Your most welcome Iron and Cypress...my pleasure! Always happy to assist in anyway possible. These buttons I saved are from the time frame (1974-1979). In 1974, issued Dark Navy Blue jacket with skirt (Dress Blues). Collar had anchors on them (I saved them too, they are in the frame with my first honorable discharge!). That is the uniform I cut off the gold, then silver ones to trade in for the new issue Dress Blues. There was another time we had a new issue of Dress Blues...can't remember when though? They say they are Navy Blue, but I swear, they look Black!!!
I wish I could remember what the Silver cotter pin buttons and the smaller silver non cotter pin buttons were for....the gold were off my blues when we had to change to silver. Of course those plastic type black cotter pin buttons were off the female pinstripe uniform and they NEVER stayed on!!!! Esp for those very well endowed...so I never had a problem!
Oh, by the way...here's a pic of me (stop laughing!
) in my blues from bootcamp...see the GOLD buttons. I was enlisted!
Yeah me! LOL. The anchors on the collar, those are what I cut off and of course, I still have my hat pin!
Next photo....me in Wash, DC (1974)...wearing the Summer Light Blues (pinstripes).
Next photo....me in Queens, NY at my grandmother's funeral dinner with family, when my family told me to go over to this table. I didn't know anything about the NY Jets....I was told this is Joe Klecko and his Dad. (I know they are father and son, he introduced him to me as his Dad!) I can't remember. But anyways, by this time, you see our NEW Dress Blues.....no anchor on the collar, hat device is silver and of an eagle and silver buttons. (1982)
Anyways, I was trying to do a timeline of photos of the uniform, but I guess I don't have them all scanned in...oh well....
There I go again...I'm so long winded...sorry! :P
PS: W.B. Co is for Waterbury....they made our buttons...based in Connecticut.
PSS (again): EAGLE ON CROWS/DEVICES-- for many years the U.S. specified modified forms of the Napoleonic Eagle in the devices and insignia used to distinguish the various ranks and ratings of enlisted men and officers. This eagle was usually cast, stamped or embroidered facing left and the same practice was used by the Navy. Why the Napoleonic eagle faced left is unknown. In 1941 the Navy changed the eagles facing direction to follow the Heraldic rules which faces the right toward the wearers sword arm. This rule continues to apply and the eagle now faces to the front or the wearers right. (
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navy/l/bluniformhist.htm)
Another good link about military uniform history:
http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/uniform_history.htm
