Thread: Navy Uniform

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.

Originally Posted by leadduck

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.

The issue was why Navy uniforms had bell bottom trousers. Bell bottoms do not make it any easier -- or harder -- to tie off the cuffs to make a temporary PFD so PFD use isn't related to bell bottoms. Namaste, Morty -_-

For whatever reason, "Dickies" still made the patch pocket dungarees till recently if they have not continued. They were a special order item.I were in the Navy five years.
~Richard

One of my favorite articles of clothing that we wore when I was in 65 to 68, was the blue working jacket. It was a light windbreaker jacket that was very warm for its weight and very comfortable.

The Dickie Company makes dungarees and chambrey shirts that are close to the items we wore as a working uniform. They are available at stores like Wal Mart and K Mart.

We were issued a Olive Drab Jacket, Model N-1 for use on shipboard. It was pile lined and very worm. It was called a Deck Jacket. You had to turn them in upon leaving your ship or duty station. It was considered part of what the Navy called Foul Weather Gear.

The most hated article of clothing issued was the raincoat. It was worthless. You could go to the PX and buy a can of scotchguard and it helped but as issued it was worthless in a downpour.

Whatever changes the Navy makes, I am glad that when I was there a Sailor looked like a sailor and we had .45s instead of 9MMs. (That is a whole other can of worms.

Anchors Aweigh

I still have my Cracker jacks as well (it's been over 25 years since I wore 'em, and probably 15 years since I could have fit into them again )

On my ship, the Dixie cup was the proper cover even when in dungarees. I loved my dungs. When the pants had been laundered a couple of times, they were about the most comfortable things you could wear. And that shade of blue they had before they started to fade to white still makes me nostalgic for my youth.

I hear the white Cracker Jacks will be updated with navy piping on the collar-flap and cuffs. I actually think that's long overdue. I wish they'd done that while I was in.

The Ice Cream man uniform was always the stupidest. I never wore it if I didn't have to.

joe, you sound like you were in when i was, and i have to agree, with you on the dungarees. hated the chuckas myself, bought jump boots to wear. the crackerjack uniform is what the navy should always wear, end of story. the way i saw it, the other branches uniforms were all closely similar, each branch had their own styling, and differences, but the coat and trousers were the same style, the crackerjack was one of a kind. and the only uniform you could modify for ease of opening during liberty

We were told (1950s) the bell bottoms were to ease rolling up the trousers to keep the bottoms dry while deck swabing[scrubbing]
We received the first new white "shirts" in the late 50s.
~Geezer

Originally Posted by Morty

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