USN Service Dress Grey for junior enlisted sailors? (1 Viewer)

[Tex]

I was snooping around an antique shop the other day and came across a WWII USN Service Dress Grey jacket. I assumed that, since it was missing the loops for shoulder boards, it must have belonged to a Chief. When I checked the sleeve, though, it belonged to a petty officer third class, and had the old cook/steward rating. I always thought that service dress grey, like service dress khaki, was just for chiefs and officers. Were junior enlisted authorized to wear it too? Does it have something to do with its owner being a steward?

 

[Nooooo9]

Yes, you are right. Cooks and Stewards were permitted the use of the grey uniform on 31 March 1944. As far as I know, and I only know what I've seen on the internet, they were the only lower enlisted to wear this uniform. The uniform was the brain child of Fleet Admiral of the Navy King and it was introduced for officers on 16 April 1943 and for CPOs on 3 June 1943. The uniform was never popular and was rarely worn in the Pacific Theater. It was abolished on 15 Oct 1949. The uniform in the shop is quite rare and if you can get it for a good price you should buy it.

 

[Tex]

Thanks for the info! I might have to make another trip to that antique shop.