USN waterproof mackinaw

[Dinerman]

I've seen a couple of these pop up on ebay recently. Looks very much like a civilian mackinaw, or their army counterpart, but done in some kind of waterproof, rubberized material. Can anyone shed any light on this jacket? Some kind of foul weather deck jacket, I'm assuming, but running the number on the tag, NXs 16061, only gets me the blog with the pictures I have posted here and one other site, which is a record of another sold jacket. Is there another name I should be searching to find info on these?

Any pictures of them being worn back in the day?

These good pics from Little Reata

The one I got. The back is painted "24 Malden"

 

[scotrace]

Surely Peacoat will have some clue?

 

[Peacoat]

Surely Peacoat will have some clue?

Scot, I saw the coat when the Diner first posted it. I was going to say wartime foul weather coat used in the North Atlantic in the Winter, but the tag threw me. It isn't a standard Navy tag that we are used to seeing, and it looks like a new one. So, I really don't know. From the lettering on the back, it does appear to be a Navy coat, but beyond that I have no other information.

What we need is an old Navy Vet who served in WWII to take a look at it. Unfortunately, there aren't many of those guys left.

 

[Dinerman]

Here's another, different, tag. Unfotunately a really bad pic so you can't make out the contract number.

 

[Peacoat]

I showed the pictures to a retired Master Chief who went in the Navy during the early 50s. He had never seen a coat like that, but agreed it was WWII cold weather deck gear. That's about all I can give you on it.

 

[Dinerman]

Thanks for checking around. When I get it I'll let you know if there's anything else that might tell us something about it.

 

[Dinerman]

Here's another one, different contract number. NXss 19380

 

[Dinerman]

That contract info brings up this one on mash japan.

Sill no period pics of it being worn.

 

[Minty]

Reviving an old thread...

Hello all,

This is my first forum post, and it's reviving this old thread...

I thought I'd post here though, following an internet search - as I too, own a coat the same as these (contract number 16061) - unusually, mine's a huge Size-50 and it's in superb order...unfortunately, I'm not yet allowed to post images...

I'm an avid militaria/WW2 collector from the UK - I was given the coat back in the 90's by a lady who'd had it hanging in her loft for many years, but who was about to move into a home for the elderly and now wanted it to go to someone who'd appreciate and look after it...

The nice thing with this coat, is that prior to going into her loft in the early 80's, it had been hanging in a wardrobe in one of her spare bedrooms, since the end of WW2!


The lady billeted two US-Navy Officers in her home - and, at the end of the war and upon returning home, one of them forgot the coat was still hanging in the wardrobe...

I was wondering if any of you guys ever managed to find out any more about these coats?...only, I'd love to know a little more about them...

Kind Regards - Guy.

 

[Fletch]

This coat should be reproed. In Japan. For $1,800 a throw, and only in very small sizes. lol

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Minty]

Cool pic's - how long before I can post some photo's of mine?

Guy.

 

[Dinerman]

You can now. To post pictures on the board, you need to host them externally- photobucket, flickr, that kind of thing - and then copy paste the image code.

 

[Dinerman]

Someone just listed one of these on ebay. Buy it now of $500. LINK

 

[Peacoat]

Minty, welcome to the Lounge. I think it's pretty accurate to say that coat is a wartime foul weather coat used in the North Atlantic in the Winter. Being from England you probably well know how cold the North Atlantic is during the Winter, when not influenced by the Gulf Stream. Weather that cold and wet requires extreme protection. I would say this coat provides as much protection as was available 70 years ago. Probably does an equally good job keeping its owner dry and warm today.

Congratulations on a good find, and thank you for the story of how the coat found its way to you 50 years after being abandoned. PC.

 

[Peacoat]

Dinerman: Interesting that the pocket configuration is very similar to WWI pea coats. Based on this, I would say the design predates WWII by a number of years.

 

[Minty]

Cheers Peacoat, thanks for the welcome!

As you say, being from England, we definately know about the cold & wet Atlantic and the lack of Gulf-stream - last year, we officially had the wettest year in England since formal records begain!!! (150+ years ago)

Talking about the coat, it's super-warm - I have two WW2 Jeeps...a '42 GPW and a '44 MB - I can drive either of them in the middle of winter, wearing just a T-shirt under that coat and still be toasty-warm!!!

Just as an aside, which part of Tennessee you from?...a couple of years ago, we were looking at moving to Knoxville...super place - super people!!!

Regards - Guy. (Minty)

 

[Dinerman]

Somewhere I have photos of these being worn during the war, but I can't seem to find them on my hard drive. I'll post them if they turn up.
The style is pretty much a civilian mackinaw style, popular in the early '20s- wartime, with the materials changed around a bit. They seem to be fairly rare. It's hard to say if that is a function of having been issued in low numbers originally, or of deterioration of the materials. That shell dries out and gets flakey, and the way its constructed, there's no way to care for the sheepskin, so it easily dries out as well.

 

[Peacoat]

Cheers Peacoat, thanks for the welcome!

Just as an aside, which part of Tennessee you from?...a couple of years ago, we were looking at moving to Knoxville...super place - super people!!!

Regards - Guy. (Minty)

Middle Tennessee. Grew up in Nashville. Went to school there, left for the military and came back. A little over 18 years ago my wife and I bought a farm in Williamson County which is just South of Nashville.

So, have you seen a Royal Navy peacoat, or do you have any pictures of one? They are most elusive. I have given up buying one; now I would be happy to just see one, or even a picture of a current issue.

 

[Minty]

Ah Nashville - lovely city!...We've spent quite a bit of time there ourselves...always found the people so warm and welcoming - especially when they hear our accents!!!

The RN Peacoat is'nt something I know about - are we talking current issue, or WW2?...If it's current issue, I may be able to help in two ways...

Firstly, I have a friend who owns a military-surplus store, who deals in 'modern' kit...Secondly, my lad is currently joining the Navy as an Engineer...he may be able to ask around?

If the coat is WW2 then there's a good chance I'd be able to help - I have many friends who are in positions that allow them 'access' to such items...along with knowing many long-standing WW2 Royal Navy Re-enactors who have superb personal collections...

Let me know, and I'll see what I can do!


Dinerman - thanks for your help too buddy, if you could find those photos, that would be great...as you say - as with other things made from this kind of waterproof/rubberised cotton, they do go a little 'stiff' or 'brittle' with age unfortunately...

My coat is still pretty supple though at the moment - and the sheepskin is, luckily for me, still as new...

I'll post some photo's when I'm allowed!

Kind Regards - Guy. (Minty)