How big is it?  what does the back look like? These were unofficial, usually made ship board and sold or given to sailors. (It's also upside down)

When I first joined the Navy a neighbor of my parents found out that I was going Subs. He gave my a dolphins plaque that he had been given when went to his first submarine in the 1940s. I'm trying to find out just how old it is and I'm curious how much it's worth but I'm not interested in selling it.

There are a number of other scenarios that could’ve happened as well. Yes that is what was standard and what should’ve happened. For all we know he could have left it at home if he lived in the area, or was having in laundered when he was about to go overseas and never picked it up. Really who knows. The dates in the jacket match up, the name matches up and his enlistment time, plus the handwriting dilemma has been solved. I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be a very likely possibility it was a raiders uniform.

I share your interest in old printed news. I love taking old newspapers out of a trunk and reading them--such a different perspective on events as compared to today!  I think I still have a WW1 clipping that states a number of soldiers died from "hurts" received in battle---"hurts", not wounds or even injuries! Strange.  Storage of these papers is a big problem for me, I'm completely out of  room for anymore. I did find a 2 volume bound set of the Stars & Stripes papers for WW1. They are large and very heavy, so they aren't handled  or displayed very much. Thanks for posting, it's an often overlooked source of information.     Steve

Exactly so, EE87: if we don’t look, we can’t find!

Hey guys, I picked up this SV-2 vest some years ago and always had some questions about it. The vest does not have nor does it appear to have ever had the lower section that had the belt for connecting an LPA and I was wondering if it was an early produced vest or one that was modified. There were no marking I could find and considering the usage it appears to have figured they wore off. The vest came from a non-collector and I was unable to get any information about the original owner. (I did try searching his name, but no joy.) The vest does not have a provision for the built-in holster and did not have the JPK. What I did find fascinating was the contents that were apparently added by Pringle. Any thoughts?

Well, it had been a year since I was able to get back to this antique store and this lighter was gone. No shocking revelation as the whole intent of a store is to sell things. Not that I needed it or even collected lighters, as I'm a patch guy, BUT .. had it been there I would've picked it up. Always good to get out and see what there for hunting and pecking. 

Heat number is 386A.   These are the best pics I have access to. I have not purchased the helmet, so limited in photos.

I am not a helmet person, but I think this may be what you are asking about. I have an August 1958 dated WADC Technical Note with pictures and a description of the Hardman mounts. I do not have the 1957 pub, but I believe what you are asking about are shown in the modification kit shown on page 22. So, they were around by August 1958, if not earlier.  

Thanks, yokota57. I have a similar Army Service Club lighter, although it’s a Zippo, from a service club in Vietnam that I posted earlier on here.