Service and Dress Uniform
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The outdoor uniform for Navy Nurses described
below was first proposed during the summer of 1941 and authorized in March
1942. It should be used by personnel who served overseas or had to work
under cold weather conditions. In the beginning, the nurses had to buy
this uniform at their own expense. In September 1942, the first nurses
who were assigned to the South Pacific area received the new outdoor uniform.
In November 1942 the wear of the street uniform became mandatory.
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Blue Outdoor Uniform
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The blue service uniform for Navy Nurses was a
feminine version of the male Navy officer's uniform. It consisted of a
double breasted navy blue jacket with matching A-lined skirt. The uniform
was made in summer weight and winter weight material.
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The jacket had 6 gold buttons of Regulation
Officer’s design on the front. Gold sleeve braids designated the relative
rank. Since the Navy Nurses had not received full naval commissioned ranks
yet, they did not wear their corps insignia above the sleeve braids like
the men did. Instead, the gold NNC corps device was placed vertically on
the collar, ½ inch from each edge, with the stem of the oak leaf
pointed inwards.
The jacket had a small breast pocket on the
left front and two side pockets above the hips.
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The uniform was worn with a white shirt, black
tie, black stockings and black oxford style shoes. Grey gloves or white
gloves for dress wear were optional. A navy blue cap was worn during
the winter months. A white cap was worn during the spring and summer months
according to the unit commander and climate at the base location.
(By the way, although the service uniform
was called "blue" the actual color of it was more a very dark blue or black.)
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Blue Outdoor Uniform
( Revised 1944 Model)
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The revised uniform regulations in August
1944 authorized the wear of the new NNC device (oak leave with silver acorn
superimposed on an anchor) above the golden sleeve braids of the blue service
uniform. It replaced the former metal NNC device worn on the collar.
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Blue service uniform worn with
the new authorized NNC cap with Navy officer's cap device. The dark cover
was worn during the winter months. A pair of gray gloves (replaced by black
gloves in early 1945) were optional (white gloves for dress occasions).
In December 1944, beige hose replaced the black stockings previously worn
with the navy blue service uniform. |
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During the spring/summer time,
the navy blue service uniform was worn with the white hat cover and
white gloves (optional). Instead of oxford style shoes, black pumps of
plain design were allowed to be worn with the blue uniform as well.
The two golden sleeve braids
on the uniform shown in the pictures indicate the rank of lieutenant. |
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Blue Outdoor Uniform -
Postwar
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| In 1948, the Women's Armed Services Integration
Act incorporated all Navy women's branches into the regular Navy. As a
consequence, all uniforms worn by the female personnel (no matter if they
were Navy Nurses or WAVES) were standardized.
The popular style of the WAVES uniform with
its rounded upper collar, which already had been adopted by the Coast Guard
SPARS during wartime, was chosen.
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The uniforms for officers were darker in color
than the uniforms for enlisted personnel. The sleeve stripes designating
the rank were golden. Members of the Navy Nurse Corps wore a newly introduced
NNC insignia consisting of a single spread oak leaf on their cuffs.
As headgear the style of the wartime WAVES
officer's cap was adopted. |
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White Outdoor Uniform
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White Outdoor Uniform
(First Pattern)
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The white outdoor uniform consisted of a single-breasted
jacket with matching A-line skirt. The jacket was closed with three golden
Navy buttons. It had four pockets - two patch style breast pockets and
two bellow type side pockets. A waistband was integral.
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Details of Bellow Type Side
Pocket
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With the summer uniform the relative rank
was worn on shoulderboards instead of the lower sleeves. Another difference
from the navy blue outdoor uniform was the absence of collar insignia on
the white tunic. Instead, insignia were worn on the collar of the white
shirt. A miniature pin-on rank was fastened on the right side and a miniature
NNC collar. |
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The service dress white was worn with the
white service cap. A black Navy Nurse regulation cordé could be
carried. A black tie, white oxford style shoes, white stockings and white
gloves completed the outfit. device was fastened on the left side of the
collar.
In May 1944, the pattern of the service dress
white was revised. The bellows type side pockets were replaced by patch
style pockets. The shoulderboards with the new embroidered NNC insignia
and the service cap with the Navy officer's cap insignia were worn. Additionally
in August 1944, the white stockings were replaced by beige stockings. Plain
white pumps or oxford style shoes were permitted. The service dress white
was worn at official and social occasions where formal or semiformal summer
civilian dress would have been appropriate.
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White Outdoor Uniform
(Revised 1944 Model)
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Navy Nurse Uniform, Ensign
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The miniature Ensign pin-on
rank is worn on the right collar of the white shirt and the miniature NNC
insignia is worn on the left side. The left picture shows the white uniform
worn with the white garrison cap. |
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Navy Nurse's Overcoat
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The overcoat for Navy Nurses was introduced
in 1942. The double breasted coat with two side pockets was equipped with
6 gilt Navy buttons on the front. Black sleeve braids and shoulder boards
indicated the rank of the wearer. The overcoat could be worn with a white
scarf.
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Overcoat worn with
second pattern NNC cap (authorized in August 1944)
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Back view
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In 1944, when the Navy Nurse Corps received military
ranks, shoulder boards with the new embroidered Navy Nurse Corps insignia
were worn. |
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Navy Nurse's Raincoat
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The raincoat for Navy Nurses was introduced
in 1942 as optional item.
The double-breasted coat was made of waterproof
navy blue fabric.
It was equipped with eight plain plastic buttons
on the front, two side pockets and was belted at the waist.
The coat had no shoulder loops nor sleeve braids.
Note: The raincoat is worn with
the rain cap cover in the picture on the right. |
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[ I. Development ]..[
II. Facts about the NNC ]..[
III. Uniforms ]..[IV.
Sources
]
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