WWII US NAVY SEABEES JACKET / TUNIC - CHIEF PETTY OFFICER \"BEAUTIFUL CONDITION\" For Sale

WWII US NAVY “SEABEES” CHIEF PETTY OFFICER’S TUNIC EQUIPMENT OPERATOR EXCELLENT! WWII US NAVY “SEABEES” CHIEF PETTY OFFICER’S TUNIC EQUIPMENT OPERATOR EXCELLENT!

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Description From a private WWII museum collection of over 20 years, featuring all types of original WWII period clothing, equipment and assorted military pieces, as well as a variety of reproduction items, uniforms, equipment, and European military surplus. All items have been part of a variety of WWII displays.This private WWII museum collection is being sold off.
The following item is offered for sale –WWII US NAVY “SEABEES” CHIEF PETTY OFFICER’S TUNIC EQUIPMENT OPERATOR EXCELLENT!LISTING INCLUDES ADDITIONAL
( 24 ) PICTURE GALLERY
CLICK ON FIRST PICTURE TO ENLARGE & THEN YOUR ABLE TO VIEW ALL
( 24 ADDITIONAL PICTURES )
THRU THE SCROLLING GALLERY*** WITH POST WWII RATING & NAVAL RATING (EO) UPDATED 1958
THE ONLY INFO, FROM THE ESTATE OF A WWII VETERAN WHO SERVED 20 YEARS IN THE US NAVY’S “SEABEES” AND WAS A CHIEF PETTY OFFICER WHO SERVED FROM WWII THRU KOREA & RETIRED SOMETIME IN THE 60’s. THE sale DID NOT PROVIDE ANY NAMES, MEDALS OR OTHER PERSONAL EFFECTS, OTHER THAN A STORAGE TRUNK, SOME PHOTOGRAPHS & SOME WEB EQUIPMENT & HATS.
….. SO THIS CHIEF PETTY OFFICER JOINED THE “SEABEES” & SERVED DURING WWII, AT SOME POINT FROM 1958, OR THERE-AFTER HE UPDATED HIS WWII ISSUED TUNIC WITH NEW RATING INSIGNIA, SHOWING THE NEWLY ADOPTED APPROVED TRACTOR INSIGNIA RATING.
Equipment Operator (EO)
Equipment Operators used and manage heavy transportation and construction equipment like bulldozers, cranes, forklifts, and asphalt equipment. They used their heavy-duty machinery to help construct things like buildings, roadways, airfields, and piers. EOs were also responsible for excavation, crane assembly, pile-driving, drilling, and blasting.
To address the WWII Rank & Rating:
TheEO rating did not take effect until 1958, so during WWII they were given a rating equivalent to that in the Regular Navy, which included Machinist’s Mate Construction Battalion Equipment Operator (MMCBE). They were also classified as Carpenter’s Mate, Boatswain’s Mate, and Gunner’s Mate. In 1948, the Driver rating was established from the original rating of Machinist\'s Mate (Construction Battalion) (Equipment Operators), (MMCBE) then in 1958 the rating was changed to Equipment Operator.
POST WWII INSIGNIA INFORMATION:
(The following Badge info. taken from –USN Badges/Ratings & Insignia
(by John A. Stacey)
In 1942 the Chief of the Navy issued a letter that Chief Petty Officers entitled to gold or silver rating badges could wear standard ratings badges due to shortages of metallic thread(supplies of said being used for more vital war needs) and silver/gold rating badges could be reinstated/re-issued/worn after WWII, additionally, In 1943 the Secretary of the Navy issued upgrades to Chief Petty Officer’s Rating Badges denoting a C.PO.’s assigned Speciality.
This C.P.O.’s Rating Badge in beautiful Silver& Gold Bullion with Silver Thread Tractor above Gold Chevrons
Equipment Operator as his assigned Specialty in the SEABEES & per Naval Dept. issued uniform requirements was updated in 1958 with the Tractor Insignia Rating.
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL & VERY RARE US NAVY “SEABEES” (CPO) CHIEF PETTY OFFICER’S WINTER DRESS TUNIC.
BLACK - 100% WOOL - FULLY ACETATE/SILK TYPE LINED w. 2 HIP SLASH POCKETS W 1 OUTER BREAST POCKET, 1 INSIDE BREAST POCKET & 1 SMALL LOWER INSIDE BUTTONED SECURITY POCKET DOUBLE BREASTED w. 6 GOLD NAVY BUTTONSAS SEEN IN PHOTOS IN THE PICTURE GALLERIES, THIS CPO WEARS THE “SEABEES” PATCH ABOVE HIS CPO RANK/RATING. ORIGINAL “SEABEES” PATCH CAME WITH THE TUNIC & A PAIR OF PANTS & HATS.
RANK/RATING ON THE LEFT SLEEVE DENOTES A CORP/LINE OFFICER WHO WOULD SERVE ON A SHIP, AS OPPOSED TO RANK/RATING WORN ON THE RIGHT SLEEVE INDICATING THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH – OPERATIONS
THIS IS THE TUNIC OF A DISTINGUISHED C.P.O. LINE NON-COMMISIONED OFFICER WITH LEFT SLEEVE UNIT & RANK/RATING BULLION (ORIGINAL TO THE TUNIC) STANDARD RANK/RATING CHEVRONS & SERVICE STRIPES WERE RED, BUT A SAILOR/NON-COMM. OFFICER SERVING 12 YEARS OR MORE IN GOOD STANDING WOULD EARN THE RIGHT TO WEAR RANK/RATING/SERVICE CHEVRONS/STRIPES IN GOLD BULLION ON BLACK. SILVER EAGLE OVER 3 GOLD STRIPES IS A CHIEF PETTY OFFICER ONE SEE’S THE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE “TRACTOR” BELOW THE RANK THAT IDENTIFIES THIS CPO IN THE “SEABEES” AS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR. BELOW THE RANK PATCH ARE THE SERVICE STRIPES IN BULLION (EACH STRIPE REPRESENTS 4 YEARS OF SERVICE) THIS TUNIC DISPLAYS (5) SERVICE STRIPES DENOTING THAT THIS CHIEF PETTY OFFICER HAS SERVED 20 YEARS IN THE NAVY.THE CONDITION OF THIS TUNIC IS EXCELLENT FOR A WINTER DRESS JACKET OVER 70 YEARS OLD. THE BLACK HEAVY WEIGHT WOOL MATERIAL IS LIKE NEW, WITH NO MOTHING OR TEARS ANYWHERE THAT I COULD FIND, AND IT IS COMPLETELY LINED WITH NO TEARS OR RIPS OF ANY KIND. THE TUNICS GOLD US NAVY EAGLE BUTTONS ARE ALL PRESENT & ARE ALL SOLIDLY ATTACHED. THEY SHOW A NICE AGED PATINA. ALL OF THE GOLD BULLION IS IN PRISTINE AGED CONDITION. ALL IN ALL, A SIMPLY FANTASTIC CPO’s TUNIC FROM WWII.PURCHASED YEARS AGO IN NJ,THIS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL TUNIC HAS BEEN PART OF A WWII US NAVY DISPLAY FOR YEARS, FEATURED ON A MANNEQUIN & HAS NEVER BEEN WORN FOR REENACTMENT OR LIVING HISTORY. MEASUREMENTS:
SIZE – THE MAKER’S LABEL IS STAMPED – 36 REG
MEASUREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS – LAID FLAT -
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER - 17 inches
CHEST - 36 inches
LENGTH - 31 ½ inches
SLEEVE - 24 ¼ inchesAS SEEN IN THE PHOTO GALLERY THIS TUNIC WILL DISPLAY WONDERFULLY, BUT IF ONE CONSIDERS WEARING THIS FOR REENACTMENT OR LIVING HISTORY, THEN PLEASE USE THE MEASUREMENTS PROVIDED. *** FIT IS NOT GUARANTEED ***THIS TUNIC IS RARE FOR SEVERAL REASONS, ITS BEATIFUL CONDITION, IT’S OWNER WAS A CHIEF PETTY OFFICER IN THE SEABEES DURING WWII, AS WELL AS A 20 YEAR VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY WITH COMPLETE ORIGINAL RANK/RATING &SERVICE STRIPES ... A RARE CPO\'s TUNIC FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN EXCELLENT ORIGINAL CONDITION. THIS TUNIC WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL DISPLAY ADDITION TO ANY WWII US NAVY \"SEABEES\" COLLECTION.THIS JACKET HAS ONLY ONE MANUFACTURER’S LABEL INSIDE INDICATING THIS TUNIC WAS MADE BY – THE DAVIS CLOTHING CO. & WAS MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH USN UNIFORM REGULATIONS.THE DAVIS CLOTHING CO.
THE DAVIS CLOTHING CO. WAS STARTED IN SAN FRANSISCO IN 1935 BY BEN DAVIS, FOLLOWING IN HIS GRANDFATHER’S FOOTSTEPS AS A TAILOR & CLOTHING MANUFACTURER & INVENTOR. HIS GRANDFATHER,JACOB DAVIS INVENTED THE FIRST WORK PANTS CONSTRUCTED OF DUCK COTTON CLOTH & THEN DENIM CLOTH REINFORCED WITH COPPER RIVETS & IN 1871, WITH THE FINANCIAL BACKING OF HIS FABRIC SUPPLIER LEVI STRAUSS, APPLIED FOR & WAS AWARDED A PATENT FOR MANUFACTURING CLOTHING THAT BECAME TODAY’S WORLD RENOWN “LEVI’S JEANS”. WHEN AMERICA WAS THRUST INTO WWII, DAVIS CLOTHING CO. ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPANIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BEGAN TO SHIFT THEIR MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY OVER TO MILITARY PRODUCTION NEEDS AND DAVIS CLOTHING BEGAN TO PRODUCE ALL MANNER OF MILTARY CLOTHING AND UNIFORMS FOR THE US MILITARY, AND OF COURSE, THE NAVY, PRODUCING DRESS UNIFORMS & THOSE CLASSIC BLUE JEANS & DENIM SHIRTS WORN BY OUR SAILORS AS SEEN IN PERIOD PHOTOGRAPGHS.HISTORY OF THE “SEABEES”
“Convinced that war was coming, the U.S. Navy realized that fighting in theaters halfway around the world would present new challenges in logistics and would require a vast infrastructure. Beginning in 1940 they began a program of building bases on far-flung Pacific islands using civilian contractors. When the United States officially entered the war, the use of civilian labor had to stop. Under international law civilians were not permitted to resist enemy military attack. If they did they could be executed as guerrillas.
On December 28, 1941, the father of this new specialized unit, Rear Admiral Ben Moreel, Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks (BUDOCKS), requested specific authority to activate, organize, and man a unique, very special organization that would support the Navy and Marines in remote locations and defend themselves if attacked – “the Naval Construction Battalions.”
Taking the letters C,B and shortening the Unit to its abbreviated name, on January 5, 1942, he was given that authority and the “SEABEES” were formed at a new Naval base in Davisville, Rhode Island.
The first naval construction unit to actually deploy from the United States left Davisville, Rhode Island, less than two weeks later on January 17, 1942. It was designated the First Construction Detachment. This first detachment of 296 officers & men arrived on the island of Bora Bora on Feb.17th 1942.”
On Aug. 7th, 1942, the United States launched its first ground action of WWII against the enemy, when United States Marines of the 1st Marine Division landed on the Japanese held island of Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands. “SEABEES” accompanied these Marines, and, with their own equipment, as well as tractors& other construction equipment left behind by the Japanese when they retreated into the island’s interior, completed a partially built runway & named it Henderson Field, after Marine Pilot Major Lofton Henderson, the first aviator to be killed during the Battle of Midway. These “SEABEES” built this runway to support Navy & Marine planes, and, along with the Marines, defended this hotly contested runway. The Battle for this runway & Guadalcanal lasted 6 months, ending with the Japanese abandoning the island in Feb. 1943. Both the American victory at Guadalcanal as well as the US Naval victory at Midway would later be recognized as the turning point in the Pacific war against the Japanese. Prior to these 2 actions the US new nothing but defeat, after these 2 actions the US new nothing but Victory.In 1944 Republic Pictures released the most famous movie ever made about the US Naval Construction Battalions. Starring John Wayne in the lead role, “The Fighting Seabees” was a movie that presented a fictitious story line of how the Seabees came to be, and all though inaccurate in fact, the essenceof the movie properly depicted the reason for the Seabees birth, the training,& even the fact that the Seabees sought recruits, not for their youth & physical capability, but for their construction specialty. Some of the movie’s characters present images of elderly men with thinning hair, paunchy stomachs & several men old enough to be someone’s Grandfather, but that amusingly depicted the reality that a Seabees recruit’s average age was 37 yrs old. The Hollywood portion of the movie contained a mix of romance & battle scenes, like so many wonderful John Wayne movies, however the production received assistance from the US Navy in the making of the film & was meant to recruit men for the new construction battalions. It remains a classic WWII John Wayne movie.
By the end of WWII over 300,000 men served in the Seabees. Henderson Field, the first airfield ever completed by the Seabees, under combat conditions, in the first offensive action by the United States in WWII remained in service throughout the war but was abandon after WWII, however, 24 years later the airfield was re-opened & built into a modern airport facility that became the only International airport in the Solomon Islands, and is capable of accommodating Boeing 767’s. Navy Seabees veterans can be proud. This interesting story can end with the the iconic verses of the “SEABEES” Song, as played in the closing scene of the movie, as new Graduating “SEABEES” recruits march by, flags proudly held high,“We\'re the Seabees of the Navy
We can build and we can fight
We\'ll pave the way to victory
And guard it day and night
And we promise that we remember
The \"Seventh of December\"
We\'re the Seabees of the Navy Words by Sam M. Lewis
Bees of the Seven Seas” Music by Peter de Rose \"When we march into Tokyo, with our hats at a jaunty tilt, we\'ll have marched on the road to victory, on a road the “SeaBees” built\" THE PHOTO GALLERY HAS SOME WONDERFUL PHOTOS … THE FIRST IS A PHOTO OF A DECORATED CHIEF PETTY OFFICER TAKEN IN 1944, HE PROUDLY WEARS HIS “SEABEES” PATCH ABOVE HIS RANK & RATING. THE NEXT IS A HOLLYWOOD POSTER ADVERTIZING THE RELEASE OF THE JOHN WAYNE CLASSIC FILM “THE FIGHTING SEABEES” RELEASED IN 1944, FOLLOWED BY A HOLLYWOOD STILL OF JOHN WAYNE IN HIS DRESS TUNIC, THE NEXT IS A WWII “SEABEES” RECRUITMENT POSTER FROM 1943 & THE FINAL IS A PHOTO OF SOME OF THE FIRST GRADUATING “SEABEES” TAKEN IN MARCH, 1942, AT DAVISVILLE, RHODE ISLAND, FOLLOWED BY A PHOTO OF THIS CPO’s TUNIC WITH A FRAMED “SEABEES” SILK EMBROIDERED STANDARD.* Portions of some text & or historical information used for item discriptions or historical info. is borrowed from several contributing web sites to provide as accurate info. as possile, when available. A variet of historical & reference sources are used ***
All this research was done by my Dad over years of collecting, thanks for all your great work Dad.
Will J.THIS ORIGINAL WWII US NAVY \"SEABEES\" CHIEF PETTY OFFICER\'S TUNIC IS FOR SALE ONLY!!!
... ALL FLAGS, SWORDS, CANTEENS, MAP CASES, MAPS, WATCHES, CIGARETTE LIGHTERS, GLOVES, MANNEQUINS, BAYONETS, BINOCULARS & CARRY CASES, HAVERSACKS, GI STOVES,REPLICA GN’S, BOOKS, & ALL OTHER ITEMS NOT LISTED FOR SALE AS PART OF THIS LISTING ARE USED FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY & ARE NOT FOR SALE
\"ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE IT, HAVE BLAZE ORANGE PLUGS INSIDE .. NO GUNS ARE FOR SALE, NO PARTS OF GUNS ARE FOR SALE, NO GUNS OF ANY KIND ARE FOR SALE ...
I AM NOT SELLING ANY GUNS OF ANY TYPE .. PLEASE REFER TO OTHER SELLERS WHO SELL REPLICA GUNS \" ...
** MANNEQUINS ARE USED FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES & ARE NOT FOR SALE**
*SHIRTS & TIES ARE USED FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY & NOT FOR SALE, UNLESS OTHERWISE LISTED*
** ALL ITEMS, DESCRIPTIONS & CONDITION ARE PROVIDED AS BEST AS POSSIBLE**
** SIZE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED WHEN POSSIBLE BUT FIT IS NOT GUARANTEED**
**THE ENTIRE WWII COLLECTION IS BEING SOLD OFF,SO ALL SALES ARE FINAL & NO RETURNS,
BUT ALL ITEMS ARE COVERED UNDER THE MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.
**QUESTIONS ARE WELCOMED. PLEASE ASK ALL QUESTIONS PRIOR TO LISTING ENDING THRU MESSAGING. I WILL RESPOND ASAP.
**PAYMENT IS ACCEPTED THRU PAYPAL. PLEASE PAY FOR YOUR PURCHASE WITHIN 5 DAYS. I DO MY BEST TO SHIP WITHIN 2 DAYS OF CLEARED PAYMENT “FREE SHIPPING TO ALL 50 STATES”
STANDARD SHIPPING IS \"FREE\" TO THE LOWER 48 STATES AND PRIORITY SHIPPING TO HAWAII OR ALASKA WILL BE \"FREE\"
STANDARD SHIPPING TO HAWAII & ALASKA IS FAR TOO SLOW & CAN TAKE UP TO 30 DAYS SO ITEMS PURCHASED FROM EITHER OF THESE STATES WILL SHIP “PRIORITY ONLY” ***** INTERNATIONAL BUYERS *******
MUST PLEASE REQUEST A SHIPPING RATE QUOTE TO THEIR ADDRESS PRIOR TO EITHER PLACING A offer TO BUY, OR IF THEY CHOOSE THE BUY IT NOW OPTION PLEASE WAIT FOR A SHIPPING RATE / QUOTE FIRST !!!!! INTERNATIONAL buyers / BUYERS PLEASE WAIT FOR SHIPPING COSTS TO BE CALCULATED !!! ONCE AN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING RATE HAS BEEN DETERMINED & CONFIRMED WITH buyer / BUYER, AND THE ITEM HAS BEEN BOUGHT, A REVISED INVOICE WILL BE SENT WITH INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING RATE ADDED. YOU MAY THEN PAY THE TOTAL COST FOR YOUR ITEM WITH INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING RATE ADDED/INCLUDED THRU PAYPAL WITHIN 5 DAYS OF YOUR PURCHASE PLEASE. THANKYOU (ALL ITEMS ARE CAREFULLY WELL PACKED FOR SHIPMENT)I have predominantly been a collector of WWII militaria for the last 20+ years, though I have sold some pieces from the collection before, as well as other items, but it is finally time to sell the collection off & let others enjoy adding new pieces to their collection. I hope others enjoy them as much as I have.I have a perfect 100% positive response record of doing business on , both as a Buyer & Seller. I have always treated everyone I’ve done business with on the same way I would want to be treated & pride myself on being prompt, courteous, honest &professional & will work very hard to offer the very best customer service to my customers. If you have any issue of any kind please contact me immediately & I will work to resolve the issue.
... After your purchase of any item offered from the collection For Sale or sale,
**When you receive your item & are completely satisfied with your purchase, please leave 5 Star Positive response & then I will do the same for you.**
Thank you for viewing this item.Thank youto all the men & women of “The Greatest Generation” for their service & sacrifice during WWII and thank you to all the men & women who proudly serve or have served our country in the United States military to protect our country and our freedom. “GOD BLESS AMERICA” Images sell!
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