US Navy CPO Jackets

[blademan]

Hi All,

These are my weekend finds. The first is a Japanese cold weather fur cap in decent shape with a little mothing and a little fur damage. Over all nice condition. Never had any Japanese cloth headgear in my heard gear collection so it is a welcome addition.

 

Second are two US Navy Jackets which I suppose are from WWII. Each has a very nice bullion eagle patch. These are the nicest Bullion Navy patches I have seen. Both jackets are same size and I suppose from same person at different times in his carreer. Could someone tell me if these look WWII, what rank he is, what the stripes mean, what the symbols are, and what the color of the patch and bars mean? I think the bars are service bars but do not know fo how long.... Also, I black light tested this uniform and it does not glow (same with Japanese hat).

 

Thanks for your comments in advance.

 

Blademan

[wolventm]

I am a little rusty on naval uniforms, but I can tell you they are not WWII, they are post war, 1960's. The first reason is they are six button jackets not 8 button which CPO's wore during WWII. Second, the rates (Senior Chief Petty Officer E8) did not exist until a new rank structure was introduced in the late fifties. Next, the caduceus (SP?) emblem is wrong for WWII when it would have been a red cross.

 

The Cadeuces (sp?) jacket is that of a sENIOR cHIEF mEDICAL Corpsman, and the number of red service stripes (each four years) indicate he was most likely a reservist. If he had twelve years of active duty with good conduct (probable since he made E 8 Senior Chief) he would have had gold service stripes. It was not till the early 70's that the Navy allowed reservists not on active duty to wear the gold stripes after three awards of the Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal.

 

The jackets also could not be to the same person, it would be unheard of to change rates from medical to the other one (which is some kind of communications type - I told you I am rusty on these and have no references at hand). Also, he would not have gone from the gold to the red service stripes.

 

The jackets are nice examples of late VN War era.

 

Regards,

 

wolventm , GySgt Ret. USMCR

[Bob Hudson]

I think I'd have to agree on the ages of the Navy jackets.

 

And even though we don't do non-US militaria on this forum, I have to say that's Japanese hat is a nice find. I once found a WWII Japanese Naval Landing Force fatigue cap hanging in a closet otherwise full of expensive ladies clothing at a Kansas City estate sale.

[blademan]

Thanks so much for your input. If they are VN era, probably paid a little too much for them but live and learn. I appreciate your great wealth of infomation. I thought they might have been later but took a chance. I still like the quality of the patches.

 

Sorry for posting the non US stuff. It didn't even cross my mind. I like the story of the WWII Japanese Naval Landing Force fatigue cap. Never know when we are going to run across stuff.

 

Thanks again,

Blademan

[jjdevi1]

Thanks so much for your input. If they are VN era, probably paid a little too much for them but live and learn. I appreciate your great wealth of infomation. I thought they might have been later but took a chance. I still like the quality of the patches.

 

Sorry for posting the non US stuff. It didn't even cross my mind. I like the story of the WWII Japanese Naval Landing Force fatigue cap. Never know when we are going to run across stuff.

 

Thanks again,

Blademan

 

 

Blademan,

 

The USN Chief's frocks can be no older than 1958. That is the year that the ranks of Senior and Master Chief came into being. If you are interested in either selling them or trading them off, give me a yell!

 

John