Work Attire
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Navy Blue Working Uniform
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| In 1943, a navy blue working uniform for summer
was introduced. It had the same design as the woolen winter service uniform
(Service Dress, Blue), but was made of cotton gabardine. A white, short-sleeved,
cotton gabardine shirtwaist was worn with the summer blue uniform.
Enlisted women wore their rating marks on the
sleeves of these shirts. The navy blue Coast Guard shield was worn on the
right sleeve. Officers wore collar insignia on the shirt.
Removal of the suit jackets while working was
permissible.
Toward the end of 1943, the navy blue cotton
suit was replaced by the gray working uniform. However, wearing the lightweight
navy blue uniform as a work uniform was still allowed as an individual
option. |
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Gray Working Uniform
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The SPARS working uniform was made of gray and white pinstriped
cotton seersucker fabric. It consisted of a shirtwaist dress with matching
jacket. The shirtwaist of the dress had a fly front, set-in belt and short
sleeves. The rounded collar was worn closed at the neck and with the black
tie. The skirt had a front kick pleat. Enlisted personnel wore a navy blue
embroidered Coast Guard shield on the right sleeve and a rating badge on
the left sleeve (if qualified).
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Working Uniform
(Enlisted Personnel)
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Working Uniform
(Officers)
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The matching jacket had a four button front, long sleeves, two upper
and two side pocket flaps. The jacket had round lapels
and the dress collar was worn over the jacket. The jacket was closed with
four blue plastic Coast Guard buttons.
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Working Uniform with Jacket
(Enlisted Personnel)
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Working Uniform with Jacket
(Officers)
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SPARS officers wore the following distinctive
items:
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Officer's cap with matching seersucker
cover or a garrison cap with Coast Guard officer's miniature cap device
and pin-on rank |
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Miniature pin-on ranks on the collar
of the dress |
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Sleeve markings (stripes) on the
jacket indicating the rank of the wearer. Additionally, the golden Coast
Guard shield was sewn above their sleeve markings on both sleeves. |
The working uniform was completed with the following items:
| *. |
Cap with matching seersucker cover
or a matching seersucker garrison cap |
| *. |
Black tie |
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Beige hose |
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Black shoes |
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Black gloves (optional) |
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Working Smock, Reserve Blue
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| The reserve blue working smock was made of plain cotton
or rayon material. It had a wrap front tied at the waist on the inside
at the right, and on the outside at the left. The short sleeved frock was
buttoned below the waist with a single row of navy blue plastic buttons.
The peaked lapels were overlaid by the ends of the rounded collar. The
working smock had one pocket below the waistline. |
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Another variant of smock was also permitted.
It was made of the same material and color, but had long set-in sleeves,
a full tie belt and a double-breasted front with a double row of three
navy blue plastic buttons. The collar had rounded ends and peaked lapels. |
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Qualified enlisted personnel wore a rating
badge on the left sleeve. Officers could wear metal pin-on collar devices
on both sides of the collar of their working smocks. The insignia was centered
on the collar one inch from the front edge.
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Aviation Coverall
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The one-piece aviation coverall was made of
cotton material in a medium blue color shade. It was similar to the coveralls
worn by all aviation mechanics.
The aviation coverall had long sleeves, a buttoned
front and a rounded Peter Pan collar. The coverall was equipped with a
self-fabric belt that was worn knotted at the center of the front.
The coverall had two plain upper pockets plus
a pencil pocket on the right side and two large patch pockets below the
waistband. The long trouser legs had tabs to adjust width at the bottom.
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The coverall should be worn with a turban-type
head covering and navy blue socks. However, on many pictures one can see
that white socks were used as well.
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Turban-Type head covering as
worn by SPARS and WAVES
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..Denim
Slacks and Blue Shirts
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During 1944, navy blue denim slacks and blue
cotton chambray shirts eventually replaced the aviation coverall.
Wearing of the regulation men's dungaree trousers
and chambray shirt was optional. |
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The following pictures show
WAVES wearing the denim slacks and blue shirt combination
which was also worn by SPARS.
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For extra warmth, a black knitted men's sweater with turtleneck
could be worn. The picture on the right below shows the same sweater type
with turtleneck removed. Probably, it was removed for more comfort when
the sweater was worn with a shirt underneath.
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Exercise suit
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| The exercise suit, authorized in late 1944,
was worn for gymnasium classes and could be worn for any physical exercise.
It consisted of light blue denim shorts and matching skirt, to be worn
with a long or short-sleeved white shirt and blue or white ankle socks.
Other exercise suits which had been authorized
by local Commanding Officers could be worn until the present supply was
exhausted or those in possession were no longer serviceable. The exercise
suit was not available in the stores for several months after approvement
of this new garment. |
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[
I. Development ]..[
II. Facts about the SPARS ]..[
III. Uniforms ]..[
IV. Sources ]
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