USCG uniform era???

[hink441]

Picked up this USCG Bosun’s Mate uniform and I’m unsure of the age of this uniform. 
 

The jacket is named to a career Coast Guardsman who served in WW1 and WW2 according to his obituary dated 1966. He lived on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. 
 

Here are some pics. Hope someone can help me out. I feel this might be pre WW2. 
 

Chris
 

 

[bleujacket34]

First off that is a great uniform! Totally love it seeing the USCG Shore Establishment uniforms. Its hard to perfectly tie down an exact date since the Shore Establishment used this uniform from the 20s until the WW2 era and I think a little into the post war period. But I am leaning towards the Pre WW2 period. With some digging you may be able to tie it down more based on the Portlite Uniform tag. 

[TheCrustyBosun]

I’m gonna say shore establishment WWII. Could be older. 

[hink441]

Thank you for the replies. 
 

Tried looking into the tag info but really couldn’t find any info on the manufacturer. 
 

The buttons I believe are early. Did the CG change their buttons in 1941? 
 

Could this man been a Surfman ??
 

Chris

[hink441]

Okay I found some more info on this Coast Guardsman. 
 

Here is a picture of him earlier in life and his gravestone.
 

Apparently he comes from a Coast Guard family. His father did 37 years in the Coast Guard, and one of his sons also retired from the Coast Guard. All from the Kitty Hawk NC area. 
 

 

[hink441]

Here is a picture of his father. 
 

 

[TheCrustyBosun]

Are there holes in the lapels for attaching screw-post insignia?
 

If not, I’d say you have a Surfman’s uniform that was in use from the late 1920’s. Surfman lapel insignia of the era had a horizontal pin attachment. The USCG adopted its blue and khaki shore establishment uniforms in 1943. Shore establishment uniforms used screw-back collar insignia which required the holes in the lapel. This is the first one I’ve seen in white and none of my digging mentions a shore establishment uniform in white. 
 

Buttons- the Eagle’s head would determine the era of the button. The Eagle had its head turned to the right in 1941 and thereafter. Left-facing Eagle buttons are pre-1941. 

Some surfmen continued to wear their uniforms after the shore establishment uniforms were adopted. Interesting note- The current USCG dress blues (Bender Blues) are based off the Surfman uniforms. 

[TheCrustyBosun]

1 hour ago, hink441 said:

Okay I found some more info on this Coast Guardsman. 
 

Here is a picture of him earlier in life and his gravestone.
 

Apparently he comes from a Coast Guard family. His father did 37 years in the Coast Guard, and one of his sons also retired from the Coast Guard. All from the Kitty Hawk NC area. 
 

 

The “sailor” uniforms were worn by those personnel stationed afloat, aka on a cutter. This was a hold-over from their days as the US Revenue Cutter Service, prior to the service merger and name change in 1915, “US Coast Guard”.  The Surfman uniform evolved from the US Life Saving Service uniforms in the late 1920’s. The USCG wouldn’t get all of their personnel into one standardized uniform until after WWII. 

[TheCrustyBosun]

1 hour ago, hink441 said:

Here is a picture of his father. 
 

 

This gentleman was a member of the USLSS. I am fairly certain that his hat has a tally that reads “US Life Saving Service”. 

[hink441]

23 minutes ago, TheCrustyBosun said:

Are there holes in the lapels for attaching screw-post insignia?
 

If not, I’d say you have a Surfman’s uniform 

I cannot find any holes on the lapels on this jacket. 
 

The buttons are definitely pre-1941. Left leaning Eagle. 
 

Inside the collar there is a “5-29” stamp. Could that possibly be a manufacture date?

 

Thank you for comments!!

 

Chris

[hink441]

8 minutes ago, TheCrustyBosun said:

This gentleman was a member of the USLSS. His hat has a tally that reads “US Life Saving Service”. 

Thank you for that info!  That is his father. The father passed away in 1942. 

[TheCrustyBosun]

5 minutes ago, hink441 said:

I cannot find any holes on the lapels on this jacket. 
 

The buttons are definitely pre-1941. Left leaning Eagle. 
 

Inside the collar there is a “5-29” stamp. Could that possibly be a manufacture date?

 

Thank you for comments!!

 

Chris

Can’t say about the “5-29” marking. It might be a date.  The 5 might be an S too? Either way, really nice uniform from a family with a great history of service!!