WWII - Vietnam Era US Navy Khaki Uniform Question

[dg0223]

Dear US Navy uniform experts,

 

I know the Navy used to use a khaki officer's uniform that had hard shoulderboards from WWII to around the Vietnam era, maybe even a little later. I know that recently, the Navy tried bringing back that uniform for regular use. I also know during the WWII era, there was a similar grey uniform used with matching grey hard shoulderboards.

 

I also know the Navy used a green "aviator" uniform similar to the khaki uniform during the same time (although I had a 1990's era uniform catalog that had the green aviator uniform in it, so I don't know when that one was discontinued), with the exception of the button color and the fact that the rank used on it was placed on the sleeve cuffs rather than using hard shoulderboards. My question is, was there ever a khaki uniform that looked like the green aviator uniform with sleeve cuff rank rather than shoulderboard rank? I saw a picture somewhere of a khaki uniform with sleeve cuff rank. Either that, or the picture was very faded, or the lighting was off and the uniform was actually green. Did such a khaki uniform ever exist, and if so, does anybody have one in their collection they could show?

 

Thank you for your time. Have a good day.

[MattS]

Yes, see "Working Khaki Coat, 1925-1941" here: http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_sleeve_rank_chron.html

[Captainofthe7th]

Yes, Kurt posted one:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/105876-rare-1930s-usn-aviation-tan-uniform-to-naval-aviator/

 

Rob

[RustyCanteen]

There was one on eBay recently, but the cuff braid looked messy.

[Justin B.]

If you ever catch the old movie "The Hindenburg," they got that right and show a few officers with black stripes on khaki at NAS Lakehurst.

[dg0223]

Justin B. that was it! That's where I saw the uniform. Nice call. I had just DVR'd The Hindenburg and had a chance to watch the first half hour of the movie last week and that's where I saw it. Thanks.

 

And thank you all for replying. The info is very much appreciated.

[Justin B.]

Justin B. that was it! That's where I saw the uniform. Nice call. I had just DVR'd The Hindenburg and had a chance to watch the first half hour of the movie last week and that's where I saw it. Thanks.

 

Ha, that's funny. I think that was what first piqued my curiosity about that, too, that's why I thought of it.

 

There was a TV movie around '99 or 2000 about a submarine rescue that used that uniform, too. The coats looked like post-WW2 wool instead of the old wash cotton, and the black stripes were too wide, but I gave them credit for trying.

[RustyCanteen]

 

There was a TV movie around '99 or 2000 about a submarine rescue that used that uniform, too. The coats looked like post-WW2 wool instead of the old wash cotton, and the black stripes were too wide, but I gave them credit for trying.

 

That was probably 'Submerged' which came out in May 2001 on NBC. It starred Sam Neill as Charles Momsen.

[Justin B.]

 

That was probably 'Submerged' which came out in May 2001 on NBC. It starred Sam Neill as Charles Momsen.

 

Yes, thanks! I couldn't Google it up because all I could think of was the name of the book, The Terrible Hours.