USN WWII M41 style deck jacket

[Bob Hudson]

Maybe someone can come up with an official name for this, but it seems to be known as the M41 style deck jacket because the design of the back which has a sort of built in belt similar to the M-1941 field jacket. I had never seen one of these until recently but I have found three of them at thrift stores in the past 30 days. Two were missing the labels, but one had its label with the contract number.

 

[keith d]

I think that Deck Jacket is the correct name for them. I am not sure how to date them. I think that they were basically unchanged up to the Vietnam era.

[earlymb]

I believe the main difference with the standard M41 jacket is the lack of epaulettes on the Navy jackets.

 

Greetz

 

David

[bilko1]

Also the number of buttons down the front[if i remember right],I'd love a size 46 navy m41 to add to my seebee impression .

[Greg Robinson]

Here's a mint one with cutter tags I bought a while back and recently sold. I called it a WW2 navy deck jacket for lack of an official nomenclature. It's a size 36 which made it a slow sell.....you should do better with a "40".

 

The contract number defines it as WW2.

 

Greg

[Bob Hudson]

I think that Deck Jacket is the correct name for them. I am not sure how to date them. I think that they were basically unchanged up to the Vietnam era.

 

This style seems to have been discontinued in the 40's as they went for heavier OD styles such as these, none of which use that distinctive strip along the bottom back of the coat;:

 

[QED4]

The last jacket appears to be an Army Tanker's Jacket, is there an opening across the shoulders on the back that is held closed with velcro?

[Bob Hudson]

The last jacket appears to be an Army Tanker's Jacket, is there an opening across the shoulders on the back that is held closed with velcro?

 

Not that I recall: I don't have the jacket anymore, just the photos:

 

 

This is another that defies easy naming. Here's what the label says:

 

 

I've seen these called deck jackets, bomber jackets, tanker jackets, flight crew jackets, etc.

[QED4]

That is an Army CVC (Tanker's) jacket, it has the opening across the back. It is there to access the extraction harness that is made into the Tanker's coveralls. If a crewman is wounded you open the jacket and grab the harness in the coveralls and pull him through the hatch. Both the jacket and coveralls are made of Nomex to help protect against fire.

[BOLO]

heres a Vietnam era navy deck jacket dated 1968

 

with the sailor's name stencilled on

[BOLO]

----> has adjustment straps at the bottom to adjust fit

[subsystem4]

I think jeff warners book on navy amphibious forces in WWII calls this type of jacket an N-3 deck jacket. I 'll have to check when i get home. But this navy deck jacket lacks epaulettes and the wrist adjustment tapes, and is usually a darker shade of od than the Army m41 field jacket.

The heavier alpaca lined jacket is the N-1 deck jacket.

[subsystem4]

I was close. These m41 style jackets are called "N-4" field jackets. They were made along with the heavier N-1 deck jackets through out WWII.

[BOLO]

here are two WWII sailors with writing on the back of their deck jackets, looks like the name of their home town.

[sigsaye]

here are two WWII sailors with writing on the back of their deck jackets, looks like the name of their home town.

Just an observation. I spent 26 years in the Navy. My Father and Uncle, 20 each. I am a collector of Sailors stories and have interviewed Sailors going back to the Spanish American War. These jackets (all versions) were always refered to as "Foul Weather Jackets". Never hears of any of the "N-this or that" until I started reading collector forums.

 

The ones with the tabs on the side for sizing have been around since the early/mid '60s. We always had a couple around the house. The two earlier versions would turn up as late as the early 70's. The alpaca lined colars were real treasures if you could find one in the Bo's'uns Locker. I had a Girl friend in an avation squadron at North Island in '74 who had one of the earlier "M-41" types.

 

In '97, the Navy shifted back to blue jackets. They are basically the same style as the green jackets with the sizing tabs except that the buttons and buckles on the tabs have been replaced with velcro.

 

We had one other, it was shiney green and was supposed to be for colder weather. It had a curderoy faced collar and was insulated. The jackets were stiff and fine as long as all you did was stand there. Hard to move around in. Most guys did not like them and dumped them for the older style if they could get them.

 

In the early '70s, I got one of the "New" green jackets. It was a size "54" and fit great. I got it with no stencils on it, so decided it was going with me as long as I was in the Navy (made up some lame story to explain not turning it back in in the spring). Over the years, I moved the small pocket to the left sleeve. I got the breast pockets from a worn out Army field jacket and put them on the front of my jacket. I paintes crossed signal flags on the back, had name and US Navy tapes made for the front, stenciled my name on the back too. When I made Chief, I superimposed an anchor over the crossed flags (added a star when I made Senior Chief). Also stenciled the names of my ships on the back. I served in three amphibious ships, so add an old WW2 red Amphibious Forces patch to the left sleeve. Had to replace the zipper over the years with one from, again, an old Army field jacket (lots of those ended up on Navy ships when everything went cammie). That jacket served about 25 years, and at the end, like me was pretty much worn out. Paint splatters, grease stains, frayed cuffs and collar.

 

Steve Hesson

[bbmilitaria]

Hi all, The jacket is indeed correctly referred to as the N-4, but the Navy considered them field jackets, not deck jackets. I'm sure thousands were worn on ships, this is just the official Navy designation. Below is a photo of an original shipping case. Mike

 

 

[Revolution Rising]

Does anyone know if/where I could find a reproduction of the N-4?

[General Apathy]

Does anyone know if/where I could find a reproduction of the N-4?

 

 

Everything wears out, so can forum members guess in what time frame there will be reproductions made of the reproductions that were made of original items.

 

Cheers ( Lewis )

[coolman]

when i was a soldier to the greek army the USN N4s favoured by the officers bc they'v had the classic good old american look & they were still green enough to mutch the OD NATO colour of the rest greek field uniform. they were in the depots by the tons as korean war era military aid & they maded a qood adition to the officers field uniforms.

The regular greek army field jacket was warmer & much superior but the officers allways wore the american ones as a sign of authority & for the same reason they'v had allways COLT M1911A1s pistols hunging from the belts...they wanted to look different than the soldiers just to remind us who's the boss here....

 

 

It was a bit crazy to see all that infantry personel with navy stamped jackets...i dont recall ever seen an army khaki M41...it was'nt a matching colour anyway

[nicolas75]

Hello

 

Seems to me those USN N-4 Jackets did not have any buttons on the sleeves ends and no buttons on the waist belt

 

Am i right ?

[coolman]

Hello

 

Seems to me those USN N-4 Jackets did not have any buttons on the sleeves ends and no buttons on the waist belt

 

Am i right ?

right

[1stDivVet]

Does anyone know if/where I could find a reproduction of the N-4?

 

I made mine.. Converted an Army M-41 repop jacket. You have to change the buttons, add a button hole, enlarge the other ones, remove tabs on waist and sleeves, and shoulder straps. Here's the final result

[1stDivVet]

Another way to tell is the buttons. They are darker in WW2 and into Korea, then are light green like on the 60's model. This holds true for the N-1 and the long officer's foul weather coat too..

 

Fins.

[Salvage Sailor]

In the early '70s, I got one of the "New" green jackets. It was a size "54" and fit great. I got it with no stencils on it, so decided it was going with me as long as I was in the Navy (made up some lame story to explain not turning it back in in the spring). Over the years, I moved the small pocket to the left sleeve. I got the breast pockets from a worn out Army field jacket and put them on the front of my jacket. I paintes crossed signal flags on the back, had name and US Navy tapes made for the front, stenciled my name on the back too. When I made Chief, I superimposed an anchor over the crossed flags (added a star when I made Senior Chief). Also stenciled the names of my ships on the back. I served in three amphibious ships, so add an old WW2 red Amphibious Forces patch to the left sleeve. Had to replace the zipper over the years with one from, again, an old Army field jacket (lots of those ended up on Navy ships when everything went cammie). That jacket served about 25 years, and at the end, like me was pretty much worn out. Paint splatters, grease stains, frayed cuffs and collar.

 

Steve Hesson

 

Posted examples of Vietnam Era/Cold War Era USN deck jackets here

 

USN Deck Jackets

[Revolution Rising]

I made mine.. Converted an Army M-41 repop jacket. You have to change the buttons, add a button hole, enlarge the other ones, remove tabs on waist and sleeves, and shoulder straps. Here's the final result

 

Wow, great job. If I spent the money on an M-41 I don't think I'd bother altering it, however.

 

 

Does the M-41 have the same thickness of lining as the M-4?