Pre-World War II Infantry Officer Dress Blue Uniform

[dmsebby]

The California National Guard Historical Collection is conducting its first wall-to-wall, border-to-border 100% inventory and we came across a pre-World War II Infantry Officer Dress Blue Uniform.  The coat it trimmed with the usual period-correct Infantry blue shoulder straps and sleeve braid, but the trousers have white stripes.   Is this correct?  The 1941 pictures of Army uniforms really don't show the trouser stripe color well.  

 

Thank you!

 

SGM Dan Sebby

Chief Curator

California Military Department Historical Collection

[atb]

Yes, I believe so. The old infantry branch color was white and it continued in use on for the trousers stripes. Emerson's Army uniform and insignia should provide an answer, or contemporary uniform regulations.

[kiaiokalewa]

There was a short period of time when the Infantry had white as branch colors 1899-1902.  But with the introduction of the 02 Dress Blue uniform the Infantry reverted back to Infantry Lt. Blue branch colors as did all its corresponding trim work to include chevrons, chest cords, etc... is it possible that the soldier continue wearing his trousers with the former branch colors?  Sure, as in most cases the OQMG gave official directives to exhaust all inventory at hand before procuring the new and guess who usually ended up with old inventory.  Yup, you got it the National Guard and Reserves.

 

 

[kiaiokalewa]

I do know that during the 20s and 30s out here in Hawaii.  Some of the troops did wear these 02 uniforms with Hawaiian Department SSI. 

 

Wailuna has at least two images of these extremely rare sightings in his holdings and maybe he'll spring a surprise and reveal one of them.  

[Wailuna]

Sorry but following multiple computer crashes and other internet FUBARS that I have suffered over the past several years I cannot produce the aforementioned "rare sightings."  However, I have complete confidence in Kiaiokalewa's recollection of those "rare sightings" and I endorse his observation that "...some of the troops did wear these 02 uniforms with Hawaii  Department SSI."   Get used to it:  Interwar Hawaii was different.

[kiaiokalewa]

darn.  One was a soldier standing in front of a building and the other image was taken in a hanger with the individual kneeling next to a wicker balloon basket.  In both photos you could clearly see the Hawaiian Department patch on the shoulders.

 

I know of another such sighting but it was of mounted troops from the 3rd Cavalry Division but these guys had full head gear with plume and shoulder cords circa. 1937 when a Japanese military contingency was at Ft. Meyers as visiting guests.  The cool thing I recall about this particular image was that the three troopers wearing the patch was the the B&W image showed the yellow accouterments to include the yellow shield of the patch as black.

[kiaiokalewa]

Ahhh ha, I knew I had it.  It was just a matter of searching the photo banks.  This soldier is wearing the Hawaiian Division patch.  

 

My reference above was incorrect that both images had the individuals wearing the Hawaiian Department SSIs.  It was only the trooper next to the balloon basket that had the Hawaiian Department patch.  

[Salvage Sailor]

See Taro on blues, show Taro on blues...

 

Schofield Barracks Ham Radio Shack

21st Infantry 'Gimlet' Regiment

 

'Wireless' Men

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kiaiokalewa]

Now these are very interesting photographs of R.A. troops wearing PFC, Specialist 3rd Class Chevrons!   Throw in the 02 Dress uniform with what I would suspect to be lt. blue chevons  on the sleeves just exposes one dam rare siting and none less in the Territory of Hawaii at the time.

 

Too cool.

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Yep, this is why I collect photo archives.  I've shown plenty of Hawaiian Department soldiers in blues (2nd IR, 4th Cav, etc.) on my other HD topics, belying the often stated notion that "blues were not worn in Hawaii", but most of those do not have SSI's on them making this set very unique.

 

 

 

 

[Jamecharles]

with regulation of 1936 until 1953 all officers and NCO of infantry branch who use the blue dress uniforms must have white stripes, anyway sometime the officers and the NCOs decide to ask to the tailor some ...variations, let's call them "habits".

I own 5 infantry blue dress uniforms dated between 1936 to 1942 and 2 of them have the light blue stripes instead the white (1 is made for a Sgt one for a captain).

GS