Foul Weather Gear and Equipment
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Here's some of the foul weather gear and equipment that was used afloat and ashore. Please click on the bold and underlined words to access images of each item.
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.
Special Winter Clothing Outfit, Jacket Introduced in 1939, it was made from a material known as "jungle cloth" or "cotton bedford cord". The earlier versions were unmarked and closed with zippers, while the later models used a metal clasp closure and were marked on the back with white silk screened letters. The lining was a wool flannel material.
Article 347 - Jackets, Jungle cloth
(a) Material - Navy standard 13 oz. jungle cloth, dyed blue and made water repellent with aluminum salts; Navy standard 11 ounce flannel
(b) Description - To be windbreaker type jacket, made from blue jungle cloth, body and sleeves full lined with flannel; knit collar, cuffs and waistband. The jacket shall be closed down the front with a concealed slide fastener. There shall be two oval patch pockets, side opening, placed on the front of the jackets and three ventilating eyelets placed in each armpit.
Special Winter Clothing Outift, Trousers Introduced in 1939, these bibs were made from the same materials as the jacket. They were lined in a wool flannel with a synthetic membrane in between the layers to help provide water-proofing. The legs openings could be adjusted with ties and the waist adjustments were made by zippers on the earlier models and metal clasps on the later models. The height adjustments were made adjustable shoulder straps.
Special Winter Clothing Outfit, Helmet This item gave the wearer some warmth while working out on the decks or in the boats. The pattern closely followed the Army's winter Combat Helmet used my armored troops. This example is "USCG" marked and made out of blue "jungle cloth". The lining is a wool flannel and it secures to the wearer's head with a chin strap. On the back of the helmet are two straps that close with snaps for keeping a set of goggles in place. A tag was affixed to the inside of the neck flap.
Jacket, Winter, N1 This pattern of coat was slightly longer and introduced in 1943. They were made from a green "jungle cloth". These jackets featured a zipper closure with a buttoned flap to cover the zipper in an effort to keep out wet and cold weather. The lining was changed from wool flannel to alpaca. On the left chest "USN" was stenciled in black ink.
Trousers, Winter, N1 These trousers exhibited several improvements over the previously issued item. The side closures were removed and a zipper was added to the front. There was a buttoned flap to cover it to help keep out cold air and wet weather. A "USN" was stamped on the left chest in black ink. For adjusting the size, webbing straps with black stud buttons were found on the leg openings as well as adjustable shoulder straps. The lining was a wool flannel like the earleir models, just in a brown color. Two pockets were added to the front and back of the trousers.
Helmet, Winter, N1 This was the improved version of the earlier issue winter helmet. The most notable differences were that the color was changed from blue to green and a brim was attached to the front. The google straps were omitted on this version. A black "USN" was printed on the neck flap and a tag was affixed to the underside.
Coat, Parka, Winter, N1 Introduced in 1944, this coat was thigh length and featured a hood for working out in the extreme cold. The parka was made from "jungle cloth" and featured a buttoned flap, covering the zipper. The sleeves featured the same webbing cuffs featured on the deck jackets. A black "USN" was stamped on the left chest. For a better fit in foul weather, there was a webbing belt in the waist that snapped around the wearer, as well as a buttoned flap that attached the front and back of the coat between the wearers legs in order to prevent up-drafts. The lining was alpaca and the two front pockets were lined with corduroy like the pea coat.
Jacket, Parka, N2 The N2 Rain Outift was introduced with the 1944 foul weather gear upgrades. The parka was a pull over design that featured a tie front closure. Later models featured a metal buckle closure. The hood had flaps in the vicinity of the ears to assist the wearer with hearing what was going on around him when the hood was up. The sleeve openings could be adjusted with webbing and stud button fasteners. There was a waist size adjustment in the lower part of the parka with white ties on the front edge of the parka. On the left chest a black "USN" was stamped.
Jacket, Parka, N2 This is the standard rain parka that the owner customized by painting a 48-star American flag to the back.
Trousers, Rain, N2 The N2 rain trousers were made from the same rubberized fabric as the parka. The size could be adjusted through the adjustable shoulder straps, webbing and buckle straps on the waist, and cotton ties at the leg openings. The front had a relief flap that zippered up and was covered over by a buttoned flap. The left chest was stamped with a black "USN". Here is another example where "organizational markings" were added. This pair was in service with the USCG at one point.
Jacket, Field, N4 Based off of the Army's M41 field jacket, the USN's N4 lacked some of the extra features such as epaulettes and wrist and waist sizing adjustments. The body of the coat was slightly darker in color, as were the buttons on the flap covering the zipper. They were lined in a light weight wool flannel like their army counterparts. On the left chest a black "USN" was stenciled. Prior to the USN and USCG adopting the N4, both services used the Army M41. Many of these were stenciled or roughly painted on the front and back with either "USN" or "USCG" to denote the wearer as a member of a sea service and not a soldier that needed to make their way off the beach. This particular N4 Jacket belonged to a sailing instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
Jacket, Field, N4 This example shows that the collar and cuffs tended to be common spots for the fabric to be worn out on this stly of jacket. The owner had replaced the top of the collar and the underside of both cuffs with fabric from a Japanese military uniform.
Coat, Combat, Utility This pattern of utility shirt was patterned closely off of the Army's 2nd pattern HBT shirt. These were manufactured in either HBT or cotton twill materials. The pockets on the front of this garment were quite large compared to the Army version. The buttons used were there black stud buttons featuring a wreath around the edge, black studs, or even plastic. These utility shirts were manufactured in both the light and dark shade materials.
N3 Utility Uniform This is the USN's version of the USMC's P41 utilities. They were made out of the same HBT material with a "USN" on the chest pocket of the shirt instead of the "EGA". These were issued in a long sleeve, but the owner of this example decided to cut them down into a short sleeve shirt. The trousers also had a "USN" on one of the back pockets. The buttons were the earlier wreath and star variant. This shirt also had a light weight cotton shirt cut to almost the same pattern as the khaki shirts. There was a black "USN" stamped on the pocket of this garment as well. To top it off, there was an HBT ball cap.
Equipment
M-1 Helmet This is a "fixed-bale" helmet with a front seam. It has been painted a blue -grey colour both inside and out. The paint job is very rushed and the helmet was put back together before the paint dried as seen by the imprint of the leather chin strap.
M-1 Helmet This "fixed-bale" helmet is painted in the markings of the U.S. Navy's 2nd Beach Battalion. The blue/grey band and the white USN was common on USN personnel working the beaches of Normandy.
Sun Helmet These were made like the Hawley Fiber Liner for the M-1 Helmet by several manufactures. The earlier models were made out of khaki colored cloth while the mid-war production helmets were more of a green color. They featured and adjustable leather sweat band and a cloth webbing chin strap. They had vent holes on the sides and a grommet in the front for attaching insignia. The contract stamp was applied to the inside of the helmet.
M1936 Pistol Belt This is a standard issue GI pistol belt issued to a member of the USCG. It is stenciled on the back with white block letters "U.S. Coast Guard"
M1938 Dispatch Case This is the USN contracted version of the GI issued "map case". Like most items for the sea services and USMC, it lacks any markings on the exterior. Underneath the flap is a black inked "U.S.N.". This case had a plastic grid that you could place your map or chart in, as well as pockets for all of your measuring and writing instruments. The case was slung on the wearer's shoulder with an attached strap that featured a shoulder pad.
MK-IV Gas Mask This is a later war pattern of gas mask for shipboard use. They were provided in the event of gas attacks as well as being seen in pictures by sailors fighting fires. Th mask was carried in a blue-grey canvas bag suspended from a shoulder strap. To use the mask, it was removed from the bag, the cloth eye covers were removed as well as the form that sat inside of the mask to help it keep it's shape. The cloth strip on the cylinder would be pulled off to exose the vents and activate the filter. The mask was donned so that the cylinder rested on the back of the neck with all the straps tightened.
Kapok Life Vest This is an example of the late war kapok vest with quick disconnects at the legs and shoulder so that the wearer can quickly free himself from the vest to swim under burining fuel or dive when being straffed by enemy aircraft while in the water.
Gas Protective Suit These were originally white and issued for protection from gas attacks aboard ship. They featured a large hood capable of covering a M1 helmet and closing at the front and adjusting at the neck with ties, leaving just enough room for the gas mask. The parka had two front pockets and there was one on the right front leg. There was also size adjustment ties at the waist on the inside of the front of the parka as well as on the sides of the bibs. The suspenders went through eyelets on the bib front and tied in place. Though originally issued in white, other examples in khaki may have been produced. Others were dyed in either blue or khaki for use by shore personnel such as the 2nd Beach Battalion that primarily wore these during the landings on Utah Beach.
Knives
USN Mark I Fighting Knife This knife was carried my MM3c Stanley Groffman, USCG. He served in "The Corsair Fleet" and aboard the USS SAMUEL CHASE during many of it's invasions. The knife features a grey plastic scabbard that would've had a webbing attachment for ear on a belt, as well as a securing strap. The blade is marked "USN" and "MARK I" on one side with "CAMILLUS NY" on the reverse. The handle is stacked leather with a bakelite finial.
