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USN lifejackets? WW2?


Corpsmancollector
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Corpsmancollector

Here's 2 lifejackets I acquired a while back from a friend who specialises in maintaning/building/restoring WW2 vehicles. He knew I collected USN/USMC bits and said he had 2 US Navy life jackets knocking about, that I could have.

 

Only just come across them again and when doing some research I couldnt find any photos of this style. My question is...Are they WW2? Post-war? Even military at all? I did see one for sale at MILITARIA 2009 (a big fair here in England) and the guy had a price tag of over £100. I thought that was way steap.

 

Any help would be great guys!

 

Best wishes,

 

Will

 

PICTURE 1:

 

post-5339-1239621774.jpg

 

PICTURE 2:

 

post-5339-1239621850.jpg

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craig_pickrall

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=2838

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=2892

 

The above two links is for Life Preservers. You may find more info there.

 

On the two jackets you show the design is almost the same for both. Since one is marked ADULT I am assuming these are civilian use jackets. Military jackets are not marked like that.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I hope this helps, it is from the August 1945 issue of All hands magazine. It is a side view but looks to be the same.

 

John

post-2723-1240444048.jpg

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Ohh, by the way. Nice life vests. And the one in the previously note previous post with the CB stencil.....................Saweeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

post-2723-1240444227.jpg

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Corpsmancollector
Ohh, by the way. Nice life vests. And the one in the previously note previous post with the CB stencil.....................Saweeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hi topdcnut,

 

Thanks for the info + picture! thumbsup.gif

 

Sure looks similar don't it...

 

Thanks again,

 

Will

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It looks a little bit different but I thinks that is because it hangs differently on a hanger compared to a body. Sad thing is how many young guys died wearing the pneumatic invasion belts before they came up with simple solution. Yours have that typical well used look, I hope to have one some day.

 

Thanks for posting them and to every one that contributed to the previous posts. John

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It looks a little bit different but I thinks that is because it hangs differently on a hanger compared to a body. Sad thing is how many young guys died wearing the pneumatic invasion belts before they came up with simple solution. Yours have that typical well used look, I hope to have one some day.

 

Thanks for posting them and to every one that contributed to the previous posts. John

The jacket the troop is wearing has a large "Collar" and the one in the first post does not. These troop life jackets were still in use in '99 when I retired.

 

Steve Hesson

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Corpsmancollector
The jacket the troop is wearing has a large "Collar" and the one in the first post does not. These troop life jackets were still in use in '99 when I retired.

 

Steve Hesson

 

I thought that Steve, looks a bit larger on the neck on second comparison. There is an almost identical one in the thread Craig posted a link to. I'm thinking the two in question MIGHT be wartime, but a civilian issue. I've managed to do a little research and some navy personnel did wear civilian jackets/bouyancy aids, but how common this was I don't know!

 

Will

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Corpsmancollector
It looks a little bit different but I thinks that is because it hangs differently on a hanger compared to a body. Sad thing is how many young guys died wearing the pneumatic invasion belts before they came up with simple solution. Yours have that typical well used look, I hope to have one some day.

 

Thanks for posting them and to every one that contributed to the previous posts. John

 

Certainly is John. Thanks for your input too!

 

Will

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I thought that Steve, looks a bit larger on the neck on second comparison. There is an almost identical one in the thread Craig posted a link to. I'm thinking the two in question MIGHT be wartime, but a civilian issue. I've managed to do a little research and some navy personnel did wear civilian jackets/bouyancy aids, but how common this was I don't know!

 

Will

I agree, Possibly war time merchant vessel jackets. USN Troop life jackets had no back. They are a simple oke that goes around the neck and down the front. This design allows the life jacket to be worn over/around the troops gear as shown in the photo.

 

Steve Hesson

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Corpsmancollector
I agree, Possibly war time merchant vessel jackets. USN Troop life jackets had no back. They are a simple oke that goes around the neck and down the front. This design allows the life jacket to be worn over/around the troops gear as shown in the photo.

 

Steve Hesson

 

Thanks for the info Steve, I agree. I'll keep researching them! Maybe use by USCG use etc.

 

Will

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  • 6 months later...

While scanning some of my VN period 35mm slides, and recalling this thread from sometime back, I thought I'd post this picture taken aboard USS Whipple, DE-1062. It is of my friend GMG3 Hester, wearing the type of Kapok life preserver we had at that time. - I'm pretty ignorant as to Kapok life preserver variations, and their dates of use. But I can state that this was the all purpose shipboard vest that was prevalant in the fleet at that time.

 

I also have a couple of slides of them in use both on our vessel and auxilliary ships we were unrepping from.

 

I remember joking about how we tied off the "safety" line; that it was secured in that manner only so the jacket wouldn't get away, 'cause there was too much paperwork to do if we lost one !! :lol:

 

 

post-6057-1258570866.jpg

 

Best regards,

Paul Walker

Klamath Falls, Oregon

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