Navy Dress

[lduncan]

I have the opportunity to purchase a US Navy nurse's seersucker dress and hat. My question is did Navy nurses wear this type of dress during the Korean War and Vietnam War? The owner insists it is WWII vintage. How could I tell its age for sure?

[a6skin9]

With the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, all Navy women's branches were incorporated into the regular Navy. With this act Navy Nurses wore the uniforms that were being worn by WAVES.

But the seersucker uniform was authorized for wear by NNC members begining in July 1946.

Seersucker uniforms were worn by Navy women during the Korean war but by the time of the Vietnam War the seersucker uniform was no longer worn.

In 1947 a new gray and white striped seesucker working uniform dress was introduced. It had 7 buttons down the upper 3/4 of the dress and a matching belt buttoned on both sides. The convertable roll collar was pointed on the ends.

The WWII seersucker dress, introduced in 1943, had an open rounded collar, short sleeves, and a zipper on the left side.

 

Pers-329-MEB, QR/JJ55, 13 July 1946

ACTION: ALL SHIPS AND STATIONS

(Ref.: (a) US Navy Uniform Regulations, 1941, ch. XIV, "Nurse Corps.")

(Enc.: (A) Regulations Governing the Wearing of the Gray Seersucker Working Uniform, Reserve Blue Working Smock, and Navy Blue Slacks by Members of the Navy Nurse Corps.)

 

1.The Secretary of the Navy has approved the optional wearing of a gray seersucker working uniform, reserve blue working smock, and Navy blue slacks by members of the Navy Nurse Corps. These articles of uniform, with their accessories, shall be the same as those prescribed for members of the Women's Reserve, and they shall be worn in exactly the same manner as that prescribed for WAVES, with the following exceptions:

 

(a)Navy Nurse Corps insignia shall be substituted for WAVE insignia.

 

(b)No jacket devices shall be worn on the rounded ends of jacket lapels.

 

2.Pending revision of reference (a), enclosure (A) shall govern the wearing of these articles of uniform. The gray working uniform dress (cotton, rayon, or tropical worsted) previously authorized may be worn until the supply of these dresses in stock is exhausted or those in possession are worn out. - BuPers. Felix Johnson.

 

Enclosure (A)

 

REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE WEARING OF THE GRAY SEERSUCKER WORKING UNIOFRM, RESERVE BLUE WORKING SMOCK, AND NAVY BLUE SLACKS BY MEMBERS OF THE NAVY NURSE CORPS

 

1.The following is the designation of the gray working uniform:

 

Coat[1]: Gray (Seersucker)

Dress: Gray (Seersucker)

Garrison Cap: Gray (Seersucker)

Necktie [2]: Black (two-piece)

Hose: Beige

Shoes: Black

Gloves [3]: Black

Handbag [4]: Black

Buttons: Blue-black

Ribbons [5]: Yes

Collar insignia [6]: Yes

Aviation insignia [7]: Yes

Sleeve stripes [8]: Blue

Corps devices [9]: Blue

 

1 The coat of the working uniform may be removed indoors. It may be omitted when authorized by the commanding officer.

2 The commanding officer may authorize the omission of the necktie only within station limits and only when the coat is removed.

3 Optional.

4 WAVES' black leather handbag or Nurses' cordé purse. The use of the shoulder strap of the black leather handbag is optional.

5 On the coat of the gray working uniform one or two rows of ribbons shall be centered on the left pocket flap and each succeeding row shall be worn above the pocket flap. When the coat is not worn, ribbons shall be worn on the dress centered immediately above the top of the pocket.

6 Metal pin-on rank device shall be worn on the right collar and gold metal pin-on corps device shall be worn on the left collar tip. The devices shall be centered on the dress collar 1" from the front edge and shall be placed at right angles to the inside edge; i.e., the neckline.

7 Aviation insignia shall be centered on the left pocket flap of the coat. When worn with ribbons, the aviation insignia shall be placed above the pocket flap. When the coat is not worn, aviation insignia shall be worn on the dress, centered immediately above the top of the pocket. When worn with ribbons, the aviation insignia shall be uppermost, ¼" above the top row of ribbons.

8 Sleeve stripes shall be navy blue mohair, cotton, or rayon braid.

9 Corps devices (embroidered) shall be Navy blue silk, rayon, or cotton embroidery except that the acorn shall be reserve blue.

 

2. Reserve blue working smock.-The smock is to be used as a laboratory uniform by members of the Nurse Corps taking courses such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and dietetics. Pin-on devices of rank and corps may be worn in the same relative position as prescribed for the gray working uniform.

 

3. Navy blue slacks.-Navy blue slacks may be prescribed for wear on occasions when the wearing of other uniforms is not practicable, such as on travel status overseas.

 

Source: "Navy Nurse Corps Uniforms." Navy Department Bulletin. (July-December, 1946): 250-251.

 

Hope this helps. If you are able to post some pictures I could tell you for sure. I will try and get some pictures up of the different uniforms when I get a chance.

[a6skin9]

Here are some photographs out of my collection showing the differences between the pre-1947 and post-1947 seersucker dresses.
On this wartime photo you can plainly see the rounded collar of the dress

The next photos are from 1951 at Great Lakes Recruit Training. There is a mix of both patterns of dress being worn.
In this photo all of the women out front are in the pre-1947 pattern.

In this photo you can clearly see the differences between the two. Notice the 7 button front closure and the pointed collars of the post-1947 dress.

[lduncan]

Thanks for the information. The collars are pointed. I thought the dress was from the Korean War era. The owner wants $100 for the dress. Is this a reasonable price for a Korean War Navy Nurse's dress. It also includes the garrison type hat.

[Bob Hudson]

The owner wants $100 for the dress. Is this a reasonable price for a Korean War Navy Nurse's dress. It also includes the garrison type hat.

 

I would venture to say that not enough of those change hands for there to be a standard value or even range of values for them and really it's a matter of how much do you want it and if you pass on this one, how long before another one comes along? In my own experience, working almost full time scrounging thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales in a heavily military county (San Diego), vintage women's uniforms are very rare.

 

Here's ebay's current listing of recently completed sales of US Navy WAVES uniform items. It's a short list:

 

[a6skin9]

The last post-1947 seersucker WAVES dress I purchased was about 2-3 years ago and paid $41.00 and it was unissued absolutely mint condition. But they are getting harder and harder to find. If it is in good shape, has all it's buttons etc then $100.00 really isn't too bad of a price.

[lduncan]

Thanks for the information. I plan to go ahead and get the uniform.

[CROC]

Hi,

 

From november 1959 All Hands Issue, these plates about USN should help you in your research

 

[CROC]

 

Best

Croc