USN Halsey gray colour

[trubia26]

Hello guys!! well...I always thought that the gray colour in US Navy was the Slate gray...but I have bought a patch in a greenish gray colour...and looking throught eBay I have seen they called there as HALSEY GRAY

 

...well, first of all I searched here some topic about it, and I found an interesting one "Study: USN Officer Gray Uniform"

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33036-study-usn-officer-gray-uniform/page-3

 

and in that topic you say that in USN were a lot of shades in gray...from blue to drab...But I would like to know if the Halsey Gray colour is just a shade of gray..

 

The shoulder ranks of this Slate gray uniform seen to be Halsey gray..

 

..or if the Halsey gray is an specific colour in Navy

 

This jumper is enterely greenish

 

Thanks for your help!

 

[sigsaye]

Just a manufacturing variation. There was only one shade called for but due to the dying process of the times and the fact that everything made in that color is now 60+ years old, the dyes have oxidized and changed shade

[MattS]

I agree with Sig, "Halsey grey" was the color (American spelling) with many different shades due to many different manufacturers of shoulder boards, cap covers, garrison caps, coats, etc.

[navyman]

Hello guys!! well...I always thought that the gray colour in US Navy was the Slate gray...but I have bought a patch in a greenish gray colour...and looking throught eBay I have seen they called there as HALSEY GRAY

 

 

...well, first of all I searched here some topic about it, and I found an interesting one "Study: USN Officer Gray Uniform"

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33036-study-usn-officer-gray-uniform/page-3

 

and in that topic you say that in USN were a lot of shades in gray...from blue to drab...But I would like to know if the Halsey Gray colour is just a shade of gray..

 

The shoulder ranks of this Slate gray uniform seen to be Halsey gray..

 

..or if the Halsey gray is an specific colour in Navy

 

This jumper is enterely greenish

 

Thanks for your help!

 

The jumper is gray, the picture is not that great. I used the ebay picture when I bought this back then. I have another somewhere with no insignia also.

 

Jason

[Justin B.]

It's certainly odd to see Admiral Halsey's name associated with gray uniforms, I've never seen that term used before. He and most other Pacific theater commanders couldn't stand the grays. The only name usually associated with the gray uniform is Ernest King; it was entirely his baby.

 

Justin B.

[GIl Sanow]

THe EM jumper shown above is really rare. John Stacey did and article for AAMUC FOOTLOCKER some years back describing it as worn by USN Shore Patrols on a limited basis -- I do not recall that he even had a photo!

 

Who owns it?

 

G

[sigsaye]

Please remember that in this case, "Shore Patrol" means permanent assigned Security Police (as they are referred to today), State Side. They conducted patrols of Naval installations; and joint duty with other service MPs

[navyman]

THe EM jumper shown above is really rare. John Stacey did and article for AAMUC FOOTLOCKER some years back describing it as worn by USN Shore Patrols on a limited basis -- I do not recall that he even had a photo!

 

Who owns it?

 

G

I do, I think I have a gray jumper with the tag attach yet too.

 

Jason

[GIl Sanow]

Actually, I think Stacey mentioned that these uniforms were worn by guard/escorts for new recruits on railroad trains -- not sure they were actually Shore Patrol or what the designation he used.

 

G

[sigsaye]

There is a photo somewhere showing guys wearing these uniforms and wearing the "S" rating badge of "Shore Patrol". Thus, they have been pretty much linked to "Shore Patrol" as a generic term. But, yes, they rode trains to assist incoming recruits and maintain order. So, yes, we are in agreement.

[trubia26]

Ok...thanks for your answer my friends!!...Well...now I think that "Halsey gray" is just a way to named that shade of gray...not an official name for that colour...so "Slate gray" is just another shade, and the only official color is GRAY (in all the shades you can see)..right?

[MattS]

Here's what I found:

 

NAVY GRAY UNIFORMS - gray uniforms in the same style as khaki were first introduced on 16 April 1943 as an officers uniform. On 3 June 1943 the uniform was extended to include Chief Petty Officers. On 31 March 1944 cooks and stewards were permitted to wear the gray uniform. The Navy abolished use of "grays" on 15 October 1949.

 

From: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navy/l/bluniformhist.htm

[Justin B.]

Ok...thanks for your answer my friends!!...Well...now I think that "Halsey gray" is just a way to named that shade of gray...not an official name for that colour...so "Slate gray" is just another shade, and the only official color is GRAY (in all the shades you can see)..right?

Yes that's true, the regulations only said "gray." But the term "slate gray" was used commonly during the war to describe the color, even from official sources. "Halsey gray" sounds like something someone made up long after the fact.

 

Justin B.

[trubia26]

OK...thanks to all of you!!!

[auggie]

Another shade of gray???

I saw this listing on EBay :1944 USN PARACHUTE RIGGER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER'S RATING BADGE - "ERNIE KING" GRAY. Ernie King Is Adm. Ernest King of WWII fame. My question is how did he get a uniform color named after him? Here is the listing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1944-USN-PARACHUTE-RIGGER-CHIEF-PETTY-OFFICER-039-S-RATING-BADGE-034-ERNIE-KING-034-GRAY-/261350288101?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

 

Auggie

[MattS]

Ernie King grey makes more sense than Halsey grey. Neither are official though! I have a "working grey" jacket with the black and gold shoulder boards that were approved for wear once the grey ones were no longer being produced and removable gold buttons. I was going to put black buttons and grey boards back on it, but I believe this was the last authorized pattern for this jacket.

[MattS]

Here's the label in that jacket from Brooks Uniform:

[MattS]

And the matching grey combination cap cover.

[Justin B.]

I saw this listing on EBay :1944 USN PARACHUTE RIGGER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER'S RATING BADGE - "ERNIE KING" GRAY. Ernie King Is Adm. Ernest King of WWII fame. My question is how did he get a uniform color named after him?

The working gray uniform was all his idea and he pushed it through, so he generally gets the blame (since it was not very popular).

 

Ernie King grey makes more sense than Halsey grey. Neither are official though! I have a "working grey" jacket with the black and gold shoulder boards that were approved for wear once the grey ones were no longer being produced and removable gold buttons. I was going to put black buttons and grey boards back on it, but I believe this was the last authorized pattern for this jacket.

When the grays were first authorized in 1943, the gray shoulder boards and black buttons were not widely available, so the regular boards and buttons from the khaki uniform were also authorized. King considered that a temporary measure, though, and in March 1944 the black/gray trim became the only option. Admiral Nimitz, who hated the grays, took over from King as CNO after the war and reinstated khaki as standard, and in May '46 the gold boards and buttons became optional once again for the grays. In July '46 it was announced that the grays would be phased out by October 1948.

 

Justin B.

[MattS]

Thanks for that info!

[auggie]

Here is some further gray uniform info posted several years ago on the USMF. Good read.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33036-study-usn-officer-gray-uniform/