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'Tis a Puzzlement: US Shipping Board Uniform


GIl Sanow
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GIl Sanow

My next door neighbor passed away a few months ago and her daughters are cleaning out her house. They discovered her father's WW1 USN uniform and gave it to me, knowing of my interest in uniforms. It belonged to Seaman 1st Class Vincent Emerson Willis who became a physician after the war. They were kind enough to include a scan of his business card and a photo of him with a young girl, perhaps a niece, and this told me a bit more, but I still have questions.

 

The blue uniform includes his jumper with the triple cuff stripes showing his rank and a pair of bellbottoms. Nowhere can I find any labels though.

 

His card states that he was stationed at Camp Logan, Zion, Illinois. Curious, I Googled that name and learned that Camp Logan was an Illinois National Guard training site located north of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. The ING used it for small arms firing, and the Navy used it during WW1 for the same purposes for sailors training at nearby Great Lakes.

 

On the right sleeve is a qualification badge for an Expert Marksman. Perhaps Willis trained there and was retained to teach his shooting skills.

 

On the left sleeve is an insignia I cannot identify. It appears in none of my limited USN insignia references. It is a white anchor with a red, white and blue shield with three stars. Can anyone ID this insignia?

 

Can anyone else share any info on Seaman Willis' service?

Dr. Vincent Emerson Willis.jpg

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P-40Warhawk

Looks like US Shipping Board to me?

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GIl Sanow

Hmmmmm. You make a good point -- see below. The daughters are not aware of this connection.

 

G

us_ussb.gif

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GIl Sanow

I nosed around on Wikipedia for more info on USSB. It was formed in 1916 to oversee the American merchant marine and took over and operated German and other enemy ships during WW1. Apparently they trained and crewed these and other ships. Whether that included marksmanship is not mentioned, so I am still at a loss.

 

G

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GIl Sanow

Bingo! Interesting that the one I have has the USSB patch down below the elbow, as a qualification badge.

 

G

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I am currently reading a new book on the U.S. Navy in WWI by Lisle Rose. He goes through great trouble to explain the explosion of growth experienced by the Navy during 1917-1918. Maybe this speed of growth helps explain the different positioning of insignia on uniforms? Its a good book so far and I hope this conjecture helps in some way. Scott

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Oh, I forgot to add, I love the uniform! My Wife's Great Grandfather was a sailor in WWI and served in France at NAS St.Trojan and Paulliac. Scott

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  • 8 months later...

Does anyone have anything more to add to this thread? I am writing an article about the uniform for an upcoming issue of AAMUC FOOTLOCKER.

 

G

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I found an online the 1918 book: United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation: Hearings ..., Volume 1 By United States. Congress. Senate

It has lot of hearing testimony about the need for and usage of Navy crews on merchant ships. Here's a couple of excerpts from the full piece at https://books.google.com/books?id=dt1FAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22United%20states%20Shipping%20Board%22%20%22enlisted%22&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=manned&f=false

 

ussbhearing.jpeg

 

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ussbhearing1.jpeg

 

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ussbhearing2.jpeg

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That line "manned with men already in the service" sounds to me as though US Navy sailors would be detaied to the USSB. That could explain why the USSB patch was located below the elbow.

 

The USSB was gearing up for a massive training and expansion program for shipbuilders had the war not ended and in some parts of this Senate testimony there are concerns about whether the enlisted sailors would take work from union members and there was even discussion of should skilled enlisted men get pay equal to the unionized civilians they served with?

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By the way, that Google books link should take you to a keyword search for the word "manned" - there's s search box on the left of that page which allows to enter any keywords

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I am currently reading a new book on the U.S. Navy in WWI by Lisle Rose. He goes through great trouble to explain the explosion of growth experienced by the Navy during 1917-1918. Maybe this speed of growth helps explain the different positioning of insignia on uniforms? Its a good book so far and I hope this conjecture helps in some way. Scott

This actually is not a Navy uniform. It's Navy style. Note, only 2 strips of piping on the collar
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I assume you are referring to the uniform in the portrait photo, not the actual uniform I own. Didn't the collar striping match the cuffs then?

 

Did anyone else notice the overseas stripe in the portrait photo? Presumably the fellow in the pic had at least 6 months overseas.

 

G

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I assume you are referring to the uniform in the portrait photo, not the actual uniform I own. Didn't the collar striping match the cuffs then? No, in 1871, the USN standardized the piping on collars to 3 stripes. USSB only had 2, to differentiate from the USN/USCG, who's personnel were Federal Military members

 

Did anyone else notice the overseas stripe in the portrait photo? Presumably the fellow in the pic had at least 6 months overseas.

 

G

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The US Shipping Board is tough to find information on. Most of the information relates to their vessels (naturally). Women had a special uniform, but I haven't seen one.

 

" Marine colors are used by the girl
employees of the United States shipping
board who hope to keep cool in uni-
form consisting of a forester green cot-
ten gabardine skirt, white tennis waist
and green mushroom hat of straw. The
flag of the shipping board is used as
insignia."

Oregon Daily Journal, June 2, 1918 Page 37.

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I assume you are speaking of the sailor in the portrait photo. It is my understanding that the cuff and collar stripes indicated rank then. 1 is 3rd class, 2 is 2nd and 3 is 1st. The half chevrons worn today were not yet authorized, as I understand it.

 

Interestingly, he wears a single overseas V on his sleeve too.

 

G

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Does anyone have anything more to add to this thread? I am writing an article about the uniform for an upcoming issue of AAMUC FOOTLOCKER.

 

G

Yes, please help Gil find lots of information so he can fill many pages of the FOOTLOCKER!

 

Signed,

 

The Editor

 

:-)

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I assume you are speaking of the sailor in the portrait photo. It is my understanding that the cuff and collar stripes indicated rank then. 1 is 3rd class, 2 is 2nd and 3 is 1st. The half chevrons worn today were not yet authorized, as I understand it.

 

Interestingly, he wears a single overseas V on his sleeve too.

 

G

. Rate was only indicated in the cuffs. The stripes on the collar were standardized to 3 stripes, by the USN, in 1871. The USSB were not Navy and did not wear US Navy uniforms, much like the USMS in WW2. Similar, but different enough to not be Navy
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  • 2 years later...

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