HGU-4/P Sunglasses expertise needed

[Chindit]

I hope this is the correct place to post this question/s.

 

I worked as an Army civilian in the 80's and 90's on a pretty much civilian R & D installation. During the late 80's and early 90's I managed to acquire from the small PX a fair amount of "military" sunglasses. I recently found a box of them and was surprised at the number I had acquired.

They break down into the following categories:

 

1. Silver/metal framed glasses by Randolph Engineering. Mil Spec on the black case is Mil-S-24948J. There is also a contract number that I think is dated 1990.

 

2. Gold frame glasses by American Optical. I think the number 5220 is on the frame near the nose area. There are no AO cases for the glasses.

 

3. Gold frame glasses by "Command Marketing". These look just like the AO glasses but come in a cheap plastic case with the 24948 spec and an AAFES number. They say Original Pilot sunglasses.

 

4. Pilot sunglasses by Command Marketing (and this is puzzling) a cardboard tag around the frame that says "Certified Original Pilot sunglasses originally produced by American Optical Co."

 

I guess my questions are as follows:

 

1. Are any of the above glasses "official" issue to military pilots? (I suspect it's the Randolph ones).

 

2. What is Command Marketing, and is it a subsidiary of AO?

 

3. Are the AO and Command glasses made mil spec but meant to be sold in the AAFES system?

 

Thanks so much for the assistance with this.

 

Joe

[FtrPlt]

http://theeyewearblog.com/the-history-of-aviator-sunglasses-part-7-the-air-force-hgu-4p/

[FtrPlt]

I was issued HGU-4s made by AO (blade temples and dull metal frames) in the mid-1980s. Years later, when I needed corrective lenses, I received the same AO brand with the required lenses. My last glasses were marked AFF-OP and made by Artcraft. They were standard issue at my guard unit. No reference to HGU-4. These were issued as regular sunglasses and were available, as needed, with prescription lenses.

 

For the latter Artcraft glasses, I had a choice of black or gold frames.