 

Thanks for this interesting subject, I enclose you the january 1970 All Hands article about this jumper

 

AH jan 70.jpg

 

Best Croc

. Interesting photo. By '73, the jumper was worn untucked, although, guys working around machinery would tuck them in for safety. The white hat was not authorized for wear with utilities by '73. Yes, I saw the pic from the OP. Possibly taken earlier and not published till '74. We were told specifically in Boot Camp we could not wear anything but the ball cap or watch cap with them.

[RustyCanteen]

Hello guys!

 

 

I appreciate all the interest and experiences; feel free to add more! I enjoy hearing about the practical 'real world' experience; sometimes the book didn't always know the best way to do the job.

 

I'm trying to find my scans and detailed notes, but I moved since I made them, and of course they seem to be everyplace but where they ought to be. I will keep looking, and will add more information as I find it.

[RustyCanteen]

Wear in dates: constantly slipped. Dungarees never went away. They were always authorized. People just stopped buying the Utilities, so the Navy decided to dump it and go back to dungarees. The thing to remember is that for personal clothing, nothing is "ISSUED" after recruit training. It is ALL OUT OF POCKET. So every time they came up with these uniform changes, you had to go buy it. Yes, the Nzvy would cut a onetime check for 2 sets. Really? In '75 when they modified the jumper into a shirt, I did like that. It was a better quality fabric that breathed and was sturdier. I would wear those shirts with blue denim dungaree trousers. I also wore steel toed Motorcycle boots .

 

Of course, these are my recollections. I'm sure there were those that loved these uniforms and have much different views and experiences.

 

Hello Steve;

 

You are right on the button regarding the dungarees never truly going away; thank goodness! The one thing I would love to know, is if anyone remembers Seafarer offering (or planning to offer) a private purchase line of utilities? I know they continued stocking the dungarees (even in permanent press), but I never could find their reaction (if any) to the utility uniforms.

 

 

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for this interesting subject, I enclose you the january 1970 All Hands article about this jumper

 

AH jan 70.jpg

 

Best Croc

 

Hello Croc;

 

Very interesting, thank you for sharing it. I am not able to find all of my notes, but the push for the new uniforms started in the later 1960s; as I recall (from my MIA notes) due to the budget, some of the items were introduced on schedule and some items missed. There was also a little confusion in last minute changes related to whom they should be introduced to. I suspect the photo was taken earlier, when they were still working on writing the new regulations.

 

 

Ditto on what Steve said......especially the "Doorman" uniform which I'm sure RC will get to eventually. (The summer whites version made us look like ice cream vendors)

 

Hello Salvage Sailor;

 

Don't worry; they will be coming up as soon as I dig them out. I hope they don't give you nightmares seeing them again.

 

 

We were told specifically in Boot Camp we could not wear anything but the ball cap or watch cap with them.

 

I have definitely heard this before too; and I know the same was true for chambrays & dungarees until about 1962. When the utilities came out, they thought (depending on how you viewed the uniform) they were making for a 'smarter' more sharp (less wrinkled and less dirty) image for the 'New Navy' (I think they have a 'new' navy every 10 years.) I guess some elements felt the dungarees were not good enough to attract new recruits. An interesting anecdote regarding the CPO- style uniforms; I have heard it said that the rate of new enlistments actually sagged during the years the dress jumpers were absent. I believe it.

 

RC

[RustyCanteen]

I'm adding some images of the Cap, Cotton Sateen:

 

CAP, UTILITY, COTTON SATEEN, BLUE

 

The Cap, Utility, Cotton Sateen, Blue, was designed in the late 1950s. Originally, these caps were only authorized with the working uniform when wearing the working/utility jacket, in the early 1960s wear of the cap was extended to dungarees, previously only the White Hat (known by some as a "Dixie Cup") was authorized with dungarees.

These caps were commonly folded so that they could be carried in a back pocket of dungarees, caps exhibiting signs of this use will likely be fragile and prone to bill breakage.


Early production caps had contract labels sewn to the headband, by the mid 1960s the contract information was ink stamped.

Example of the sewn tag:

Rank:

Privately purchased rank insignia to wear on the utility cap, circa late 1950s to mid 1960s. This particular example is on an early dated cap. I believe I came across an ad still offering this design of enameled badge as late as about 1970.

[RustyCanteen]

Adding the long sleeve version of the Utility Jumper:

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

In '75 when they modified the jumper into a shirt, I did like that. It was a better quality fabric that breathed and was sturdier. I would wear those shirts with blue denim dungaree trousers. I also wore steel toed Motorcycle boots ?.

 

 

 

It really is a better shirt than the jumper was; I held it up to the light and you could see a loose weave. The jumpers are heavy, and I'm not sure how they thought it was an improvement over the chambray. At least it seems whoever was tasked with fixing those mistakes listened when they made this.

 

Shirt, Utility:

 

[sigsaye]

I do not believe there was ever any attempt to produce a private purchase version of the Utilities. Why? Sea Farer was making a bundle on dungarees. The cheaper Navy issue utilities were laying on shelves gathering dust.

 

A thing about wear in dates. We got NavAdmin messages all the time extending the wear of the old uniforms. The last one I remember was if you were within a year of EAOS (Expiration of Active Obligated Service), and had the old uniforms, you could keep wearing them. Since no one ever checked stuff like that, the old uniforms just hung on. Pretty sure that's why the Navy finialy said "OK, jumpers and Dungarees it is"!

 

Rate pins on utility caps. Prior to the "New Utilities" ALL rate pins worn on the caps were "Private purchase". Most were brass. Some had your Rate. I have a SM3 cap pin. After the adoption of the stuff front ball cap, the Navy came out with the silver badges to pin on them. Sergio things. When you put them on the cap, you bent the pins over. Other wise, when you walked down a passageway aboard ship, and you banged your head into some pipe, you got the "Frogs" imbedded in your forehead. You could always tell the new PO3 by the red dents in their heads ?

[RustyCanteen]

Sorry for the delays everyone, and especially to Steve who generously sent his photos for contribution to this thread.

 

Posting these on his behalf with his captions:

 

 

Portrait, 1979. Long after the end of this uniform, guys were still wearing it due to the total confusion of when the terminal wear in date was. I stretched it as long as I could

 

 

First official CPO photo, September, 1985. Recruit Company Commander, RTC Great Lakes

 

 

USS Bradley, WestPac '77, Mombasa, Kenya. Note stencil on shirt. I think it's 1 inch rather that regulation 1/2 inch. It's what we had, so we used it.

 

USS Bradley. Again, large stencil. Also, note rating badge. I had just made SM2, so used the stencil chevron someone else had cut off and lined it up on my shirt. Looks a bit close. But it worked and was common practice then

 

USS Henry B. Wilson, DDG-7. WestPac '80. I was SM1. Probably still wearing Sea Farers

 

USS St. Louis LKA-116, 1981. New Navy issue Dungarees. Loved them with a White Hat. Note the "Subic Bay" steel watch band with my SM Crossed Flags emblem

 

 

Entering Taiwan, WestPac '77, USS Bradley

 

On watch USS Bradley

 

USS Bradley

 

USS Bradley. I think this might be a Sea Farer Shirt

 

 

USS Kitty Hawk I think about November '74, San Diego. Just made ASE3. Wearing standard issue ball cap with standard silver pin on crow. Shirt, again, is civilian bought in ships store. Note white buttons. Also, brand new Foul Weather Jacket. Bought this jacket in a store ashore. Could never get one on the ship. I was able to hand onto this jacket until I retired in 1999

 

My buddy ASM3 Eric "Tom" Thompson. We were also very proud of our steel toed noon dockers. Navy issued soft toes, but if you worked in certain Kobe, you got issued steel toes every 6 months

 

USS Bradley, FF-1041, WestPac '77, entering Keoashung Taiwan. SM2 wearing the standard enlisted Combination hat. Hated this hat. We also now had white trousers with slash pockets and Fore and Aft creases

 

SM2, standard topside watch stander in the Pacific. White t-shirt was standard cruising attire. Again, issue ball cap with PO 2 pin on rate

 

 

April '73 NAS Memphis, Naval Air Technical Training Center. I am in back right. This uniform was called "Tropical White Long" ( Long trousers instead of shorts). Same trousers that were worn with the old cotton drill white jumpers. I was in ASE "A" school. The guy in front is John McLaughlin. He was a Fleet Returnee, meaning he had been to the fleet (USS Kitty Hawk) and was back for "A" school (ASM). Note UIZm on his right shoulder and VN ribbons. He had made a cruise in V-3 division. The other guy is Noel Fajardo from the Philippines. He was going to ADJ school.

 

September '73, USS Kitty Hawk. The ball cap is fitted wool. You bought them in superset sizes then. The adjustable ones had not come out yet. The shirt was a civilian chambray work shirt that was sold on board in the ships store.

 

February '76, re enlisting aboard USS Bradley, (FF-1041). Wearing the old style blue working jacket with the flap over the buttons. The patch on the shoulder is an Iowa State shield. It was popular to wear state shields on this ship at the time. My wife and Mom are both from Iowa so I chose that one. Still have that patch, jacket is long gone

 

USS Bradley, 1975-79. WW2 contract rain gear. I was SM3-2

 

USS Bradley FF-1041. SM2. Sea Farer Dungarees, ships belt buckle by Zippo. Iron on rate with sleeves rolled up. Shirt not buttoned all the way and no skivvie shirt. In my right front pocket is my pocket knife. I think it was one of those steel Camilus ones, or an old Tl-29. In my shirt pocket would be a couple of pens for recording messages and writing in the log, a Zippo ships lighter with my initials and a pack of smokes. WestPac '77

 

 

USS Kitty Hawk '73. Sea Farer dungarees with issue ball cap. Aldo pull over utilities. Divisional berthing

 

USS Kitty Hawk '73. PO 3 in pull over utilities

 

USS Kitty Hawk 1973. PO3 in pull over utilities with ships ball cap. Cap is woolen and fitted per size. Not adjustable

 

Same Sailor showing back of cap. We are in a 40 foot utility boat passing USS Kitty Hawk. Probably in Subic Bay

 

 

Utility Boat Sailor, close up of cap. This was the standard cap of the time.

 

USS Kitty Hawk May '74. Close up of steel toed boon docker. Sailor is PO2. Note no pin on crow on issue hard front ball cap. Some confusion at that time as to wether they were required or not so some did not bother. The Sailor is ASM2 Joe Sotak

 

USS Kitty Hawk, November 1974, ASM3 Eric B. Thompson. Just made PO3. Note pin on PO3 cap device on jacket collar. Non reg, but some times gone by new POs. rarely saw any but new PO3s do this

 

Close up of pin on cap device on jacket collar

 

 

Wear Pac 77, USS Bradley FF-1041. We are doing the first "Astern Refueling by the USN since WW2. We were doing it as some allies could only refuel this way. Cameraman is from Combat Camera Unit 3 I believe. He is still wearing the pull over style utilities. That was a shore based unit, so they did not trash work uniforms as quickly as shipboard Sailors deck crew is in mostly Sea Farer dungaree trousers and t-shirts which was standard at sea wear in the Pacific. CPO and Officers in wash khaki trousers and T-shirts

 

Deck crew for same astern refuel. Note "Mostly Orange" Kapok life jackets. They were also covered in paint, grease and sweat. Nasty things. They got wet and were tossed in gear lockers. You would pull them out and smell salty mildew. You put them on and your shirt got filthy. Hands felt gritty from the salt. Good Times.

 

Same astern refuel crew. Line handlers lined up aft of our forward 5inch 38 cal gun. This was a single gun like carried on WW2 Fletcher Class DDs. Probably came off of one. It had the blast shield over the Gun Captain station so it had originally been located under another gun. Also still had the ring and bead AA sight. Yep, we were ready to shoot us down some Zeros

 

USS Bradley, FF 1041 WestPac 77. Pulling into Pearl Harbor on our way home. Note deck crew in "Sumer White". Short sleeve shirts, white trousers with fire and aft creases and Combination hats. Whites for line handlers were a night mare. If you sea them close up, you would see they were stained with the rust and dirt that comes with anchor chain and mooring lines. The hat was a pain in the butt. Great for the officers standing around, but in the way for Sailors. Many actually used the chin straps to hold them on. I remember old Chief BMs doing that, so it just passed down when the rest of us had to wear it.

 

USS Bradley, FF-1041, WestPac 77 returning home to San Diego. Note the uniform is (officially) "Sumer Blue" (with the black trousers). Known as "Salt and Peppers". More comfortable than whites as you didn't get so dirty looking. Probably the favorite uniform for most guys. Still dumb looking to me. Looked even worse later with a White Hat.

 

Family photo 1983. We were back in jumpers by then. Of note is my beard

 

And again, a BIG thanks to Steve (Sigsaye) for sharing his photos and memories of the Navy in the 1970's & 1980's

[sigsaye]

You're quite welcome. Sorry for the spelling mistakes. Doing it off my phone, I have more, just need to find them. Enjoy. I will do my best to answer questions or correct any spelling confusion ?

[sigsaye]

I've got more, just need to find them. I'm

Happy to answer any questions if I can, and clear up any confusion caused by bad spelling and auto correct ?

[Salvage Sailor]

Thanks for the memories Sailor

 

Haze grey and underway.....

[cutiger83]

Definitely a big thanks to Steve. These are some great pictures! Very interesting to see all of the different uniforms.

 

You were a hunk in a uniform!

 

...Kat

[sigsaye]

Thanks Kat, we all were, weren't we Salvage?

[Salvage Sailor]

From "Our Navy" magazine May 1971, distributed Fleetwide.

 

 Cool Navy Man, Cool

 

Harbor Clearance Unit One (HCU-1) Quarterdeck on (YRST-1)

Alpha Docks, Pearl Harbor Naval Station, 1977

[RustyCanteen]

The Naval History & Heritage Command shared these nice photos of President John F. Kennedy wearing an enlisted blue working jacket, from his visit to the USS Observation Island (EAG-154) in November 1963.

 

 

 

You can see these (and more from the same visit) on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum website: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKWHP-KN-C30571.aspx

 

[Bob Hudson]

Here's two examples of blue jackets from the 60's and 70's: one was found at a thift store this weekend, the other at an estate sale. The different shades of blue really standout here:

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Here's two examples of blue jackets from the 60's and 70's: one was found at a thift store this weekend, the other at an estate sale. The different shades of blue really standout here:

 

 

 

Nice examples Bob! Both are examples of fairly early contracts for their respective types.

 

RC