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United States Navy Dress Blue Uniform (E1-E6)

Daniel D. Smith, SCPO, USNR (Ret)

Prior to 1817 there were no Navy Department regulations governing enlisted men's uniforms. The first regulations covering enlisted men's clothing (uniform) appears in the regulations of the Navy issued by Benjamin W. Crownishiel, dated September 1817. Note that the information contained on these web pages will pertain to the Navy enlisted dress blue uniform unless otherwise stated. The 1817 regulations provided for blue jacket and trousers, red vest, yellow buttons and black hat.
1817 (enlisted left) 1905

In the early years of enlisted uniform regulation changes and updates, the changes often merely formalized what uniform the majority of enlisted men were already choosing and wearing.

1944 1973 2005

History/Timeline

Blue jackets
Crowned hats
Flat hats
Straw hats
Canvas hats
White hats

Navy Rating Marks and Badges

Marks (1841)Petty Officer's badge
Specialty marks (1866)
Combination rating badges (1886)
Ex-Apprentice Knot
Right arm rates (port and starboard watch ratings)
Right arm rates (Eagle facing Right or Left? Seaman Branch ratings 1913-1948)
Watch mark for non-rated personnel
Branch marks (1912)
Distinguishing marks (1905)

Uniform Slang: Bluejacket (enlisted man); Cracker Jacks (service dress blues); Dixie Cup (white hat); White Hat (enlisted man); SDBs (service dress blues); Donald Duck hat (flat hat)

Uniform Regulations (requires Adobe Acrobat reader: (credit for transcribing the following uniform regulations goes to CMDCM(SW) Clint Steed, USN (ret) for the 1905 regulations, and to GSCM(SW) Dan Goebel, USNR for transcribing the other years presented here) 1833, 1905, 1947

Bibliography:

Tily, James C., The Uniforms of the United States Navy, (New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1964)
Rankin, Robert H., Col. USMC, Uniforms of the Sea Services, (Annapolis, Maryland: USNI, 1962)
www.history.navy.mil
goatlocker.org
www.news.navy.mil/media/allhands

Links:

Tailormades, Liberty Cuffs and Locker Clubs

CPO Goat Locker

Navy Data Processor's Association

Contact: dpcsdan(at)att.net

DISCLAIMER

This web site is not associated with the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the U. S. Navy, or any other government agency. All information within is declassified material that is easily obtainable from various sources. All opinions herein are those of the navycollector.com and do not officially reflect the views of any government agency.