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WWII WAVE Grouping.


husk
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About ten years ago I picked up this footlocker at the estate sale of a WWII US Navy WAVE. I actually think she served in three wars, but havent done the research. The trunk is crammed full of her Nurse uniforms, hats,caps, armbands, shirts, skirts, dress jackets, a long coat and a USN Mussette bag ( Boyt 1945) stencilled with her name. I'd more or less forgotten about it until I noticed this Women's Services sub-forum a few weeks ago.

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Nice grouping! I ran Mildred "D" Doherty and her serial number through Fold3 and came up only with a nurse named Mildred "F" Doherty but, her Serial number was not a match. What this means is that Fold3 does not have everything available yet.

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About ten years ago I picked up this footlocker at the estate sale of a WWII US Navy WAVE. I actually think she served in three wars, but havent done the research. The trunk is crammed full of her Nurse uniforms, hats,caps, armbands, shirts, skirts, dress jackets, a long coat and a USN Mussette bag ( Boyt 1945) stencilled with her name.

 

The WAVES and the Navy Nurse Corps were two different groups, The dark Navy uniforms you posted are for a WAVE not a nurse. She could have been assigned to the Medical Corps or these are items from two different women. Can you please post pictures of the items you believe are for a Nurse uniform?

 

In addition, the rate on the uniform posted is for a Chief Petty Officer Yeoman. All nurses were officers.

 

..Kat

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I meant to say nurse dresses, not uniforms. Obviously, she was a WAVE, as the title of my post states. I'll post additional pics a bit later.

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I meant to say nurse dresses, not uniforms.

 

Don't mean to be picky but if they are dresses for a WAVE who served in the medical corps, then they would most likely be a uniform for a medical technician and not a nurse dress. :)

 

I look forward to your pictures. Thank you for posting more. I love to see women's items......Kat

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Nice dresses. Those appear to be the WAVE seersucker work uniform You can see the uniform on this great website:

 

http://www.blitzkriegbaby.de/homepage.htm

 

The dresses on the blitzkrieg website have a rounded collar while yours appear to be straight I don't have my book with me to know if your dresses are post WWII. Since you mentioned she served in multiple wars and since the rank is a high rank, these could be from after WWII. I will check my reference books tonight to see if I can find anything.

 

Thanks for posting more pictures,,,,,Kat

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The buttons on the overcoat appear to be gold and not the usual blue Navy plastic buttons. This appears to be a private purchase overcoat but I am not positive.

 

...Kat

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The uniforms are NOT for a Nurse, or any kind of Medical personnel. She was a Chief Yeoman. Her uniforms indicate that she served 20 years, so figure she retired some time in the 1960s. All uniforms shown have CPO rating badges (YNC) and service stripes. Thinking most, if not all of these are way post WW2. I do not think there were all that many changes to female uniforms at that time

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The uniforms are NOT for a Nurse, or any kind of Medical personnel. She was a Chief Yeoman. Her uniforms indicate that she served 20 years, so figure she retired some time in the 1960s. All uniforms shown have CPO rating badges (YNC) and service stripes. Thinking most, if not all of these are way post WW2. I do not think there were all that many changes to female uniforms at that time

 

Steve,

 

I was going to send you a PM to get your opinion and you beat me to it! :lol:

 

I was wondering how you know she served for 20 years. I figured it was a long time since she was a Chief but wasn't sure how long.

 

...Kat

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Steve,

 

I was going to send you a PM to get your opinion and you beat me to it! :lol:

 

I was wondering how you know she served for 20 years. I figured it was a long time since she was a Chief but wasn't sure how long.

 

...Kat

. Kat, on the uniforms are 4 gold hash marks. Each one counts for 4 years. Generally, when we retire at 20, we don't put the fifth stripe on, as we are gone by the time we are actually eligible. Additionally, her good conduct ribbons have 3 stars, meaning initial award and 3 more ( they were 4 years each at that time). I would guess these uniforms are 1950s
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Also, what seems to be being identified as "Nurses Dresses" are actually standard Navy Female working attire (1940s -1950s I think, could be later). These were worn by those working in an office environment. Yeomen were clerks/ Secretaries, so she had a bunch it appears

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And, I do see the "Nurse" caps. They are NOT Navy, but Red Cross. She possibly volunteered with the RC. Either way, Not Navy Medical

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. Kat, on the uniforms are 4 gold hash marks. Each one counts for 4 years. Generally, when we retire at 20, we don't put the fifth stripe on, as we are gone by the time we are actually eligible. Additionally, her good conduct ribbons have 3 stars, meaning initial award and 3 more ( they were 4 years each at that time). I would guess these uniforms are 1950s

 

Steve,

 

Thanks for the explanation. And thanks for chiming in too! You are always so helpful.

 

...Kat

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Also, what seems to be being identified as "Nurses Dresses" are actually standard Navy Female working attire (1940s -1950s I think, could be later). These were worn by those working in an office environment. Yeomen were clerks/ Secretaries, so she had a bunch it appears

It appears to me that the earlier dresses had the rounded collars instead of the pointed. This is why I was thinking these might be post WWII. I believe you are correct about them being later. Especially with her rank of Chief on the dresses.

 

...kat

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Off the top of my head, I don't know when these changes took place. The musett bag has her rate as Y1/c which is pre 1948. Could she still be wearing/ using WW2 uniforms into the 1950s. Oh yes, very much so bit was coon as the Navy had huge stocks of stuff left after the war. Nothing wrong with it, so it continued in use. But since the WAVES started in '43(?), that would put her at returning in '63. Just for a guess at time frame. And according to her ribbons, she was in WW2. Not sure when the change to brass buttons took place. I'm in a field right now. Bull got out and went to visit the neighbors bean field ?. He needs help getting home

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