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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: English Channel PT Boat Uniform colors
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Greetings,
I need some help with my PT-505 project. I'm focused on the uniform colors. I have a mix of Navy sailors in the LCM's and PT Boat crew. I'm seeing a few things in this picture...

1. Some sailors dressed in what look like black overalls with something resembling an aviators hat.
2. Sailors wearing dark jackets with slightly lighter color pants.

Mostly I'm concerned about the sailors in the picture with the LCM's.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the colors of these uniforms? They're hard to make out in black and white photos. As a reminder here are the subject photos...

[IMAGE]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/David_Waples/PT505RON348JUNE1944BEINGTOWEDTOBEACHBYTWOLCMs-1.jpg[/IMAGE]
[IMAGE]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/David_Waples/PT505RON348June1944afterhullrepairsonbeach-1.jpg[/IMAGE]

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Sep 3, 2012 - 8:22pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

What they are wearing is the foul weather gear. Probably a combination of the winter and wet weather items. When the war started, the winter coat and overalls were dark blue and the wet weather gear was a dark gray. In 1943, the designs of the gear changed and color went to the ollive drab #7 or green.The helmet they are wearing was either the dark blue or green. It also changed nomenclature and the new gear was categorized as N-1. Here is a website that covers most of the foul weather gear.

[url]http://thebluejacketshomeport.homestead.com/Equipment.html[/url]

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Sep 4, 2012 - 4:28am
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Link is fixed - it works properly now.

Great link Charlie !

Dick . . .

Posted By: Dick | Posted on: Sep 4, 2012 - 8:18am
Total Posts: 1417 | Joined: Aug 27, 2006 - 6:36pm

Dave, I have an N-1 Navy jacket . I will take a photos of it so you can see the color. Some were a dark blue, some were gray, although I think the jackets might have lost that blue color by being out in the salt air. Mine has seen very little use, and comes from PT-60 Officer............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Sep 4, 2012 - 9:27am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

As far as I know, the N-1's were never blue. The stock catalog identified them as olive drab #7. The only ones I've seen in bue are some repro ones made by Buzz Rickson and I think Speiwak made some.

I have seen some on ebay purporting to be original blue N-1s, but amazingly they all had the same contract number used by Buzz Rickson. And have never seen a picture of one.

The only blue jackets (an other foul weather gear) were the early ones that the N-1 replaced.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Sep 4, 2012 - 1:24pm
Total Posts: 600 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm

Charlie, when I get time, I will send you a photo of mine, which came from the estate of Lt. Raymond Sopher. He was on PT-48 and PT-60. This jacket has the clam shell enclosures, and sure looks blue to me, although could be a gray/blue color...............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Sep 4, 2012 - 4:07pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

I appreciate your help guys. It will be fun to have the mixture of uniforms that were present correctly displayed on my diorama. I look forward to your photos.
Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Sep 4, 2012 - 9:33pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

Guys;
Frank,
Yes yours is blue/gray.
Charlie;
Yes they were green, not blue, I even had one in boot camp during service week.

David;
as stated; Foul weather gear was mixed with standard gear, Dungarees and Green jackets were standard for ETO for ratings. If the Motor macs picked up coveralls, according to your discription of color really sound more Royal Navy issue(Black or Very Dark Blue), they wore them. Officers at the time of your diorama(June 1944) working Khaki uniform and Green Reefer jacket.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Sep 5, 2012 - 2:52pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am