Thread: Navy Uniform

Hi Gary, I was on the Vallejo SSBN 658. Good to see some sub sailors out there. You don't run across them very often.


Steve

Personally I think the Navy dress blues should stay the same, but do think that all branches of the US forces should have a "working" uniform that is the same for simple recognition.

Dang bubbleheads....

Alright, try and keep an open mind about these uniforms. I am on active duty and will try and explain. The NWU (Digi Blue) working uniform was designed to be comfortable and hide dirt, grease and oil better than the old dungaree uniforms. This ensures an extended service life of the uniform. Also, its wash and wear, no ironing etc. The colors dont matter if you fall in the water, we replaced an all blue coverall and the old utilities were dark blue pants with a light blue top. If you fell in the water with either of those uniforms you would blend in anyhow. Thats what the vests and survival lights are for.

The dress blue and dress white uniform will be staying. The Summer White and Winter Blue uniforms were replaced with the Navy Service Uniform (Black and Tan) for a year round service uniform.

As far as why dont the services wear the same camo pattern etc. Its very simple, each service has a patent on their digi design and are reluctant to allow another service to copy it. The R&D time and money that goes into them is a huge factor therefore they balk when a color or pattern is close. Feel free to PM me with any questions about Navy Uniforms.....I wear them ALOT hehe

Billy

Remember the hullabaloo around all the regular army units getting the Ranger black beret. I still think that was a slap in the face to the Rangers. A lot of good thinking on here about standardizing uniforms that I agree with, especially with respect to being "in the field". But as to the CLASSIC enlisted navy dress blues ... man, I don't like that going away ... my dad was enlisted from 1939 - 1958, and I still have his stuff ... and aside from the material (wool back then), it still looks the same ... I think that does help the vets feel connected, and the current enlistees have a history of pride around the fact that they dress like the heros of their youth. Anyway ... old soldiers/sailors never die, they just gripe, I guess.

I don't know where, but I once heard a decription of the Cracker Jack uniform and how it came to be. The flap on the back of the shirt was originally intended to keep tar from the sailor's braid off the shirt. The bell bottom legs made it easier to tie them together and use as a floatation divice. The had (proabably designed for submariners) could be held tightly and air blown in to speed one's flight to the surface. If anyone knows if any of this is true or false, please respond.

As far as keeping with tradition goes, anyone in the vicinity of Boston might enjoy a visit to the oldest commissioned warship in the Navy, the U.S.S. Constitution -- yes, Old Ironsides herself. Notice the uniforms that crew wears!

Originally Posted by leadduck

I don't know where, but I once heard a decription of the Cracker Jack uniform and how it came to be. The flap on the back of the shirt was originally intended to keep tar from the sailor's braid off the shirt. The bell bottom legs made it easier to tie them together and use as a floatation divice. The had (proabably designed for submariners) could be held tightly and air blown in to speed one's flight to the surface. If anyone knows if any of this is true or false, please respond.

As far as keeping with tradition goes, anyone in the vicinity of Boston might enjoy a visit to the oldest commissioned warship in the Navy, the U.S.S. Constitution -- yes, Old Ironsides herself. Notice the uniforms that crew wears!

The part about the neckerchief keeping the tar off the uniform is correct. The pants were also closed with 13 buttons, for the 13 original colonies. I still have my Crackerjacks.

Originally Posted by leadduck

The bell bottom legs made it easier to tie them together and use as a floatation divice. The had (proabably designed for submariners) could be held tightly and air blown in to speed one's flight to the surface.

Sailors never wore Crackerjacks out at sea (blues or whites) except for formal ceremonial occasions like burial at sea. The practical reason for the bell bottom dungaree pants was supposedly to make it easier for you to remove your boots once you're in the water should you fall overboard or have to abandon ship (surface ship). Bell bottoms on Crackerjacks was for tradition only, like the 13 buttons. Also, the gabardine pants that were replacing bell bottom dungarees when I was in the Navy were not bell bottom.

If a submarine is disabled in water SHALLOW enough (and warm enough) for a buoyant escape, you do NOT want to ascend any faster than your emergency breathing apparatus will carry you (Steinke hoods when I was serving). There would be no way for four men in the crowded confines of an escape trunk to inflate tied off dungarees anyway. There's barely enough room for each man to squeeze through the escape hatch one at a time.

There are many other old wives tales about submarines. One of the favorites was that the Navy issues felt soled boondockers to submarine sailors so that the sound their footsteps made would not be detected by enemy sonar. There are no felt soled Navy shoes. Submarine decks are isolated from the hull with flexible mounts (as are noisy machines) so you can beat on them with a sledgehammer and the sound will not be carried through the hull out into the water. (If you did that, however, the Captain would probably rip your head off!) ;-)

I'll never give up my Crackerjacks.
Namaste,
Morty -_-

Originally Posted by Morty

If a submarine is disabled in water SHALLOW enough (and warm enough) for a buoyant escape, you do NOT want to ascend any faster than your emergency breathing apparatus will carry you (Steinke hoods when I was serving).

"HO HO HO HO HO"
"I feel fine, sir!"

[QUOTE=Morty;641236] There would be no way for four men in the crowded confines of an escape trunk to inflate tied off dungarees anyway. There's barely enough room for each man to squeeze through the escape hatch one at a time. QUOTE]

Thanks for the information. I don't think the intent (from what I heard) would be to inflate the legs before leaving the sub, but to remove the pants on the surface and inflate them there. This is a standard technique taught in Red Cross and YMCA lifesaving courses. It would be used if one found himself in the water without a PFD.

Originally Posted by leadduck

Thanks for the information. I don't think the intent (from what I heard) would be to inflate the legs before leaving the sub, but to remove the pants on the surface and inflate them there. This is a standard technique taught in Red Cross and YMCA lifesaving courses. It would be used if one found himself in the water without a PFD.

Actually when I went through bootcamp in the late 70s, they had us use our dungarees as flotation aids during swim training. As far as actually escaping a sub, once you are in fleet you realize none of the safety devices are present or are disabled. I was on a fast attack sub,with no room to store Steinke hoods, and our emergency buoy's hatch was welded shut because it would be bad to have it pop open in Russian waters.