What color were the Kapok life vests used by USN/USMC personnel during WWII amphibious landings? I am concerned with the crews of AMTRACS and other landing craft such as LCVP/LCM/LCP. Thanks in advance.
Near as I can tell from various photos on a Google search, they were a grayish-tan, blue-gray, or olive, depending on time period, pre-war, early war, late war…
Okay, so it sounds like there was variation in the fabric. Thanks.
The very pristene mid-war one I have in my collection is about panzer grey (if you have a bluer bottle in your rack that would be better).
My well used late-war version is very faded from sun and salt water–it’s mostly about dark gull grey with light ghost grey upper surfaces.
I’ve seen copies in museums that were close to thin British Sky over khaki. Others that were a decent match for feldblau, or French field blue (or halfway in between).
Amtrak drivers & crew should be in OD HBT, but recall that “looking salty” was very common, so crews would drag their OD in nets behind the ships to saltwater fade them. Then, operations tempo made mix-n-match mostly common. too.
USN Landing Craft were usually manned with Sailors, and they usually turned to in dungarees, with the kapok and a helmet being the only addition. Army personnel, from the photos I’ve seen wore OD HBT, sometimes with boat shoes rather than issue combat shoes (which would be brown, USN non-aviation personnel had black leather shoes).
Now, if it was wet out, or in colder operations, the Sailors manning LC could be wearing the rain parka, or a deck jacket, even full foul-weather gear.
Thanks Capn,
That’s exactly what I was looking for! I am starting the vests with a base color of a Humbrol dark gray close to 36081, then will highlight with something lighter,such as a Dark Gull Gray. What color were Navy Rain Parkas, Deck Jackets,and Foul Weather Grear? The only item I am familiar with is the PeaCoat.
Marines used to bleach thier Woodland Camo to make them look “salty” as well, I remember on the rifle range one 2nd Lt. had on camo that looked like it was made for snow climates, but otherwise pristine, like it was taken off the shelf yesterday and bleached to death. Marines made their folks stop that practice.
Didn’t call those faded BDUs “salty” when I seen 'em… I called 'em “Cook Whites”…