Navy Uniforms In Combat

[SergeantMajorGray]

This might be a stupid question but I'm not sure. Were under dress whites and blues worn in combat?

[sigsaye]

Depends on the era. UNDRESS Whites were adopted in 1893. UNDRESS Blues 1917. Prior to that the only uniforms were blue or white which were worn for everything. Navy landing parties were all over the place up to WW2. There are two wonderful threads full of pictures in the photos section well documenting what Sailors wore on landing parties through the 1930s. After that, wearing dungarees became the norm. There are several instances where Sailors in WW2 did wear undress, white in the Philippines, and once during the Torch landings in North Africa. After that, no. It was dungarees for regular ship board Sailors who would make quick raids, or if they were going to be ashore in theater as part of their regular mission, they would receive Marine or Army uniforms depending on who they were working with.

[patches]

During the attack on Pearl Harbor Whites were being worn by alot of guys, not sure why, Liberty or was White the common peace time duty uniform of the day for some of the crews while ships were in residence at Pearl? I'll let our Navy people add there knowledge on this.

 

[sigsaye]

During the attack on Pearl Harbor Whites were being worn by alot of guys, not sure why, Liberty or was White the common peace time duty uniform of the day for some of the crews while ships were in residence at Pearl? I'll let our Navy people add there knowledge on this.

 

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. The undress uniforms were the standard duty uniform of the day for all Sailors at that time. Dungarees were allowed for only dirty work, and not after 1600 or for any meals. This was Navy wide and actually continued as the regulation well into the 1960s. By early in WW2 it was dispensed with in smaller ships, and pretty much every one in combat zones. So, yes, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, whites would have been the most common uniform worn.

[Justin B.]

With neckerchief worn by certain men on duty, right? In the peacetime Navy dungarees were supposed to be out-of-sight in port, and at the time of Pearl Harbor even the khaki shirt with black tie for chiefs and officers was still a fairly new-fangled idea. Steve, wasn't UD white replaced by "tropical white long" at some point (later "summer white")?

 

As for the undress blue, it was definitely worn in combat all over the Atlantic and North Pacific, "accessorized" with wool jerseys, watch caps and so on.

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

More to the point, the Pearl Harbor attack occurred on a Sunday morning at Quarters. The uniform for most watchstanders and men at Quarters would have been whites, no matter if they were aboard ship, on Ford Island (Luke Field) or assigned to the Naval Station.

 

It was a come as you are battle, those already up and about would have been in whites, those below decks or still in their racks would grab whatever was at hand.

[patches]

Our thank's to Sigsaye, Justin B and Savage Sailor.

[sigsaye]

With neckerchief worn by certain men on duty, right? In the peacetime Navy dungarees were supposed to be out-of-sight in port, and at the time of Pearl Harbor even the khaki shirt with black tie for chiefs and officers was still a fairly new-fangled idea. Steve, wasn't UD white replaced by "tropical white long" at some point (later "summer white")?

 

As for the undress blue, it was definitely worn in combat all over the Atlantic and North Pacific, "accessorized" with wool jerseys, watch caps and so on.

 

. Justin, you are correct. The "Trop whites" with the short sleeved shirt for all enlisted came out in something like '59 I think. Yes, the shirt and shorts were worn in China by the Gun Boat Sailors, but that was strictly a local thing. There was also an " Undress White B". Which was the white trousers and white under shirt. As for the statement about undress blues worn all over the Atlantic and North Pacific, very much so. I guess I assumed that by "Combat" it was meant to mean Ground Combat". I sometimes think that most of those on this forum do not see chasing U-Boats, or standing behind a 20MM gun trying to hit a Kamikazi coming at you while your ship burns around you as "Combat". Nor, is driving an LCVP in a straight line for a mile to a beach while every German in Europe shoots at you with an .88 (that was how it was described to me by a D-Day boat Cox'n).

[SergeantMajorGray]

Ah UNdress I see. By combat I was referring to during WW2 on ship in a engagement between planes and other ships or at invasions and not a surprise attack like Pearl Harbor. Thank you all for the help.

[sigsaye]

Dungarees became pretty much the universal all day, every day wear at sea. In cold climates, Sailors would wear undress blues because they were war and wear still somewhat warm when wet and dry quicker than the denim dungarees. In hot climates, dungarees are the cooler choice, being lighter weight than the whites, and simply easier to maintain.

 

In the book "Battleship Sailor", the author (can't remember right now, not at home to check) who was aboard USS California, says that many ships allowed shorts and t-shirts as daily wear. This resulted in many bad burn casualties due to flash burns on unprotected skin.

 

But to answer your question, dungarees were the norm

[1930artdeco]

I talked to one gunner on the Enterprise and he said that as soon as they put to sea, enything that could burn was burned. They would pile things like uniforms and anything that wasn't necessary into a bonfire to protect the ship later.

 

Mike

[Slobo]

. Justin, you are correct. The "Trop whites" with the short sleeved shirt for all enlisted came out in something like '59 I think. Yes, the shirt and shorts were worn in China by the Gun Boat Sailors, but that was strictly a local thing. There was also an " Undress White B". Which was the white trousers and white under shirt. As for the statement about undress blues worn all over the Atlantic and North Pacific, very much so. I guess I assumed that by "Combat" it was meant to mean Ground Combat". I sometimes think that most of those on this forum do not see chasing U-Boats, or standing behind a 20MM gun trying to hit a Kamikazi coming at you while your ship burns around you as "Combat". Nor, is driving an LCVP in a straight line for a mile to a beach while every German in Europe shoots at you with an .88 (that was how it was described to me by a D-Day boat Cox'n).

When were Undress White B's (undershirt order) added to the regs, and when deleted? Thanks.

[Justin B.]

When were Undress White B's (undershirt order) added to the regs, and when deleted? Thanks.

Added to 1922 uniform regs in 1927 (change no. 4), deleted in 1975 with the rest of the jumper stuff.

[MastersMate]

One recurring tidbit concerning landing party uniforms.. Apparently some incidents during Central America altercations of the early 1900s prompted this change, thus making the bluejacket a less identifiable target..

 

 

[Justin B.]

One recurring tidbit concerning landing party uniforms.. Apparently some incidents during Central America altercations of the early 1900s prompted this change, thus making the bluejacket a less identifiable target.

 

SECNAV approved khaki dying in January 1915, not too long after the Vera Cruz operations ended.

 

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=zYEtAAAAYAAJ&dq=navy%20general%20orders%201915&pg=PP165#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[sigsaye]

One recurring tidbit concerning landing party uniforms.. Apparently some incidents during Central America altercations of the early 1900s prompted this change, thus making the bluejacket a less identifiable target..

 

 

. Interesting that the last is dated 1947. My dad was landing party in China 1947-1949. They guarded supply trains from Shang-hi to Tsing Tao. They wore dungarees and foul weather gear when needed. For what its worth, he was 5-10, 125 pounds and was a BAR gunner. He said the weight of the gun, ammo, gear and helmet, kept him from blowing off the roof of the trains ?