"US Naval Shore Duty Uniforms Early 1900's" Topic

Any recommended references? 1914 to 1930. Thanks in advance.

Jeff

The book "The Landing at Veracruz, 1914: The First Complete Chronicle of a Strange Encounter in April, 1914, when the US Navy Captured and Occupied the City of Veracruz, Mexico" by Jack Sweetman may have a few pictures IIRC. Of course the sailors and Marines were not on peaceful shore duty at the time . . .

I have no actual reference but you could check out the movie "The Sand Pebbles" set in China in the 1920's.

Some second hand lore from my Dad who was barely in the pre WWII Navy.

Enlisted men to first class petty officers, for hard duty would be in dungarees medium blue pants light blue shirts white Dixie cup hats, possibly dyed blue a dark blue watch cap is also possible. No rating badges on the dungarees. Old navy rates wore their rating badges on their right arm engineering on the left. All on the left after WWII. This caused a lot of resentment as the "Right Arm Rates" had higher status.

Better dressed for summer would be dress or undress whites with white dixies, for winter dress or undress blues. The Blue "Flat Hat" might be worn over seas.

The difference between dress and undress is the very dark blue neckerchief, fruit salad and for blues the white stripes at cuff and around the neck on the dress blues.

Chief Petty officers and Commissioned officers would be in Blues, Whites or light brown mud color the spelling of the name escapes me.

link

Sand Pebbles uniform reference

Thanks, listpict. Saw that one. Was wondering also about the uniform at the Veracruz landing, have black and white b photos but no colors guide.

The man in Plate 2 figure 5 is a third class petty officer not a seaman and of a right arm rate. A PO3 is equivalent to a Corporal in the Army or USMC.

A useful set of prints.

The movies "The Wind and the Lion" and "55 Days at Peking" may also provide some inspiration.

I painted my Pulp Figures and Cannon Fodder sailors from those plates and repeated viewings of the San Pebbles.

For pre-WW1, i too like the uniforms in the Wind and the Lion.

55 Days at Peiking is not back wither.

I don't know just where you are, but if you have access to a good library, try looking for period issues of The Illustrated London News (I used the copies at the Denver Public Library). They feature line drawings made by their artists on the site. The great thing about these is the subjects will be turned various ways so you might get that rare view of the pouch on the back of the belt or braid on the top of the hat.

As far as research goes, this is marginally less pleasant than watching Sand Pebbles, Wind and the Lion, or 55 Days at Peking.

Grelber

I think the Sand Pebbles (1966)) airs once this month. I haven't watched it in at least a couple of decades.

Dan
PS. But I think it's set in the mid 20s, from what I recall.

As a note, the Donald Duck hat went from wide like in WWI to narrower, (worn up to 1962) in 1935.

Start here: link