Advice Needed for a Vietnam Era Display

[Victorp]

Hello Everyone, 

    I don’t have much experience with Naval uniforms and equipment, but for this November, I would like to add some sailor items, more than the typical blue wool pullover. I’ve obtained some flight deck crew items from the Vietnam era,  but I’d like to know if there is anything I can add to enhance my display. Excuse the photo, this is just the staging of the uniform. I’ll have it on a better torso form for Veterans Day. I look forward to hearing everyone’s comments.

Thanks in advance, 

Vic

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha Vic,

 

Run this by 'Hink' for suggestions -->> FLIGHT DECK CREW COLORS

[sigsaye]

1 hour ago, Victorp said:

Hello Everyone, 

    I don’t have much experience with Naval uniforms and equipment, but for this November, I would like to add some sailor items, more than the typical blue wool pullover. I’ve obtained some flight deck crew items from the Vietnam era,  but I’d like to know if there is anything I can add to enhance my display. Excuse the photo, this is just the staging of the uniform. I’ll have it on a better torso form for Veterans Day. I look forward to hearing everyone’s comments.

Thanks in advance, 

Vic

I worked on the flight deck of USS Kitty Hawk at that time. I was an ASE, (wore Green). We wore, either, regular dungaree trousers, the “New, Utility” trousers, OD 107 fatigue trousers, or the favorite, OD Green Vietnam Jungle trousers. The shirts were all, stenciled, in black. Squadron, (or, division, if ships company), across the chest and back. Name on left chest. This was usually in 2-3 inch stencils. I had the cranial helmet, with the plastic pieces, front and back. 

[doyler]

Can add the vest in the job color 

 

 

 

[Victorp]

Thank you, Salvage Sailor, sigsaye, and doyler. I appreciate the feedback.  I don’t know when they introduced the cranial helmets, but I haven’t  found any war time dated ones. Also did they wear the colored vests with the shirts or were the shirts enough. And were inflatable life belts worn?

thank you guys again

[sigsaye]

46 minutes ago, Victorp said:

Thank you, Salvage Sailor, sigsaye, and doyler. I appreciate the feedback.  I don’t know when they introduced the cranial helmets, but I haven’t  found any war time dated ones. Also did they wear the colored vests with the shirts or were the shirts enough. And were inflatable life belts worn?

thank you guys again

Vests were worn with the shirts. The vest is an inflatable life vest, in case you get blown over the side

[DD937]

If the hearing protection is black plastic and the jersey has the correct date all you need is a pair of dungaree pants tucked into black socks and non steel toed boondockers and you have  pretty much nailed the late 60,s

[Victorp]

DD937, thanks. I will go with that. I have a line on the dungarees. The boondocks have gotten harder to come by, but I haven’t found any a little over a month to find a reasonably priced pair. Should I assume it was worn with a black web belt with a brass buckle?

[jerry_k]

Great start! A life preserver is called MK1 (don't misunderstand it with WW2 life preserver 23P6).

Ebay is your friend: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=MK1+life+preserver+red&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_odkw=MK1+life+preserver&_osacat=0

 

Good luck!

[DD937]

10 hours ago, Victorp said:

DD937, thanks. I will go with that. I have a line on the dungarees. The boondocks have gotten harder to come by, but I haven’t found any a little over a month to find a reasonably priced pair. Should I assume it was worn with a black web belt with a brass buckle?

Google USS Forrestal July 29 1967 Color images or for that matter US Navy Flight deck operations coast of Vietnam 1967 to69 color images. The Cranials and float coats all came later as a direct result the lessons learned from this tragedy. I believe you can add USS Oriskany for more images.

[Victorp]

DD937, thanks for the tip. I’ve been googling images but haven’t found anything too good. This is what I’m looking for

[DD937]

can we see the tags in both items?

[Victorp]

Here is the tag from the flight deck helmet. Unfortunately, the tag in the shirt is missing. I just purchased a shirt and matching helmet in blue. I’ll post photos of those as soon as I receive them.

[yves-croc]

Hi, I enclose you a few historical datas about the Mk I flight Deck LP

 

Given the significant risk of being thrown into the sea from the flight deck, two prototype life jackets were developed in the spring of 1965, and 250 jackets of each type were evaluated in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets for a period of 60 days in July 1965. 
The first model was a roll-up jacket that wrapped around the neck and waist. The second model was a sleeveless inflatable jacket dyed in the different colors used on the flight deck. The Survival System Branch of the US Naval Applied Science Laboratory (NASL) used its work on the Mk3 Yoke Type Scuba life jacket to produce the prototypes. It also conducted research into an automatic inflation system for cases where the sailor was unconscious. The evaluation was completed in September 1965 and the inflatable jacket was chosen with a few minor modifications. In January 1966, the CNO ordered BuShips to proceed with the orders.
On August 1, 1966, Mil Spec MIL-L-24247 was published. In a message dated October 4, 1966, the CNO indicated that funds were available and that procurement was underway. The jackets were made in three sizes (small, medium, and large) and seven colors: yellow, blue, red, green, brown, purple, and white. They consisted of two parts: a colored vest and a buoy attached inside. Reflective strips were sewn onto the shoulders to aid in nighttime visibility.  
The jacket is designed so that the inflated buoy positions the user at a 45° angle with their head above water, even if they are unconscious. It has a buoyancy capacity of 29 lbs. The inflatable buoy meets MIL-C-19002B specifications and is inflated by two CO2 cartridges.
During its initial development, the inclusion of a lamp and whistle was ruled out to avoid the risk of FOD on the flight deck. In addition, a lamp on the shoulder poses a problem when sailors are wearing mooring chains. For this reason, large reflective strips are sewn onto the shoulders.
However, signaling equipment proved necessary, and in 1970 the NASL set to work to develop an automatic lamp compatible with all life jackets and a whistle.
NavShipSysCom authorized local modifications to add pockets to hold this small signaling equipment.
Modification A1 to Mil Spec MIL-L-24247 was made on June 26, 1972.
In the spring of 1967, distribution began in the units and continued until the summer of 1968. It was mandatory on all aircraft carriers. The MkI Flight Deck Crewman's Flotation Vest was assigned the reference number FSN 2H-4220-926-9438 to 9458.

 

Best, Croc

 

1965 Experimental items

 

1968

 

1970

[yves-croc]

[Victorp]

This is fantastic info, thanks 

[DD937]

Victorp You are going to need to decide between 1967 reality and the evidence presented by Yeves-croc which is awesome,,,,,,,,but needs to be verified by photographic evidence and the rest who are locked in the 1990 to present range.................as to that I would say your present trajectory is good.

 

 

[sigsaye]

1 hour ago, DD937 said:

Victorp You are going to need to decide between 1967 reality and the evidence presented by Yeves-croc which is awesome,,,,,,,,but needs to be verified by photographic evidence and the rest who are locked in the 1990 to present range.................as to that I would say your present trajectory is good.

 

 

Yeah, my experience was on the deck, 1973-1975. We had float coats and cranials. And we stenciled everything with our names and division/squadron. Prior to that, don’t know. Sorry. 

[Victorp]

I appreciate that. I am shooting for the 1967 to 69 range. I’m doing a display for a school and I know some of the veterans that are attending served on carriers during that period since they attended the previous year and asked me to try to represent them. I will do my best to oblige them this year.

[Victorp]

Since the topic of the the stencils keep coming up, here is a photo of the back of my jersey.

[sigsaye]

Funny story about FD Jerseys. I worked in Ground Support. That’s Ships Company. Our shop was on the Hanger Deck, all the way aft, by the Power Plants Shop. We did a lot co “Corrosion Control”. Stripping and painting the tow tractors, fire trucks, spotting Dollie’s, jacks, all that stuff. The ships paint locker was all the way forward, 3 decks up. So, I had to go all that way, and then haul it down 3 ladders and then the entire length of the hanger deck.   BUT, the Air Wing. Had a paint locker midship on the Hanger Deck. I would drive a tractor to their locker and get my paint. I had a collection of various Jerseys, with assorted Squadron markings. There was an old PO1, working there. He’d ask me why I needed 10 gallons of Yellow Enamel. I’d tell him, I didn’t know, Chief just sent me to get it. If he wouldn’t give it to me, great, I didn’t have to do whatever the Chief wanted me to do. PO1 would yell at me and call me names, give me the paint. Eventually, the ships paint locker, finally ratted us out for not drawing paint from them. But, for a while, I’d go in every night and with a different jersey on and no one noticed. 

[DD937]

At that I would work towards what we discussed, to find an early float coat is something you may never find. The earlier settup will be fine and infact generate a lot of conversation. This post has been awesome and informative.

[sigsaye]

23 minutes ago, DD937 said:

At that I would work towards what we discussed, to find an early float coat is something you may never find. The earlier settup will be fine and infact generate a lot of conversation. This post has been awesome and informative.

Something else, we had colored “Skull Caps. Like your helmet, but without the earmuffs or the holes for them. When secured from Flight Quarters, we would dump the Float Coats and Crainials. The ear muffs get uncomfortable after a bit. That when we did stuff like maintenance on the gear, or, find a comfortable spot and flake off for a bit. 

[Victorp]

Definitely a lot of great contributions from everyone.

[jerry_k]

@Victorp not sure if you are FB user but here is a great footage of flying deck personnel:

 

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1127919115984125

 

a lot of cool stuff...

 

The same here: