Liberty, Liberty, Liberty!!!
 | ||||||
Here are some examples of non-regulation uniforms made by local tailors as well as regulation uniforms altered according to each "bluejacket's" own style.
NOTE: If you have found that we have made an error with our descriptions, please send us your correction, along with documentation and we will update this page. We hope that these uniform details will help take a lot of the leg work out of researching for those individuals that are interested in sea services impressions that might not have access to a lot of the resources that we have had over the years.
All items are original and from the collections
of our membership unless labeled otherwise.
BM1c U.S. Coast Guard This uniform was worn by BM1 C.M. Langel. Judging by the ribbon rack and the "ruptured duck", this uniform was probably made prior to heading home. His service stripe also denotes over four years of service, but not quite at eight years. On the inside, he had his name embroided above a custom pocket set into the back panel. He also had a few silk linings put in under the arms and on the cuffs as well as some green decorative stitching above the pocket.
BM1c U.S. Coast Guard Here is a standard issue dress blue jumper dressed up with a set of mermaid liberty cuffs.
F1c U.S. Navy This sailor's jumper was made of a fine gabardine material cut to the basic pattern of the issue jumper. He had his tailor add silk panels across the chest and back edged with decorative stitching. The interior chest pocket featured a zipper closure to help keep his belongings in place. On the back panel, he had a pocket set into the back as well as an anchor stitched across it. The high point of this uniform are they very ornate dragon liberty cuffs embroidered on black silk or satin.
MM2c U.S. Navy This undress jumper is made from a light weight gabardine material. It features decorative stiching around the edge of the pocket, as well as a chain stitch at the opening of the neck slit to keep it from ripping out. The interesting feature is the issue MM2c crow on a wool background on the left arm with the eagle facing to the rear.
MM1c U.S. Navy This jumper has an interesting history. It is ID'd to one sailor who was killed during the war, but had a "ruptured duck" affixed to it denoting an honorable discharge at the end of the war. This also has the amphibious patch that came out later in the war and was permitted to be worn by sailors of LST's, and attack transports. The jumper features dragon liberty cuffs along with a rather large dragon with "Shanghai China" under the flap in the back. This is the first example that I have seen of embroidery in this part of the uniform.
Shore Establishment Unifrom "IKE" style jacket This is a unique example of a custom conversion of a jacket to resemble the U.S. Army's new uniform jacket. There are examples of surviving garments and images of GI's altering their 4-pocket service coats and sometimes even shirts to resemble the new style dress jacket, but this is the first time that we have seen a sea services coat that had this modification. This jacket has all the same features as the full size khaki coat, including the depot tag. The brass buttons were removed and replaced with large plastic buttons to go along with the new style.
MM3c U.S. Navy This set features produced by "Dandy Naval Tailors" in Brooklyn, NY features a lot of embroidery throughout both pieces. The MM3c "crow" is stitched on with an "X" stitch commonly seen on garments of this period and the chest pocket has a diamond shaped stitching pattern around it. This jumper also features a side zipper to help the owner with getting in and out of it. The inside of the back of the jumper is lined with black material and emboridered around the edges. Above the maker's label is a small slit pocket as well as the owners name embroidered in red. Inside the front chest, the main pocket is embroidered and an interior pocket has been set into the opposite side and has a zipper closure. At the base of the white trim on the inside of the front of the jumper is a piece of red trim. This seems to be a common trait of many tailors made jumpers to have a piece of ribbon as a reinforcement. The cuffs on this jumper are just plain polished cotton. The trousers were half lined in a silk material which was common during this time. The inside of the front had emroidery along the edges and the owner's name was embroidered in red along the waist band. Not satisfied with how big the bells were on his pant legs, this salt had material added to increase the size.
BM1c U.S. Navy This is a very unique set of blues. From their appearance, it looks as though these were tailored from an earlier pattern issued set, but not necessarily from a professional tailor. The fabric that the "crow" was embroidered to was cut in a fashion to streamline it. The exterior chest pocket features handsewn triangle reinforcements. The buttons are of an earlier style with a different style anchor than the later variants. The stars on the flap are handsewn as well. There are tie size adjustments at the waist on the inside of the front of the jumper and there's loops on the sides for stopping to a line or attaching to the ties at the side of the trousers to keep the oufit looking sharp. All the seams are covered with ribbon and the cuffs feature panels attached at the openings for a more finished look. Rather than a piece of ribbon at the base of the v-neck in most tailor mades, this jumper has some sort of a plastic strip affixed in this location. There is a handsewn chain stitch at the base of the v-neck as well. On the inside of the front is the exterior pocket, a smaller interior pocket with a buttoned flap, and a larger interior pocket made from black cotton that is about the size of a wallet. On the inside of the back of the jumper is an embroidered shape with the owner's name inside. The jumper also has the silk underarm panels common on a lot of tailor made garments. The trousers are half lined in silk with the edgings of the opening embroidered as was traditionally done. The owners name is embroidered as well, but in fancy script compared to the nice block letters on the jumper. There is also a stamp inside the jumper but it hard to make out what it says.
M. F. Blodgett Uniforms of Chicago This jumper was void of any rank. It is a simple design and follows the issue pattern more closely than most. The only differences being the material that it was made out of, the slit pocket on the inside of the back, and the embroidery on the inside of the left chest pocket and a zipper closure on the right side interior pocket.
Coxwain USCG This uniform features a lot of ornate stitching and extra finishing to the garment's interior. The jumper features a side zipper typical of most tailor made garments and exhibits the cuff shield denoting membership in the U.S. Coast Guard. The inside is half-lined in black material with an inside pocket with button closure. All seams are bound with black ribbon and the owner's name is embroidered to a patch on the center of the back. The inside of the cuffs feature dragons. The trousers have a very large bell-bottom to them, very ornate flower shaped stitching on either side of the broadfall as well as embroidery along the inside edge.
SC3c U.S. Navy This ship's cook had a pretty standard set of blues made for himself. The jumper features a zipper on the left side. The inside is half-lined in black material with a zippered pocket on the front and a slit pocket on the back surrounded by an embroidered anchor design. The owner's name is also embroidered on the back. The trousers are half-lined as well and feature large bell-bottoms.
EM1c U.S. Navy This tailor made set is pretty basic. The material is the gabardine typical of tailor made uniforms. There's embroidery on the inside of the back in the shape of an anchor around a slit pocket. The trousers also have embroidery around the edges of the broadfall closure. The stars are hand sewn as is the chain stitch at the base of the v-neck.
FT1c U.S. Navy This garment was made at Miller's Tailoring Company, one of the many tailor shops outside of the Brooklyn Navy yard. The jumper is made from gabardine and features dragon liberty cuffs with one saying "HONG KONG" and the other saying "CHINA"
Custom Jumper This gabardine jumper is plain in nature and void of any embroidery. The triangle reinforcements for the chest pocket are very well made and a side zipper has been added for ease of entry. The buttons on the cuffs are custom made out of shell with an anchor scribed onto the face. The trousers are half lined in silk and ebroidered on the edge of the front opening.
Custom Jumper with Water Repellent Fabric Another jumper that closely follows the issue pattern without a lot of extra details. The edge of the pocket is embroidered and a piece of white ribbon has been added at the base of the v-neck as a reinforcement. The uniform was coated with a treatment called "Gravenette" to make it water repellent. A silk label was placed on the inside back as well as an orange stamp directly on the cloth on both the jumper and trousers.
F1c U.S. Navy This jumper features the red shoulder trim designating the owner as a fireman. The three stripes on the cuff show that his rank was Fireman 1st Class. A zipper has been set into the side of the jumper. The inside of the jumper features an inside pocket with a button closure and a piece of yellow striped ribbon at the base of the v-neck. The liberty cuffs are plain polished cotton with multi-colored "ocean waves" commonly seen on many jumpers. The trousers are half-lined in silk with yellow embroidery along the edges. a ribbon made from the same material as the jumper has been sewn down the front seam as a reinforcement. The owners name was been embroidered on the inside of the front flap.
Private Purchase Khaki Shirt This shirt wasn't an issue item, but
cut in a pattern similar to the USN and USMC issue. If you read the tag it says that it is of "approved style and material".
Custom USCG CPO Belt Buckle Here is a regular brass belt buckle with a U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer's insignia attached to the front.
Post War Examples
Here's some examples of uniforms and rates that came out after the war. While they aren't proper for the time period that we represent, they are neat items to collect as well as helping those new to collecting sea services uniforms to avoid purchasing something that they may think is from WWII when it actually is not.
Corpsman 2c U.S. Coast Guard This jumper was tailored in Norfolk, VA and belonged to Jay R. Pinover. Althought the rate is postwar, the jumper itself is a great example of what a sailor with some extra money in his pocket could do. His jumper featured silk or sating chest and back panels with decorative stitching around the edges, zippered pocket, and "ocean wave" liberty cuffs. He had his name embroidered on the lower hem of his jumper, as well as a dragon affixed to the back panel. The label for his tailor shop was affixed there as well.
Personnelman 3c U.S. Navy This jumper exhibits some of the traits of a "Seafarer" made garment such as plain cuffs, embroidery along the inside of the front opening, and a large dragon on the inside of the back on polished cotton.
Coxswain U.S. Navy This jumper and trouser set is made by "Seafarer". These were an "off the rack" tailor made uniform that was more affordable to the average sailor looking to get some fancy duds. They feature the standard "Seafarer" embroidery inside the jumper and trousers, as well as the dragon and the back and the "Seafarer" patch on both the jumper and trousers.
