American Red Cross
(ARC)
. ...III. Uniforms
-. Insignia
-. Service and Dress Uniform
Part I...Part II
-. Work Attire
-. Miscellaneous
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Work Attire
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Several different indoor uniforms existed for the various American Red Cross Volunteer Corps. Most of them had a similar style, but differed in the color of the dress or in the color of the epaulets and sleeve cuffs. The common style consisted of a one-piece dress that was buttoned down the front with white buttons, had a belt of self-material and was equipped with two hip pockets and one breast pocket. The collar could be worn open or closed. 
Usually, a white square patch with the red cross in the center was sewn on the breast pocket. The volunteer pin corresponding to the corps of the wearer was fastened at the breast pocket directly above the square red cross patch, slightly above the breast pocket or at the neck.
The indoor uniforms were usually worn with a veil or coif which had a white facing with a small square red cross patch sewn on its center.
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Canteen Corps Uniform
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Picture Source: Who is Who in Uniform, Street and Smith Publication, ca.1942/43
Short-Sleeved 
Canteen Worker Uniform
.. The indoor uniform for canteen workers was medium blue in color and closed down the front with white buttons. 

The white collar, white sleeve cuffs and white epaulets were removable for separate laundry.

The dress was worn with a matching coif with white coronet. 

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Picture Source: Who is Who in Uniform, Street and Smith Publication, ca.1942/43
Long-Sleeved
Canteen Worker Uniform
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Hospital and Recreation Corps Uniform
(Gray Ladies)
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The indoor uniform of the Hospital and Recreation Corps was made of gray cotton and was available with short and long sleeves. The one-piece dress worn during World War II was closed down the front with white buttons and had a belt of self-material. The white square patch with the red cross in the center was sewn on the breast pocket.

The white collar, white sleeve cuffs and white epaulets were removable.

Two slightly different versions of the "gray ladies" dress existed which varied in the design of the belt and the hip pockets. Cotton and seersucker were used as material.

The dress was worn with a gray veil or coif with a white coronet. White low-heeled shoes and white or gray hose completed the outfit.

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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Picture Source: American Women in Uniform by Mary Steel Ross, 1943, p.8 .
Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Indoor Uniform with flaps on the hip pockets and a belt with one button. Indoor uniform with patch-style hip pockets without flaps. Unlike the other version, the belt is closed with two buttons. Indoor uniform made of gray seersucker. The seersucker material was chosen because of its comfort and laundering ease.
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Nurse's Aides Corps Uniform
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Unlike the other volunteer corps indoor uniforms, the uniform of the Nurse's Aides Corps consisted of a blue cotton jumper apron that was buttoned down the back and had two large patch pockets on the skirt. Underneath the jumper, a white regulation shirt was worn.

The Red-Cross-Civilian Defense Nurse's Aides patch was sewn two inches below the shoulder seam of the left sleeve. The Volunteer Nurses' Aide pin could be fastened at the center front of the jumper at the neckline or at the neck of the shirt to close the collar.

The uniform was allowed to be worn after the first 34 hours of the Nurses' Aides course (which lasted a total time of 80 hours) had been completed. 

A coif of matching material with a white front was only awarded after certification. A smaller version of the special Red-Cross-Civilian-Defense patch was sewn on the center of the coif's white coronet.

White low-heeled shoes and white or natural colored hosiery completed the outfit.
 

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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Production Corps Uniform
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Picture Source: title page, Woman's Home Companion, March 1944
.. The white indoor uniform of the production corps was buttoned down the front with plain white buttons.

The dark blue Production Corps color was worn on the removable shoulder epaulets and sleeve cuffs.

Additionally, a buttoned down blue seersucker uniform with detachable dark blue epaulets and sleeve cuffs was introduced during the war.

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The indoor dresses were worn with a veil or coif. The veil could be white (like shown in the picture above) or dark blue with a white coronet. The uniform was worn with white low-heeled shoes and white hose.
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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Red Cross Nurse Corps Uniform
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Picture Source: Collection S.L. Stanton
.vv Red Cross Nurses wore a traditional white indoor uniform.
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Instead of the square red cross patch on the breast pocket, the round Red Cross Nurse patch was sewn on the left sleeve.
The Red Cross Nurse's pin was fastened on the left breast pocket.
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A coif with a small 1 inch square red cross patch sewn on the center of the coronet was worn with the uniform.

White low-heeled shoes and white hosiery completed the outfit.

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Picture Source: Who is Who in Uniform, Street and Smith Publication, ca.1942/43
.. A dark blue cape with red lining could be worn over the white indoor uniform.

It was closed with a button at the neck and two further buttons at the front.

A white framed red cross was sewn on the left side of the cape.
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v Picture Source: Who is Who in Uniform, Street and Smith Publication, ca.1942/43
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Staff Assistance Corps Uniform
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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
... The indoor uniform of the Staff Assistance Corps was light yellow in color. 

The removable collar, epaulets and sleeve cuffs were white. The collar could be worn open or closed at the neck.

The uniform was completed with a light yellow veil or coif with white coronet, white low-heeled shoes and white hosiery.

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Picture Courtesy: Anne Hilgers
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Hospital Worker Uniform
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Women who served as hospital workers with the Armes Forces received a gray seersucker dress. 

It was made of the same material as the Military Welfare seersucker uniform. The shirt of the one-piece dress was closed with four buttons and had one breast pocket on the left side.

The skirt was equipped with two patch style hip pockets. The long sleeves had buttoned cuffs. 

The ARC "Military Welfare Service" patch (in June 1945 replaced by a "Services to the Armed Forces" patch) was sewn to the upper left sleeve. 

The Red Cross pin was fastened at the left side of the collar while the ARC initials were placed at the right side.

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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Playsuit
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A playsuit with detachable skirt was introduced for all domestic recreation workers and all oversea recreation workers clearing for tropic regions during the summer of 1944.

The playsuit was available for purchase to other recreation workers when considered necessary by the field director in charge of their activities. 

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Copyright by BLITZKRIEGBABY
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Field Clothing

Red Cross personnel serving overseas with the Armed Forces often required special work attire depending on the places of deployment. Like female members of the military, they had problems being equipped with adequate clothing. Therefore, they had to improvise in many cases by wearing privately purchased clothes or male soldier’s field attire. Red Cross personnel were authorized to be issued with Army clothing and equipment if necessary.
 

. An example of items that could be issued officially to Red Cross members is listed on the following Form #1272-2:
Optional Issue for War Department Civilian's, 
including Red Cross on Overseas Movement Orders.

To indicate their status as Red Cross members, wartime photographs show that the Red Cross patch was sewn on the left sleeve of field coats and raincoats. On shirts with the collar worn open, the Red Cross pin was fastened on the left side of the collar and the ARC initials on the right side.
 

Red Cross members who have arrived in Yokohama coming down the gangway of the hospital ship "Marigold", November 1945.
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The woman in the middle wears the Military Welfare seersucker uniform while the woman on the left wears a khaki shirt with matching slacks. The slacks have the same design as the Army women's cotton khaki slacks.
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All women have the Red Cross pin fastened on the left collar (and probably the ARC insignia on the right side - but this cannot be confirmed in this photograph).
.. Picture Source: Newspaper International Events - the World's News in Pictures - Red Cross in Yokohama, November 1945.
(Courtesy Laura Sutton)

More pictures of several Red Cross members who served overseas as well as very interesting oral histories can be found online at the Women Veterans Historical Collection.
 

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continue to:
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Insignia
Service and Dress Uniform
Part I...Part II
Work Attire
Miscellaneous
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[ I. Development ]..[ II. Facts about the ARC ]..[ III. Uniforms ]..[IV. Sources ]
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