What rype of uniform.....

[StevenO]

What type of uniform did the <!--StartFragment --> marine landing forces officers wear. What type of formal uniform did they wear, same as navy officers or did they have their own type of uniform.

Thank you
Steven

[ketoujin]

Hi
The SNLF officers' uniform, at least by 1940, was essentially no different in terms of cut and basic appearance to the Type 98 Army Uniform introduced in 1938. I've heard of two uniform colors - a darker green color and a blue color. The blue wool uniform was typically worn in winter. Headgear was a cap similar to that used by the Army - though in dark green or blue like the uniform. Until late 1941 SNLF officers' wore the same cap as SNLF enlisted men, after 1941 officers' caps had two (usually black) stripes on them to denote their rank, petty officers had one cap stripe and enlisted men had none. Sword belts were typically black leather with either one or two suspension slings for the kai-gunto. In a couple pics of SNLF officers surrendering their swords at war's end that I've seen, the officers have khaki uniforms, but I think the green and blue color was more standard. Shibasaki's SNLF troopers on Tarawa wore khaki too.
Though I'm not certain, I think SNLF dress uniforms were probably white - the same as those worn by other, more conventional Naval personnel.

Thanks,
Gunnar

[StevenO]

Thanks Gunnar


Steven

[cbuehler]

NLF uniforms

NLF officers uniforms ( and ratings uniforms for that matter) were much more varied and did not seem to follow regulations as closely as the Army.
Atcually, this applied to the Navy as a whole especially toward the end of the war.
The Navy's budget was not near that of the Army's and their uniforms and equipment reflect that fact during the war.
I have seen photos of NLF troops that show a wide range of design and shade in the tunics being worn, sometimes all at the same time!
The enlisted men even used some army issue gear and just changed the insignia. It would seem that they had supply issues later in the war and had to use what they could in many instances.
The NLF was not very big and was probably near the bottom of the barrel for allocation of funds and training for the Navy. In the later part of the war any Naval personnel could be put into the infantry role as needed.
But the more or less standard NLF officers uniform was much as Gunnar described. And they did indeed wear standard Navy whites just like any other officers. During the war, there actually was no NLF uniform per se.
All branches of the navy wore the same greenish uniform and field caps. There was no insignia to differentiate them from ordinary sailors and they wore the same insignia as line ratings or officers as assigned to ships.
What is often described by dealers or others as NLF is just plain Navy issue and nothing else. Could have been worn just as well by a submariner or pilot.

Conrad

[StevenO]

........

[StevenO]

Thanks Conrad,


Steven

[ROBB]

Ha Ha good one "what rype.........

[StevenO]

Whatever works mate,

Regards

Steven