how much has the USN jumper changed since WWII?

[BOLO]

is the current USN wool dress jumper much different than a WWII version?

 

can anyone point out the diferences if any? are the newer ones black instead of the dark ink blue ?

 

Im trying to put a WWII sailor display together and as long as it looks good on display is all Im concerned about.

[QED4]

Changes in style are minor, the main thing is the material they are made of, the new ones are polyester or a polyester blend and the older ones are wool. The best way to tell a WWII one is by the label, WWII labels say Naval Clothing Factory and very late ones say Naval Clothing Depot all other are later (this applies to issue ones only) so if you stick to a Naval Clothing Factory label you have a WWII jumper.

[Teamski]

Changes in style are minor, the main thing is the material they are made of, the new ones are polyester or a polyester blend and the older ones are wool. The best way to tell a WWII one is by the label, WWII labels say Naval Clothing Factory and very late ones say Naval Clothing Depot all other are later (this applies to issue ones only) so if you stick to a Naval Clothing Factory label you have a WWII jumper.

 

Thanks for the tip! I didn't know that. Now to go back and check out the uniforms.

 

-Ski

[BOLO]

I just looked at one of mine

 

DLA100 - 88-C-0461

 

fiber content 100% wool

 

some of the newer ones were still 100% wool

 

and it looks more like black in color

[Captainofthe7th]

That sounds good, I'm sure the colors varied anyway in WWII.

 

Original jumpers are cheap enough to get, so if you wanted to be authentic AND look good, it would probably cost you somewhere around 10 dollars, so it doesn't really break the bank for an original.

 

Sounds like you've already got a good substitute though. Show us the finished product!

 

Rob

[sigsaye]

That sounds good, I'm sure the colors varied anyway in WWII.

 

Original jumpers are cheap enough to get, so if you wanted to be authentic AND look good, it would probably cost you somewhere around 10 dollars, so it doesn't really break the bank for an original.

 

Sounds like you've already got a good substitute though. Show us the finished product!

 

Rob

The current issue uniforms are black, and they are more of a wool gaberdine. The WW 2 uniforms were in fact blue, and were a melton wool. Different stuff. There were post war uniforms made of the same fabric, but they have the NATO tags. The Main differance in the jumpers is that "most" ww2 jumpers had small eyelets at the bottom of the side seams and draw strings in the hems. And of course as had been already mentioned, "Naval Clothing Factory" lables.

 

Post war jumpers did not have the eyelets or draw string. Note, that some WW 2 jumpers also did not have the eyelets or drawstring, and that many wartime contract uniforms were still being issued into the mid 1950s.

 

The trousers main differenmce was the pockets. In WW 2 trousers, the pockets were set into the waist band and the left hand pocket had a zipper. There were also usually two pair of eyelets just below the pocket openings. And, the "Naval Clothing Factory" tags.

 

Post war trousers had the pockets set into the bast of the waist band and no eyelets. And, NATO tags.

 

The current issue uniforms are the same style and cut as the imediate post war uniforms but again, black and of a different fabric.

 

Steve Hesson

[BOLO]

thanks Steve!

 

I also have a Vietnam era undress / work jumper thats solid blue 100% wool

 

yes it does have a different feel than my late issue jumper

[sigsaye]

thanks Steve!

 

I also have a Vietnam era undress / work jumper thats solid blue 100% wool

 

yes it does have a different feel than my late issue jumper

WW 2 made uniforms continued to be issued until the mid '50. In '55, the Navy contracted for the next batch of uniforms. With this run, the eyelets and drawstrings of the WW 2 era uniforms were dropped. These unifoms continued to be issued until mid '73, when the Navy went to suit and tie uniforms for all hands. In 1980, the Navy decided to return to the traditional Dress blues and Whites (undress jumpers with neckerchief). These uniforms (blues0 were made of a different wool. They were also black.

 

Steve Hesson

[Polygon]

Changes in style are minor, the main thing is the material they are made of, the new ones are polyester or a polyester blend and the older ones are wool. The best way to tell a WWII one is by the label, WWII labels say Naval Clothing Factory and very late ones say Naval Clothing Depot all other are later (this applies to issue ones only) so if you stick to a Naval Clothing Factory label you have a WWII jumper.

 

Nice to know about the labels, thanks!

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice to know about the labels, thanks!

 

Furthermore....

 

When the USN did away with the dreaded 'Ice Cream Vendor' uniforms in 1979, I sent away for a Cracker Jack blue uniform via mail order......and received an unissued WWII Naval Clothing Factory wool set which I still have. It kept me warm many a night on watch in the Atlantic & European ports of call.

[Polygon]

Wow, very cool, thanks for sharing that with us!

 

I see these quite a bit, and basically relied on the age of the uniform to judge whether or not it was period. It's nice to know about the differences in the labels as I said earlier and looking for specific features of the uniform.

[Bob Hudson]

I just looked at one of mine

 

DLA100 - 88-C-0461

 

fiber content 100% wool

 

some of the newer ones were still 100% wool

 

and it looks more like black in color

 

That's a 1988 contract number.